Lyr Req/Add: My Mother Was a Lady /If Jack Were...

27 Oct 96 - 01:21 PM (#164)
Subject: Lyric request:
From:

It rings in my head frequently, but I don't remember the words. My Dad used to sing it back in the fifties.. The chorus was something like:

My mother was a lady, and you she wouldn't allow.
You may have a sister, that needs protection now.
I've come to this great city, to find my brother dear.
You wouldn't dare insult me sire, if brother Jack were here.

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15 Nov 96 - 11:52 PM (#400)
Subject: RE: Lyric request:
From: [e-mail] (Tom)

I'll be returning home in early Dec. If you'll e-mail me then, I'll look up those lyrics. The song's from the 1890's.

-Tom

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04 Dec 96 - 09:14 PM (#635)
Subject: RE: Lyric request:
From: [e-mail]

My mother was alady as yours you will allow

And you may have a sister who needs protection now

I've come to this great city to find my brother dear

And you wouldnt speak this way to me

If Jack were only here.

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06 Dec 96 - 11:03 PM (#664)
Subject: RE: Lyric request:
From: dick greenhaus

Hi RMose- That's the chorus. I'll try to dig up the verse

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19 Aug 98 - 03:25 AM (#35327)
Subject: Lyr Add: MOTHER WAS A LADY (Marks, Stern)
From: Dale Rose

I have seen a lot of discussion about this song~~this should put most of the questions to rest. I would like to say that I spent many hours researching it before coming up with it, but the truth is, I found it at the Levy site. The Levy and Chapel Hill sites have taken a bit of the challenge out of digging for the words, authorship, dates, etc. of many songs, but in the interests of accuracy, they certainly are invaluable. With 26,000 at Levy and 2,250~~(smaller, but excellent)~~ at Chapel Hill, when they finish their scanning process, making accurate transcriptions is certainly easier than it ever has been. Of course, the written words are often at odds with the words as sung by Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, Charlie Poole, or whoever. They were usually singing songs as they heard them from someone else, several versions away from the original, without benefit of sheet music in front of them as they sang. Sometimes (but not always) their versions were even better than the originals!

MOTHER WAS A LADY or If Jack Were Only Here
Words by Edw. B. Marks and Music by Jos. W. Stern, 1896.
Introduced & sung with phenomenal success by "The Little Magnet" Lottie Gilson

Two drummers sat at dinner, in a grand hotel one day,
While dining they were chatting in a jolly sort of way,
And when a pretty waitress brought them a tray of food,
They spoke to her familiarly in a manner rather rude;
At first she did not notice them, or make the least reply,
But one remark was passed that brought the tear drops to her eye,
And facing her tormentor, with cheeks now burning red,
She looked a perfect picture as appealingly she said:

Chorus:
"My mother was a lady--like yours you will allow,
And you may have a sister, who needs protection now,
I've come to this great city to find a brother dear,
And you wouldn't dare insult me, sir, if Jack were only here."

It's true one touch of nature, it makes the whole world kin,
And every word she uttered seemed to touch their hearts within,
they sat there stunned and silent, until one cried in shame,
"Forgive me Miss! I meant no harm, pray tell me what's your name?"
She told him and he cried again, "I know your brother too,
Why we've been friends for many years and he often speaks of you,
He'll be so glad to see you, and if you'll only wed,
I'll take you to him as my wife, for I love you since you said,"

Chorus:

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19 Aug 98 - 10:00 AM (#35343)
Subject: RE: lyr add/correction My Mother Was A Lady
From: Alice

Thanks alot, Dale.

alice

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26 Jun 99 - 02:56 PM (#89987)
Subject: Mother Was A Lady - need missing verse
From: Alice

We had a discussion long ago about "My Mother Was A Lady", and someone mentioned that there is another verse in which one of the salesmen turns out to be the waitress's brother Jack. Does anyone know that verse?

alice

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09 Dec 06 - 09:12 PM (#1904983)
Subject: RE: Lyric request:
From: George Seto - [e-mail]

refresh

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11 Dec 10 - 06:00 PM (#3051232)
Subject: RE: Req/ADD: My Mother Was a Lady/If Jack Were Onl
From: GUEST

Can anyone recall a woman's recording of "MY MOTHER WAS A LADY" circa 1950s? My memory - which cannot recall the artist's name - tells me it was not a country artist but a pop artist?

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06 May 11 - 11:19 PM (#3149577)
Subject: RE: Req/ADD: My Mother Was a Lady/If Jack Were Only...
From: GUEST,http://www.youtube.com/user/althazarr

Hello,

I just posted a wonderful old version of this song done by Vernon Dalhart on my youtube page. I really appreciate the valuable information that has been provided here. The address in the FROM section is the link to my youtube homepage, and you can see the video there.

Lloyd

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