A Man's a Man Fer All Dat

When a man's on his own, he's just dat. He's dis an he's dat … jus dis an dat … an dat's dat. But now let a good woman enter his life Let a good woman become his sweet wife Now he's inspired from dis and dat to this and that and more than that. From seat left up to seat put down To clothes picked up 'stead of lying around From paper cups and plastic spoons To silver and china with roses and moons Yes, a good woman transforms his dis and dat to this and that and more than that. She's a smiling light by which he sees Yesterday's socks still below his knees. Her delicate nose, bright eyes and charms Reminds him to fumigate under his arms. A man is a man fer all dat, but with a good woman life's this and that. He wipes his feet as he comes in the door. "Don't track that sawdust - not on MY floor!" He hangs up his coat on the back of da chair. Oh! That's right ... that's wrong ... it doesn't go there! Well, he hangs it up somewhere, just where I forget Not on the floor, 'cause the floor is all wet From the mud on the boots which by the door should be set. I’ll be getting that look again, that's a safe bet! But instead she brings warmly a cup of hot tea With smiles and kisses and m-m-m-m-m … biscotti. I know there's a lot more dat a “THAT" man should do Lots of rules about tea time and stuff called "foo-foo". Yes, a man is a man for all that. With sawdust and leaves on his old woolen hat, On his own he's content as an ol’ alley cat, scruffy and scraggly as dis an dat. But with a good woman like I'm blessed to call mine, His life starts to mellow like aging fine wine. His mind starts to think and his heart starts to care For the spirit-filled treasure who's his lady fair. So he opens her door, he puts down the seat, He eats with a fork after cutting the meat. With napkin in lap and armpits like cedar, He thinks of his life and how much it is sweeter Than when he was only and lonely and sad And says, “Aye! Dis new life ain’t really half bad!”