Prudence

From “The Passing Show of 1915”
Words by Arthur Wimperis
Music by Herman Finck

The sheet music:

Prudence – Sheet MusicDownload

Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:

Prudence – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. Little Prudence, from a baby
    Was collected, calm and cool
    And she showed how much there may be
    In a name, whilst still at school
    For she drew Miss Brown, the teacher
    In her grammar with a beard
    But befor Miss Brown could reach her
    Book and all had disappeared

Refrain
Prudence showed her prudence at a very early age
For the teacher came and slapped her where she sat
But her underware was lined
With the book they couldn’t find
She concealed a lot of prudence under that

  1. Though her parentage was shady
    She was lpretty as a peach
    And she grew up quite a lady
    But for cockney tricks of speech
    And we said, “At any rate
    She’s simply topping otherwise”
    And forgot she dropped her aitches
    When we saw her raise her eyes

Refrain
Prudence wasn’t prudent in a prudish sort of way
And her evening dresses knocked the Johnnies flat
For her bodice wasn’t low
But she knew enough to show
Just a little bit of prudence over that

  1. With admirers Pru was pleasant
    But was prudent to the last
    For she always took a present
    But she never has a past
    When she turned up at Romano’s
    With the Honourable Tom
    P’raps, the prodigals, Papa knows
    Where she got those jewels from

Refrain
Prudence wasn’t prudent in a prudish sort of way
So, when he suggested supper at her flat
Did she take offence? Oh, no!
But she took her brother Joe
So, she showed a lot of prudence over that

Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: