Song lyrics to Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life, lyrics by Rida Johnson Young and music by Victor Herbert, written for Naughty Marietta.
Ah! Sweet mystery of life
At last I’ve found thee
Ah! I know at last the secret of it all;
All the longing, seeking, striving, waiting, yearning
The burning hopes, the joy and idle tears that fall!
For ’tis love, and love alone, the world is seeking,
And ’tis love, and love alone, that can repay!
‘Tis the answer, ’tis the end and all of living
For it is love alone that rules for aye!
Love, and love alone, the world is seeking,
For ’tis love, and love alone, that can repay!
‘Tis the answer, ’tis the end and all of living
For it is love alone that rules for aye!
Editor’s notes about Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life
Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life is used as a recurring gag in the film Young Frankenstein, its included in the score of the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie.
In the 1954 I Love Lucy episode Ricky’s Movie Offer, “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life” is sung by Elizabeth Patterson, in the 1973 All In the Family episode “Archie The Gambler”, the song is sung by Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner, and Sally Struthers, and in the 1990 Designing Women episode “Pearls of Wisdom”, Dixie Carter sings the song.