Malvina Reynolds: Song Lyrics and Poems  

The Girls from the Oyster House

Notes: words and music by Malvina Reynolds; copyright 1959 Schroder Music Company, renewed 1987. Written circa 1953-1955 for Nancy Schimmel while she was in college.

We are the girls from the Oyster House,
Elegant girls and fine,
And if you want to touch our hands,
Please get in line,
We sleep on silk and dine on milk
That's largely dairy cream,
And if you want something to dream about--
Dream, boys, dream,

Chorus:
Cause when we go walking out,
The lads turn their heads about,
When we go walking by,
Oh, what a sigh!
And what is that terrible noise you hear
When one of us departs?
It's the rattledy bang, the clinkedy clang,
The sound of breaking hearts.

We are the girls from the Oyster House,
Delicate girls and sweet.
We get so very embarrassed
When the men fall at our feet.
But do we dream of love? Oh no!
Our mind's on other things,
And we'll take off and leave the ground
As soon as we sprout our wings.

(Chorus)

We are the girls from the Oyster House,
Intellectuals all.
At midterms and at finals
Why we really have a ball.
Our grade points are the highest
And our scholarship is great.
But the fellows keep flunking right and left--
They cannot concentrate.

Malvina Reynolds songbook(s) in which the music to this song appears:
---- Cheerful Tunes for Lutes and Spoons: Youngish Songs

Malvina Reynolds recording(s) on which this song is performed:
---- [none]