It Takes a Good Woman

. . . to keep a good man at home.
A popular song from 1926.
Words by Jack Yellen.
Music by Milton Ager.

Sheet music provided by Laurence Rubenstein:

It Takes A Good Woman – SHEET MUSICDownload

Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:

It_Takes_A_Good_Woman – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. ‘Most ev’ry day the papers say
    Some gal has stolen someone else’s man away
    A good man’s hard to get
    But to keep him when you’ve got him, that’s harder yet
    There’s women here and women there
    Inducin’ your friend husband to give you the air
    You’re exception to the rule
    If you think so, you’re a fool

Chorus
It takes a good woman now-a-days
To keep a good man at home
Show him a gal with new lovin’ ways
And you’ll find yourself all alone
A man is like a bulldog, if his chain ain’t strong
He’ll chase right after any cat that comes along
It takes a good woman now-a-days
To keep a good man at home
(Takes plenty lovin’)
To keep a good man at home

  1. I’ve met a few sweet mammas who
    Have bragged about their papas always bein’ true
    ‘Tain’t no affair of mine
    But they’re bound to get a dandy surprise some time
    I’ll say again the best of men
    All crave a little change of diet now and then
    If you don’t watch him night and day
    Your man is sure gonna stray

Chorus
It takes a good woman now-a-days
To keep a good man at home
Show him a gal with new lovin’ ways
And you’ll find yourself all alone
I claim that ev’ry man, if he could have his way
Would mess around a brand new mamma ev’ry day
It takes a good woman now-a-days
To keep a good man at home
(In his pajamas)
To keep a good man at home

Patter
You’ve got to treat him pretty
Don’t be cross or mean
‘Cause competition now-a-days is mighty keen
You’ve got to pet your papa when he’s feelin’ bad
Or else he’ll get his pettin’ where it can be had
You’ve got to know the way to cook his fav’rite dish
Don’t give him pork chops if he craves gefillte fish
Good steaks will bring him home at dinnertime all right
But you cannot satisfy a man with steak all night
And also bear in mind a coat of paint or two
Can make most any used car look as good as new
And when you love him, give him that hot mamma thrill
‘Cause if you don’t, he’s bound to find a gal who will

Sung here by Fred Feild: