The Closet Professor

I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
By Irving Berlin

The snow is snowing, and the wind it is blowing,
But I can weather the storm.
What do I care how much it may storm?
I’ve got my love to keep me warm.

I cannot remember the worst December,
Just watch those icicles form.
What do I care if icicles form?
I’ve got my love to keep me warm.

Off with my overcoat off with my gloves,
Who needs an overcoat I’m burning with love?
My heart’s on fire and the flame grows higher,
So, I will weather the storm.
What do I care how much it may storm?
I’ve got my love to keep me warm.

I thought you ought to know my heart’s on fire,
The flames, they just leap higher,
So, I will weather the storm.
How do I care how much it storms?
I’ve got my love,
To keep me warm.
I’ve got my love to keep me warm.

It has been snowing since last Wednesday. Sometimes, it has been light, other times heavy. We have not gotten near the amount of snow that areas close to the Great Lakes have gotten. Lake effect snow is mind boggling to me. At the most, we have gotten five inches, and it never accumulated over about three inches because it stayed above freezing during the worst of the snow. However, we have not gotten over freezing in several days, and we are not expecting to get above freezing until next week. From Wednesday through Saturday, we may get up to ten inches of snow, thankfully not all at once. Anyway, as it began snowing last night, the above song kept playing on repeat in my head. So, I thought I’d use it as my poem for the day.

“I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” is a classic American song written by Irving Berlin in 1937. It is a romantic, upbeat tune that has become a standard in the winter and holiday music canon. Irving Berlin wrote the song for the 1937 movie On the Avenue, which starred Dick Powell, Alice Faye, and Madeleine Carroll. Powell and Faye performed the song in the movie, which added to its popularity. While the song is associated with winter due to its lyrics, it is not explicitly a Christmas song. It celebrates love as a source of warmth and comfort during cold weather. The lyrics cleverly juxtapose the chill of winter with the warmth of romantic love. Berlin’s songwriting captures a playful yet sincere tone, reflecting his ability to create timeless standards.

After its debut, “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” quickly became a hit, with various artists recording their own versions over the decades. Some notable recordings include renditions by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Doris Day. The song’s enduring appeal lies in its versatility—it has been interpreted in swing, jazz, and pop styles. The song has become a winter classic, frequently featured in holiday playlists and films. Its cheerful message and memorable melody make it a favorite for performances and recordings during the holiday season.

Irving Berlin was a prolific American composer and lyricist, widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters in American history. Born Israel Beilin on May 11, 1888, in Tyumen, Russia, he emigrated to the United States with his family in 1893 to escape anti-Jewish pogroms. Growing up in New York City’s Lower East Side, Berlin left school at an early age to help support his family, working as a street singer and later as a singing waiter.

Berlin wrote his first hit song, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” in 1911, which helped popularize ragtime music. Over his 60-year career, he wrote more than 1,500 songs, including classics like “White Christmas,” “God Bless America,” “Cheek to Cheek,” and “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” He composed scores for Broadway shows and Hollywood films, including Annie Get Your Gun and Top Hat. Berlin could only play piano in one key (F-sharp major) and used a transposing piano to create music in different keys.

Berlin married Ellin Mackay, a Catholic heiress, in 1926, despite public controversy over their interfaith relationship. They had four children and remained married until her death in 1988. His songs often reflected his immigrant background and patriotism, particularly during World War I and World War II.

Irving Berlin’s music shaped the American cultural landscape, blending genres and addressing themes of love, hope, and belonging. Berlin’s ability to capture the spirit of the American experience through music has cemented him as a defining figure in 20th-century popular culture. Over the years, Berlin demonstrated his genius by crafting songs that have remained relevant and cherished for decades. He passed away on September 22, 1989, at the age of 101, leaving behind a timeless legacy celebrated worldwide.