Look For The Silver Lining

Jerome Kern and B.G. DeSylva wrote this song nearly a hundred years ago, in 1919. I was revisiting Chet Baker’s beautifully understated singing today and was knocked off my feet by his interpretation.

Look for the silver lining,
Whene’er a cloud appears in the blue.
Remember, somewhere the sun is shining,
And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you.
A heart full of joy and gladness
Will always banish sadness and strife.
So always look for the silver lining,
And try to find the sunny side of life.

Written shortly after the conclusion of the horrors of WWI, and during the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic that claimed up to 100 million lives (3-5% of the world population), it nevertheless strikes a hopeful note that I am working hard to echo every day.