The song premiered in the 1922 Broadway show The French Doll, as performed by actress Irène Bordoni.

Gershwin recounted the origin of the song in 1934: I was in the office of Max Dreyfus, my publisher, one day when Buddy DeSylva walked in.

[2] "Do It Again" first appeared in the Broadway play The French Doll, which premiered on February 20, 1922 at the Lyceum and ran for a total of 120 performances.

Alice Delysia's performance of the song (retitled as "Please Do It Again") in the 1922 London revue Mayfair and Montmartre was also well received.

That same year, the Paul Whiteman Orchestra's recording found success and helped forge an "auspicious association" between the bandleader and Gershwin.