THE COCOTTE
From the London Show "Nymph Errant" (1933)
(Cole Porter)

Queenie Leonard - 1933
Cole Porter - 1935
Alexis Smith - 1989


While the lucky ones stick together
With nothing to curse, but weather
Permit me to tell you of my sad fate
For due to my great discretion
In practising my profession
I suddenly wake up to find, I date

When ladies still had propriety
Women like me were covered with glory
But now since these damned society women
Invaded my territory

A busted, disgusted, cocotte am I
Just a flop from the top to the bottom I
While those fat "femmes du monde"
With the men, who once I owned
Flash around like hell-bound, hippopotomi

???? ???? ???? with their names on their cheques-appeal
To modern men, instead of sex, I now have ex-appeal
What will Ma say to me,
When she sees I've turned out to be
Unannoyed, unemployed, cocotte

A cheated, defeated, cocotte am I
On the page, of this age, just a blot am I
Since the girls known as chic
Have invented new technique
I'm afraid, in my trade, not so hot am I

As ladies mock, make love all so delectable
The boys about, won't take me out
I'm too respectable
And on my tombstone, I trust
Will be written "excuse the dust"
Of a past, but a class cocotte



(Transcribed by Monique Adriaansen & Mel Priddle - February 2004)