DAT DERE
(Bobby Timmons (m) 1960 Oscar Brown Jr (l) 1961)

as recorded by Mel Torme
1962


(Daddy!  Hey Daddy!  What dat dere?)

Hey daddy, what dat dere, and why dat under dere?
And oh daddy, oh hey daddy, oh look at over there!
Hey, where they goin' there, and what they doin' there?
And daddy, can I have that big elephant over there?

Hey, who dat in my chair, and what she doin' there?
And daddy, oh hey daddy, can I go over there?
Hey daddy, what's a square, and where do we get air?
And daddy, can I have that big elephant over there?

My quizzical kid,
Man, he doesn't want anything hid,
He's forever demandin' to know who and why and what and where?
Inquisitive child,
And sometimes the questions are wild,
Like "daddy, can I have that big elephant over there?"

Don't wanna comb my hair! 
Where my teddy bear?
Daddy, look at dat cowboy comin' there!
Hey, can I have a pair of boots like dat to wear?
Daddy, can I have that big elephant over there?

The time will march, the years will go,
The little fella's gonna grow,
I gotta tell him what he needs to know!
As life's parade goes trudgin' by,
He'll need to know some reasons why.
I don't have all the answers but I'll try!

My quizzical kid,
Man, he doesn't want anything hid!
Inquisitive child,
And sometimes the questions are wild!

Hey daddy, what dat dere, and why dat under dere?
And oh daddy, oh hey daddy, oh look at over there!
Hey, where they goin' there, and what they doin' there?
And daddy, can I have that big elephant over there?
And daddy, can I have that big elephant over there?
And daddy, oh daddy, oh daddy, oh daddy, oh daddy, oh daddy,
What dat dere?




(Transcribed by Peter Akers - October 2018)