From the 1905 musical “The Woggle Bug.”
Words by L. Frank Baum.
Music by Frederic Chapin.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment:
Lyrics
We protest, we detest household drudgery
It’s frightful, so we’ve struck just for luck
For a job that’s more delightful
Why should we dusting be
When we’re men of brain and muscle
What the deuce is the use
With a mop to hustle, tussel, tussel
What the deuce is the use
With a mop to tussel
No self-respecting gentleman
The kitchen floor should sweep
No business man of talent
Can teach baby how to creep
You can’t expect a college chap
To do the laundry work
Nor ever look to find a cook
In a haughty dry-goods clerk
In a haughty dry-goods clerk
Dust, dust on ev’ry shelf you scan
Rust, rust on ev’ry pot and pan
We’re sick and weary keeping house
The meal forever planning
Such drudgery was never meant
For man, man, man
Sweep, sweep from cellar to the roof
Creep, creep of scrubbing we’ve enough
Our joints are stiff and aching
And our nerves are all askew
Do the work yourself for we are through
Dust, dust on ev’ry shelf you scan
Rust, rust in ev’ry pot and pan
We’re sick and weary keeping house
The meals forever planning
Such drudgery was never meant
For man, man, man
Sweep, sweep from cellar to the roof
Creep, creep of sweeping we’ve enough
Their joints are stiff and aching
And their nerves are all askew
We rebel for we are through
No more drudgery will do
Wheeling baby carriages was never meant
For man, noble man to do
Oh, no, for man, noble man to do
Was never meant, never meant
For man to do, for noble man
Dust, dust on ev’ry shelf you scan
Rust, rust in ev’ry pot and pan
We’re sick and weary keeping house
The meals forever planning
Such drudgery was never meant
For man, man, man
Sweep, sweep from cellar to the roof
Creep, creep of sweeping we’ve enough
Their joints are stiff and aching
And their nerves are all askew
Do the work yourself for we are through
Sung here by Vancha March: