I wonder what he'll think of me
I guess he'll call me the "old man"
I guess he'll think I can lick
Every other feller's father
I bet that he'll turn out to be
The spittin' image of his dad
But he'll have more common sense
Than his puddin-headed father ever had
I'll teach him to wrestle
When we go in the mornin's for our swim
But she won't make a sissy out o' him
Not him! Not my boy! Not Bill!
I will see that he is named after me, I will.
My boy, Bill! He'll be tall
And tough as a tree, will Bill!
And his feet planted firm on the ground
And you won't see nobody dare to try
To boss or toss him around!
No pot-bellied, baggy-eyed bully
I don't give a hang what he does
As long as he does what he likes!
With a hammer, hammering spikes!
He can ferry a boat on a river
Or peddle a pack on his back
With a whip and a horse and a hack.
He can haul a scow along a canal
Run a cow around a corral
Or maybe bark for a carousel
Of course it takes talent to do that well.
He might be a champ of the heavyweights,
Or a feller that sells you glue,
Or President of the United States,
His mother would like that
But he wouldn't be President if he didn't wanna be!
My boy, Bill! He'll be tall
And as tough as a tree, will Bill
And his feet planted firm on the ground
And you won't see nobody dare to try
To boss him or toss him around!
No fat-bottomed, flabby-faced,
Pot-bellied, baggy-eyed bully
And I'm hanged if he'll marry his boss' daughter
A skinny-lipped virgin with blood like water
And look in his eyes through a lorgnette...
Hey, why am I talkin' on like this?
My kid ain't even been born, yet!
I can see him when he's seventeen or so,
And startin' to go with a girl
I can give him lots of pointers, very sound
On the way to get 'round any girl
What would I do with her?
You can have fun with a son
But you gotta be a father to a girl
She mightn't be so bad at that
A kid with ribbons in her hair!
A kind o' sweet and petite
Little tin-type of her mother!
As peaches and cream is she
As girls are meant to be!
Dozens of boys pursue her
Many a likely lad does what he can to woo her
Pink and white young fellers of two or three
Gets hungry every night and she comes home to me!
I got to get ready before she comes!
I got to make certain that she
Won't be dragged up in slums
With a lot o' bums like me
She's got to be sheltered
In the best that money can buy!
I never knew how to get money,
But, I'll try, I'll try! I'll try!
I'll go out and make it or steal it