The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #163583   Message #3904432
Posted By: Joe Offer
08-Feb-18 - 03:51 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req/Add: Button Up Your Overcoat
Subject: ADDPOP: Button up your overcoat
"Button Up Your Overcoat"

Listen, big boy,
Now that you got me made,
Goodness, but I'm afraid,
Somethin's gonna happen to you!
Listen, big boy,
You gotta be hooked, and how,
I would die if I should lose you now!

Button up your overcoat,
When the wind is free,
Oh, take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!

Eat an apple every day,
Get to bed by three,
Oh, take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!

Be careful crossing streets, ooh-ooh,
Cut out sweets, ooh-ooh,
Lay off meat, ooh-ooh,
You'll get a pain and ruin your tum-tum!

Wear your flannel underwear,
When you climb a tree,
Oh, take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!

Button up your overcoat,
When the wind is free,
Oh, take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!

When you sass a traffic cop,
Use diplomacy;
Just take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!

Beware of frozen funds, ooh-ooh,
Stocks and bonds, ooh-ooh,
Dockside thugs, ooh-ooh,
You'll get a pain and ruin your bankroll!

Keep the spoon out of your cup,
When you're drinking tea,
Oh, take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!

Don't sit on hornet's tails, ooh-ooh!
Or on nails, ooh-ooh!
Or third rails, ooh-ooh!
You'll get a pain and ruin your tum-tum!

Keep away from bootleg hooch
When you're on a spree,
Oh, take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!

This purports to be a transcription of Nancy Sinatra version, but it's actually closer to the 1929 Helen Kane recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o99mMiCVmys. I'm hoping we can find something closer to the original, and post it here with corrected lyrics.
Source: https://search.azlyrics.com/search.php?q=button+up+your+overcoat

Wikipedia says the song was published in 1928, and first recorded in 1928 by Ruth Etting. Helen Kane came out with a popular recording of the song in 1929.

Nancy Sinatra recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PugAotmLMg