#387 - Mary Ann I'll Tell Your Ma
- Composer:
- Gov. Addison Ryman, 1881
- Incipit: 5567113717265333665544446717
- Condensed Incipit: 5671371726536546717
- Lyrics:
I spoon'd a girl named Mary-Ann, a tender little dove,
She cost me lots of money, and a precious deal of love,
She's living with her mother as a maiden ought to do;
And looks as straight and proper, as a saint, or me, or you,
But some how when I trot her 'round, no matter where we go,
I'm struck with all the people that this maiden seems to know,
For certain as my Mary-Ann, I proudly take about,
Some head pops 'round the corner and a vulgar voice will shout,
chorus:
Mary Ann, Mary Ann, I'll tell your Ma,
She never thought when you went out you'd go so far,
I really don't believe she knows the girl you are.
Mary Ann, fie for shame, ya, ya, ya.
I took her to a picnic once, last summer on the rail,
We done the grand, you understand, in that I never fail,
I paid for ice cream, gingersnaps and bought peanuts beside,
And swung her on the patent swing, that cost five cents a ride,
We danc'd the Lancers, waltz'd and talk'd, until the sun went down,
Then started for a streetcar that was going toward town,
But when we settled snugly and was just about to go,
A head came thro' the window and a fellow shouted oh!
We got in town disgusted and we quickly made for home,
For ev'ry where we met that cry, no matter where we'd roam,
My Mary Ann declar'd to me, she knew those people not,
In fact, she said, she would not mix with such a vulgar lot,
But on this precious mystery, I have some little fears,
For Mary's little brothers are a pair of loving dears
And when wee parted at her door, or rather just outside,
A voice came down the staircase and one little brother cried,
- Gov. Addison Ryman, 1881
