WHO TAKES CARE OF THE CARETAKER'S DAUGHTER
From the Broadway Show "Lady Be Good!" (1925)
(Chick Endor)

Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards (Broadway Production) - 1925
Billy Jones & Ernest Hare - 1925
Bud Birmingham & His Uke - 1925
Earl & Bell - 1925
Whitey Kaufman's Original Pennsylvania Serenaders (Instr.) - 1925
Hal Kemp's Carolina Club Orch. (Instr.) - 1925
Geoffrey Goodhart & His Orch. (Instr.) - 1925
Bert Firman's Carlton Hotel Dance Orch. (Instr.) - 1925
Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer - 1961
Joe "Fingers" Carr (Instr.) - 1961

Also recorded by:
The Longines Symphonette; Big Ben Banjo Band; Harold Smart.



I know that Babe Ruth makes home runs
And Dempsy is the champ
Marconi made the telegraph 
And that Cleopatra was a vamp
I know that Spark Plug is a horse
I'm a smart guy, there's no doubt
But there's one thing that I don't know
And I'm dying to find out.....

Who takes care of the caretaker's daughter
While the caretaker's busy taking care?
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee; that's what worries me
I know that the caretaker must take care
And while he's taking care, she's alone somewhere
Who takes care of the caretaker's daughter
While the caretaker's busy taking care?

While the caretaker's busy taking care
I wonder who takes care of his daughter
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee; that's what worries me
I wonder who cares for the caretaker's daughter
Who checks and sees if she does like she ought'er
While the caretaker's busy taking care
I wonder who takes care of his daughter?

I know that chickens lay the eggs
And milk comes from a cow
I know that money comes from banks
Because I'm smart that way somehow
I know there ain't no Santa Claus
So that proves I'm not so slow.
But at night I cannot sleep
Cause there's one thing I don't know.....

Who watches the nightwatchman's daughter
While the nightwatchman's busy watching night
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee; that's what worries me
I know that the nightwatchman must watch night
But who watches her to see if all's right?
Who watches the nightwatchman's daughter
While the nightwatchman's busy watching night?

Who tends the doortender's daughter
While the doortender's busy tending door?
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee, that's what worries me
I know that the door tender must tend door
And that he goes to work about half past four
Who tends door for the doortender's daughter
While the doortender's busy tending door?

Who keeps house for the housekeeper's daughter
While the housekeep's busy keeping house?
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee; that's what worries me
I know that the housekeeper must keep house
And when rats have a child they call it a mouse
Who keeps house for the housekeeper's daughter
While the housekeep's busy keeping house?

Who oversees the overseer's daughter
When the overseer goes to oversee?
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee; that's what worries me
I know that the overseer must oversee
And you can't play tag with a bumble-bee
But who sees the overseer's daughter
While the overseer's gone to oversee?

Who makes the dressmaker's daughter
While the dressmaker's busy making dresses?
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee; that's what worries me
Who makes the daughter while he makes the dresses?
I know she's alright, she's just full of yeses.
 I know who makes the dressmaker's daughter
 While the dressmaker's busy making dresses

Who lays the bricklayer's daughter
While the bricklayer's busy laying bricks?
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee; that's what worries me
I know that the bricklayer lays lots of bricks
And you could too if you knew his tricks
But who lays the bricklayer's daughter
While the bricklayer's busy laying bricks?


(Contributed by Floyd Farrar - February 2012)


********************


As recorded by CLIFF "UKULELE IKE" EDWARDS:


Say, who takes care of the caretaker's daughter
While the caretaker's busy taking care?

(Instrumental Break / Scat Singing)

Marconi made the telegraph
And Dempsey, he's the champ
I know that Babe Ruth makes home runs
And Cleopatra was a vamp
I know that Spark Plug is a horse
I'm a smart guy, there's no doubt
But there's one thing that I don't know
And I'm dying to find out.....

Who takes care of the caretaker's daughter
While the caretaker's busy taking care?
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee, that's what worries me
I know that the caretaker must take care
And when he's taking care, she's alone somewhere
But who takes care of the caretaker's daughter
While the caretaker's busy taking care?

Who tends door for the doortender's daughter
While the doortender's busy tending door?
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee, that's what worries me
I know that the door tender must tend door
And that he goes to work about half-past-four
But who tends door for the doortender's daughter
While the doortender's busy tending door?

(Instrumental Break / Scat Singing)

Say, who keeps house for the housekeeper's daughter
While the housekeeper's busy keeping house?
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee, that's what worries me
I know that the housekeeper must keep house
And when rats have a child, they call it a mouse
But who keeps house for the housekeeper's daughter
While the housekeeper's busy keeping house?

Who makes the dressmaker's daughter
While the dressmaker's busy making dresses?
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee, that's what worries me
I know that the dressmaker must make dresses
And the daughter's okay, she's just full of yeses
But who makes the dressmaker's daughter
While the dressmaker's busy making dresses?


(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - March 2016)


********************


As recorded by BOBBY DARIN and JOHNNY MERCER,
with Billy May & His Orch.:


BOBBY:
Who takes care of the caretaker's daughter
While the caretaker's busy takin' care? (JOHNNY: Careful)
Gee, oh gosh, oh gee, that's really what worries me (JOHNNY: I see)
I know the caretaker, he must take care
While he's taking care she's alone somewhere
But who takes care of the caretaker's daughter
While the caretaker's busy takin'` care?

(BOBBY: Brother John)
JOHNNY:
Who makes time with the timekeeper's daughter
While the timekeeper's busy keepin' time? (BOBBY: Don't ask me)
Who makes every scene while he's windin' his Longines (BOBBY: I've no idea)
You know that the timekeeper must keep time
And someone's gotta make her tick-tock chime
So who makes time with the timekeeper's daughter
While the timekeeper's busy keepin' time?

BOBBY:
Who gets tense with the tentmaker's daughter
While the tentmaker's busy makin' tents? (JOHNNY: Ha-ha-ha)
Of course, I'm talkin' about Omar Khayyam
(JOHNNY: Yeah, well that's exactly who I am)
I didn't recognise you without your shirt on
And you know, Papa Khayyam, he must make tents
While he's making tents, tell me, who's making sense
JOHNNY:
Yes, who gets tense with the tentmaker's daughter
While the tentmaker's busy making tents?

(Instrumental Break)

BOBBY:
Well, who rolls rocks for the rockroller's daughter
While the rockroller's busy rollin' rocks? Uh-huh-huh!
Just a-twangin' his guitar (JOHNNY: Yeah-yeah-yeah)
And bein' most rectangular (JOHNNY: Yeah-yeah-yeah)
Now, we know that the rockroller must roll rocks
But while he's rockin' an' rollin', who supplies her yachts
Now, who rolls rocks for the rockroller's daughter
While the rockroller's busy rollin' rocks? hah!

(Instrumental Break)

JOHNNY:
Who plays house with the housekeeper's daughter
While the housekeeper's busy keeping house?
BOBBY:
I'm usually out myself, I know that can't afford a maid (JOHNNY: Mm-mmm)
And they can't call up the Ladies' Aid
JOHNNY:
Yes, but you know that the housekeeper must keep house
BOBBY:
And that child ain't busy readin' Mickey Mouse
BOTH:
So, who keeps house with the housekeeper's daughter
While the housekeeper's busy keepin' house?
BOBBY:
I mean, while the rockroller's busy rollin' rocks (JOHNNY: Yes, sir!)
BOTH:
While the caretaker's busy takin' care


(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - March 2016)