Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

Let's Call the Whole Thing Off was composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin in 1937 for the RKO film Shall We Dance, where it was memorably performed by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in a roller-skating tap dance sequence. The song reportedly grew out of real-life pronunciation disagreements between Ira Gershwin and his wife Lenore, which Ira transformed into the now-iconic comedic conceit contrasting American dialect differences such as tomayto versus tomahto and potayto versus potahto. Musically, the tune features a sprightly, syncopated melody with a conversational quality that lends itself naturally to duet performances. Its breezy rhythmic bounce and jazzy phrasing are characteristic of Gershwin's late popular song output, which blended theatrical flair with jazz influences. The song quickly became a widely recognized entry in the Great American Songbook, recorded by artists ranging from Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong to Billie Holiday. On AllSolos, the tune is represented through Harry Connick Jr.'s performance on the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack from 1989, featuring Connick on piano with Ben Wolfe on acoustic bass. That recording brought the song to a new generation of listeners, showcasing it in a swinging duo format that highlights its enduring charm as a vehicle for jazz interpretation.