Anything You Can Do Lesson

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO
(from the musical ANNIE GET YOUR GUN )
words and music by Irving Berlin

I'm superior, you're inferior.
I'm the big attraction, you're the small.
I'm the major one, you're the minor one.
I can beat you shootin', that's not all.


1. [Annie:] Anything you can do I can do better.
I can do anything better than you
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!

2. [Frank:] Anything you can be I can be greater.
Sooner or later I'm greater than you.
[Annie:] No, you're not.
[Frank:] Yes, I am.
[Annie:] No, you're not.
[Frank:] Yes, I am.
[Annie:] No, you're not.
[Frank:] Yes, I am. Yes I am.



3. [Frank:] I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge.
[Annie:] I can get a sparrow with a bow and arrow.
[Frank:] I can live on bread and cheese.
[Annie:] And only on that?
[Frank:] Yes.
[Annie:] So can a rat.

4. [Frank:] Any note you can reach I can go higher.
[Annie:] I can sing anything higher than you.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.

(5. [Annie:] Anything you can buy I can buy cheaper.
I can buy anything cheaper than you.
[Frank:] Fifty cents.
[Annie:] Forty cents.
[Frank:] Thirty cents.
[Annie:] Twenty cents.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!)

6. [Frank:] Anything you can say I can say softer.
[Annie:] I can say anything softer than you.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!


7. [Frank:] I can drink my liquor faster than a flicker
[Annie:] I can do it quicker and get even sicker.
[Frank:] I can open any safe.
[Annie:] Without being caught?
[Frank:] You bet. [Of course, sure]
[Annie:] That's what I thought (you crook!)

8. [Frank:] Any note you can hold I can hold longer.
[Annie:] I can hold any note longer than you.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!
[Frank:] No, you can't -- Yes, you can!

(9. [Annie:] Anything you can wear I can wear better.
In what you wear I'd look better than you.
[Frank:] In my coat.
[Annie:] In your vest.
[Frank:] In my shoes.
[Annie:] In your hat.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!)

10. [Frank:] Anything you can say I can say faster.
[Annie:] I can say anything faster than you.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't,
[Annie:] Yes, I can,
[Frank:] No,you can't,
[Annie:] Yes, I can,
[Frank:] No, you can't,,
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!

11. [Frank:] I can jump a hurdle.
[Annie:] I can wear a girdle.
[Frank:] I can knit a sweater.
[Annie:] I can fill it better.
[Frank:] I can do most anything
[Annie:] Can you bake a pie?
[Frank:] No.
[Annie:] Neither can I.

12. [Frank:] Anything you can sing I can sing sweeter.
[Annie:] I can sing anything sweeter than you.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Oh, yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't, can't, can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can, can, can, can.
[Frank:] No, you can't,
[Annie:] Yes, I can.

13. [Annie:] Anything you can sing, I can sing louder
I can sing anything louder than you
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can.
[Frank:] No, you can't.
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!

(14. [Annie:] Anything you can buy, I can buy cheaper
I can buy anything cheaper than you
[Frank:] Fifty cents
[Annie:] Forty cents
[Frank:] Thirty cents
[Annie:] Twenty cents
[Frank:] No you can't
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!

15. [Frank:] I could be a racer, quite a steeplechaser
[Annie:] I can jump a hurdle even in my girdle
[Frank:] I can open any safe
[Annie:] Without being caught?
[Frank:] Yes
[Annie:] That's what I thought.

16. [Annie:] Anything you can dig, I can dig deeper.
I can dig anything deeper than you.
[Frank:] Thirty feet.
[Annie:] Forty feet.
[Frank:] Fifty feet.
[Annie:] Sixty feet.
[Frank:] No you can't
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!


17. [Annie:] Anyone you can lick, I can lick faster
I can lick anyone faster than you
[Frank:] With your fist
[Annie:] With my feet
[Frank:] With your feet
[Annie:] With an axe
[Frank:] No you can't
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!

18. [Annie:] Any school where you went I could be master
I could be master much faster than you.
[Frank:] Can you spell?
[Annie:] No I can't
[Frank:] Can you add?
[Annie:] No I can't
[Frank:] Can you teach?
[Annie:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!)



1. What is this song about?

2. What 2 phrases in the song means “I can win in a contest with you”?
(Hint: Look at the 17th verse, too)

______________________________and_______________________________________
3. What’s the opposite of “superior”? __________________________________
4. What’s the opposite of “major”? ____________________________________
5. What words rhyme?
a. inferior rhymes with ___________________________
b. all rhymes with ___________________________
c. cartridge rhymes with ___________________________
d. flicker rhymes with ____________and _________________and _____________
e. thought rhymes with ___________________________
f. girdle rhymes with ___________________________
g. sweater rhymes with ___________________________
h. pie rhymes with ___________________________
i. race rhymes with ___________________________
i. caught rhymes with ___________________________
i. faster rhymes with ___________________________

Comparisons of adjectives are made in English by telling what is different.
Write two sentences using the comparative under each picture.

1. one-syllable adjectives ADD ER + THAN
short and tall
Bob Joe
a.__________________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________________


2. adjectives ending in “y” CHANGE THE “Y” to “i” and add “er” + “than”.


pretty and ugly
Betty Martha
a.__________________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________________




3. 2 or more syllable adjectives ADD MORE + ADJECTIVE + THAN



beautiful and expensive
the necklace the ring

a.__________________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________________

4. Some irregular comparisons must be memorized.

adjective comparison

good better

bad worse

far farther

a.__________________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________________


5. What comparisons are used in this song? (in each verse)
1. I can do anything better than you.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.


6. What’s the difference between the responses?:

A: I can do anything better than you.
B: No, you can’t.
A: Yes, I can.

A: I am better than you.
B: No, you aren’t.
A: Yes, I am.

6. In verse 2, what phrase mean “at some time in the future, now or a long time from now”? __________________________________

7. Also in verse 2, what word means “famous”? ________________________

8. In verse 3, what are “sparrows” and “partridges”? ____________________

9. In verse 3, what does “I can live on bread and cheese” mean?



10. What is the insult that Annie says in verse 3?

Annie insults Frank by saying, _______________________________________________

11. What is the meaning of “lick” in this song? _____________________________

12. You write what you would say.

A: I can’t (don’t know how to) fix my toilet.
B: Neither can I.
(I can’t either.)

A: Bill can’t come to the party.
B: __________________________


A: My friend can’t cook very well.
B: ___________________________________

13. Now change the verb to “to be”.

A: I am not coming to your party.
B: Neither am I.
(I’m not either or Me, (n)either.)

A: I am not ready to talk to my boss.
B: ______________________________________

A: She is not a good cook.
B: _____________________________

14. Now change the verb to “have, speak, understand, . . .”
in the present tense.

A: I do not have enough time to do my homework.
B: Neither do I.

A: I do not speak English very well.
B: _______________________________________

A: Betty does not understand all the words.
B: _______________________________________

15. Now change the verb to past tense.

A: I did not have enough time to do my homework.
B: Neither did I.

A: I did not have a good time at her party.
B: ________________________________

A: My friend didn’t go to that party.
B: _________________________________________

A: ______________________________________
B: Neither did my husband.