“Lazy Mary (She Won't Get Up)”
Description
The mother calls the girl, but she "won't get up, she won't get up, she won't get up today." The mother makes various offers to entice the girl; she refuses each one. Finally a young man is offered, and the girl rises.
Supplemental text
Lazy Mary (She Won't Get Up)
Complete text(s)
*** A ***
Lazy Mary
From W. W. Newell, Games and Songs of American Children, item
#32, pp. 96, perhaps from New York
"Lazy Mary, will you get up,
Will you get up, will you get up?
[Lazy Mary, will you get up,]*
Will you get up to-day?"
"What will you give me for my breakfast,
If I get up, if I get up,
If I get up today?"
A slice of bread and a cup of tea....
No, mother, I won't get up...
[Missing verse calling Mary to supper]
A nice young man with rosy cheeks...
Yes, mother, I will get up....
* The sheet music includes this line, which is certainly the
way I remember the song, but the printed text below omits
it.
*** B ***
What Will You Give Me If I Get Up?
From Louise Pound, American Ballads and Songs, #110, pp. 225-226.
Collected 1916 from Lucia Saxer of Mount Clare, Nebraska.
"What will you give me if I get up,
If I get up, if I get up?
What will you give me if I get up.*
If I get up today?"
"A slice of bread and a cup of tea,
A cup, a cup, a cup of tea,
A slice of bread and a cup of tea,
If you get up today."
"No, mother, I won't get up,
I won't, I won't, I won't get up,
No, mother, I won't get up,
I won't get up today."
"What will you give me if I get up,
If I get up, if I get up?
What will you give me if I get up,*
If I get up today?"
"A nice young man with rosy cheeks,
With rosy cheeks, with rosy cheeks,
A nice young man with rosy cheeks,
If you'll get up today."
"Yes, mother, I will get up,
I will get up, I will get up,
Yes, mother, I will get up,
I will get up today."
* Note the curious difference in punctuation in these identical
stanzas. Presumably the first is a typographical error.
Cross references
- cf. "Whistle, Daughter, Whistle" (theme)
References
- Randolph 396, "She Won't Get Up" (1 text)
- LPound-ABS, 110, pp. 225-226, "What Will You Give Me If I Get Up?" (1 text)
- Linscott, pp. 31-33, "Lazy Mary" (1 text, 1 tune)
- ST R396 (Full)
- Roud #6561
- BI, R396