Wow, thanks Jim and--once again--thanks Bill!

With the new info from you both, I actually found a soundie of Ella Shields singing, or rather declaiming, it for British Pathe in 1937 (http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=36322).

I think Dad liked Ella Shields--I do remember him telling me enthusiastically about some famous male impersonator in connection with Burlington Bertie, which might mean he'd seen the soundie of Ella Shields singing Burlington Bertie, so possibly the "Not All There" one of hers as well.

The words follow as per the soundie.

ATB,

Louise

I'M NOT ALL THERE

I'm the smartest guy round the town
People say I'm rocky in the crown
Doin' odd jobs don't get folks a fortune in a hurry
I've got my own ideas on that so I should worry?
Just because I've never been to school
I'm looked on as nothing but a fool
But being wise like other folks, I found it didn't pay
So I simply take no notice when they say....

I'm not all there, there's something missing
I'm not all there, so the folks declare
They call me looby ... looby ...
Nothing but a great big booby
Point and say "that's where you want it"
Heh, that's just where I've got it!
I know they think I'm slow
Well let them think, let them think--I don't care!
Sometimes I run errands for the folks up at the grange
And with a five pound note they trust me--p'raps you think that's strange?
But they never send for a policeman when I say "I've lost the change"
'Cos I'm not supposed to be all there (heheheh)

All my folks are potty just like me
They've retired and live in luxury
Acting soft and foolish, they beat all the wise ones hollow
So their example is the only thing to follow.
Some folks gotta work to earn their dough
I earn twice as much and never go
That I've been barmy from my birth I'm willing to confess
But there's a method in my madness nonetheless....

I'm not all there, there's something missing
I'm not all there, so the folks declare (boogie boogie boogie)
They call me looby ... looby ...
Nothing but a great big booby
Point and say "that's where you want it"
Heh, that's just where I've got it!
I know they think I'm slow
Well let them think, let them think--I don't care!
Sometimes fellas kissing other fellas' girls are in for it
And ten to one there'll be a fight and somebody'll get hit
But when I kiss other fellas' girls they never mind a bit
'Cos I'm not supposed to be all there....

All the local bookies say I'm up the chimbley stack
If I back a winner they give me more than my whack
But if I ever backed a loser they'd give me my money back
'Cos I'm not ... hahahahahahaha!
'Cos I'm not supposed to be all there.