You'd Be Surprised

Jonathan Rée mentions in this essay (h/t Dirk Felleman) that Wittgenstein considered a line from an Irving Berlin song as a motto for the Philosophical Investigations. The line is the title of the song: "You'd be Surprised." It's possible that Wittgenstein just liked the idea (as well as "I'll teach you differences" and "It takes many sorts to make a world"), but it also seems possible that the original context of the words mattered too. So here are some of the lyrics, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Part of first verse:

Johnny was bashful and shy;

Nobody understood why

Mary loved him

All the other girls passed him by.

Everyone wanted to know

How she could pick such a beau

With a twinkle in her eye

She made this reply

Parts of various choruses:

He's not so good in a crowd

But when you get him alone

You'd be surprised;

He's kind of scared in a mob

But when he takes you home

You'd be surprised.

He won't impress you

Right from the start

But in a week or two

You'd be surprised.

At a party or a ball

I've got to admit he's nothing at all

But in a Morris chair

You'd be surprised

Part of second verse:

Mary continued to praise

Johnny's remarkable ways

To the ladies

And you know advertising pays

Now Johnny's ne'er alone

He has the busiest phone

Almost every other day

A new girl will say