MOTHER WHAT'LL I DO NOW
From the film "I See Ice" (1938)
(Formby / Cliffe)

George Formby - 1938


Mother you give good advice
Always you mean well
Now I need it more than ever
I'm inside this cell

I'm behind a prison wall
The bed's so hard and much too small
There's no pyjamas here at all
Oh, Mother what'll I do now

They told me they would treat me swell
Tucked inside my little cell
But up to now it's been like h...! 
Mother what'll I do now

We're parted from each other 
And that's too bad
You're my favourite Mother
Oh, the best I ever had

Tonight I've got a date, you see 
But they won't let me have a key
And the warder's won't wait up for me
Oh, Mother what'll I do now

It's hard to pass the time away
I'm in a dangerous mood, I say
I've smoked two cigarettes today
Oh, Mother what'll I do now

First I stand and then I sit
Then I sit and stand a bit
But I can't stand much more of it
Oh, Mother what'll I do now

We're parted from each other
And that's too bad
You're my favourite Mother
Oh, the best I ever had

I got such an awful shock
I asked the time, for there's no clock
And the warder said, "Six months Old Cock"
Oh, Mother what'll I do now

I ordered lunch from soup to sweet
But they forgot the fish and meat
And since the soup there's nowt to eat
Oh, Mother what'll I do now

I've had such a tummy ache
All night long I've been awake
Some castor oil they made me take
Oh, Mother what'll I do now

We're parted from each other 
And that's too bad
You're my favourite Mother
Oh, the best I ever had

I've played Peter-fly-away-Paul
I've played tiddlywinks and all
I've written rude words upon the wall
Oh, Mother what'll I do now