MA SAYS, PA SAYS
Josef Marais  1940

as rec by Doris Day & Johnnie Ray w Paul Weston & his Orch  1952


[jr]
Go tell your mother you're steppin' out with me,
Say that we'll be dancing and you won't be home till three!
Go tell your father he needn't pace the floor,
Promise at the stroke of three you'll tiptoe through the door!

[dd]
I told my mother
And I told my father
And they
[jr]
Yes?
[dd]
Say;
[jr]
What did they say?

[dd]
Ma says, pa says,
We must keep on dancin'!
Ma says, pa says,
We must keep on dancin'!
For if we keep on dancin',
We won't start romancin'!
But if we start romancin',
We won't keep on dancin'!

[jr]
Well now, go tell your mother I'm taking you out to dine,
Tell her this here restaurant, the cookin' is divine!
Then go tell your father you've got an appetite,
Say that you're so hungry, you could eat all through the night!

[dd]
I told my mother
And I told my father
And they
[jr]
Yes?
[dd]
Say;
[jr]
What did they say?

[dd]
Ma says, pa says,
We must keep on eating!
Ma says, pa says,
We must keep on eating!
For if we keep on eating,
Our lips won't be meeting!
But if our lips are meeting,
We won't keep on eating!

[jr]
Well now, go tell your mother tonight you've got a date,
Say that you and I will be attending a little debate!
Go tell your father I'm gonna make a speech,
Say that the lecture will be held upon a sandy beach!

[dd]
I told my mother
And I told my father
And they
[jr]
Yes?
[dd]
Say;
[jr]
What did they say?

[both]
Ma says, pa says,
We must keep on talkin'!
Ma says, pa says,
We must keep on talkin'!
For if we keep on talkin',
We won't go out walkin'!
But if we go out walkin',
We won't keep on talkin'!

[dd]
We'll date and debate!
[jr]
We'll meet and eat!
[dd]
We'll walk and talk beneath the moon!
[both]
'Cause ma says, ma says,
We can marry soon!



(Transcribed by Peter Akers - July 2012)