Mother, May I Go Out to Swim (Bathing Song) (Lester Keith) A sweet little peach from Manhattan Beach Was strolling upon the sand, And met a young sport from jolly Newport Who thought she was perfectly grand She murmured to him, "I'd go take a swim, But I am engaged to be wed, Though it's very warm, it's very bad form." "Yours looks good to me," he said She answered right away, "To Ma I used to say" cho: Mother may I go out to swim, Yes my darling daughter, Hang your clothes on a hickory limb, But don't go near the water. You may look cute in your bathing suit, But act just as you oughter, Now and then you can flirt with the men, But don't go near the water. This dapper young swell then said to the belle, "Please come out and dine with me, It's quite impolite, but come out tonight, I love you and you must agree," She answered in haste, "It's very bad taste To dine with a stranger I'm told:" But her taste was fine for champagne and wine Cost him twenty dollars cold, And afterwards he thought, Of what her mother taught Sung by Julian Eltinge of Cohan & Harris' "Honey Boy" Minstrels Copyright 1908. [With music. I suspect the songwriters Keith Lester, Lester W. Keiffer, Lester Keith, and Lester W. Keith are the same person, but who was he?. For the chorus see the Opie's Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, among other places. JO oct99
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