From “The Wall Street Girl”, 1912
Words by A. Seymour Brown.
Music by Nat. D. Ayer.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- I never had a brother
Father never had a son
So I had to take the place of a boy in the family
I never cared so much for girls
It’s boys who have the fun
So I’ve had to take the place of a boy in the family
Ever since a little girl I’ve been consider’d strong
To let a girlie play with boys they say is very wrong
Now don’t misunderstand me
I’m a woman through and through
But I love to pal with boys
And do the things that boys will do
Chorus
Everybody used to call me Jimmy
Ever since I was old enough to walk
With dresses to my knees
I used to climb the trees
And all the gabby neighbors used to talk
“My goodness! what’ll become of her
When she’s a lady?
A girl of her age should be so sweet and coy”
And I know they won’t forget the day I smoked a cigarette
Oh! Gee! I should have been born a boy
- I never cared for dresses
And I hate to wear a veil
So I’ve had to take the place of a boy in the family
I had to go to Vassar ’cause I couldn’t go to Yale
So I’ve had to take the place of a boy in the family
I love to bet on races just to see the horses run
I love to see a game of ball because it’s lots of fun
I hate a woman’s gossip and detest the taste of tea
The spirit athletic is the thing appeals to me
Chorus
Everybody used to call me Jimmy
Ever since I was old enough to walk
With dresses to my knees
I used to climb the trees
And all the gabby neighbors used to talk
“My goodness! what’ll become of her
When she’s a lady?
A girl of her age should be so sweet and coy”
And they said I was a brat
I threw a brick and hit a cat
Oh! Gee! I should have been born a boy
- I was always full of mischief
I could find enough of that
So I had to take the place of a boy in the family
I had a dog and used to sic him on the neighbor’s cat
So I’ve had to take the place of a boy in the family
One day I found my daddy’s watch
‘Twas in the bureau drawer
And carefully I took it out and laid it on the floor
I hit it with a hammer just to see what was inside
When papa saw his Ingersoll of course he nearly died
Chorus
Everybody used to call me Jimmy
Ever since I was old enough to walk
With dresses to my knees
I used to climb the trees
And all the gabby neighbors used to talk
“My goodness! what’ll become of her
When she’s a lady?
A girl of her age should be so sweet and coy”
I know how the slipper feels
For I stood up to eat my meals
Oh! Gee! I should have been born a boy
Sung here by Vancha March: