BLACK STRAP MOLASSES
(Carmine Ennis / Marilou Harrington)


Jane Wyman, Jimmy Durante, Groucho Marks & Danny Kaye - 1951





ALL:
Black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread
Makes you live so long you wish you were dead
You add some yogurt and you’ll be well fed
With black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread

JANE WYMAN: 
My grandpa’s older than the old grey mare
He sits a-rockin' in his rockin' chair
But now he’s got a smile that he can’t lose 
Grandma’s sittin' knittin' baby shoes

ALL:
>From eatin' black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread
Makes you live so long you wish you were dead
You add some yogurt and you’ll be well fed
With black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread

JIMMY DURANTE: 
I gave up cherry pie and T-bone steak
Chicken fricassee and ice cream cake
I don’t need vitamins or pills at all 
I even mix it with my Hadacol

ALL:
I’m eatin' black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread
Makes you live so long you wish you were dead
You add some yogurt and you’ll be well fed
With black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread

GROUCHO MARX: 
My nerves were jumpy and I'd walk the floor
I never got to sleep till after four
But since I'm eatin' right I feel okay
I'm sleepin' every night and half the day

ALL:
>From eatin' black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread
Makes you live so long you wish you were dead
You add some yogurt and you’ll be well fed
With black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread

DANNY KAYE: 
Now I was thinner than a pencil line
Had no muscles and I had no spine
But now I’m friskier than a pup 
All you have do is prop me up

ALL:
Just feed me black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread
Makes you live so long you wish you were dead
You add some yogurt and you’ll be well fed
With black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread

GM: I know a fella who is ninety-two
JW: Doctors told the guy that he was through
DK: But now that the doctor has been proven wrong
JD: He’s got more hop in him than Hopalong

ALL:
>From eatin' black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread
Makes you live so long you wish you were dead
You add some yogurt and you’ll be well fed
With black strap molasses and the wheat germ bread



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - June 2009)