Malvina Reynolds: Song Lyrics and Poems  

Notes: words and music by Malvina Reynolds; copyright 1958 by the author, 1963 by Schroder Music Company. a.k.a. "Birthday Polka" and "Nancy, Nancy, Fourteen Years Today." In the Table of Contents to her songbook Song in My Pocket Malvina writes of this song: "This song has a zipper--fit in your own names and ages. Pete Seeger has sung it for octogenarians, to their great delight, and our Nancy was satisfied to receive it for a present in lieu of a bicycle in a lean year" (it was written in 1949, the year Malvina's daughter turned fourteen).

Who's the little whatnot
Came along our way,
Nancy, Nancy, fourteen years today,
Looked around the kitchen,
Thought she'd better stay,
Nancy, Nancy, fourteen years today.

Chorus:
Sing hallelujah and wave the soup tureen,
Hold your hat, hold your specs,
Man the pumps, clear the decks,
Lord knows what will happen next,
Nancy's fourteen!

Landed on the chimney,
Or maybe in the hay,
Nancy, Nancy, fourteen years today,
Looked the family over,
Gave a mild okay,
Nancy, Nancy, fourteen years today.

Second Chorus:
Sing hallelujah and shake the tambourine,
Watch your clothes, watch your toes,
Here she comes, there she goes,
Where she stops nobody knows,
Nancy's fourteen!

(Other choruses)

Sing hallelujah and wave the other shoe . . . Stevie is two.

Sing hallelujah and bang the garden gate . . . Julie is eight.

Sing hallelujah and shinny up a tree . . . Bobby is three.

Malvina Reynolds songbook(s) in which the music to this song appears:
---- Song in My Pocket: Songs

Other place(s) where the music to this song appears:
---- Sing Out!, Volume 3(7) (1953), p. 15 [as "Birthday Polka"]

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