American Old Time Song Lyrics: 33 This Is The Town For Nellie
Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 33
THIS IS THE TOWN FOR NELLIE.
Copyright, 1891, by Henry J. Wehman.
Written, Composed and Sung by Jas. McAvoy.
The song I'll sing I hope 'twill please-to make it go I'll tryIt's about a girl called Nellie, a maiden awfully fly;
She visited towns both great and small; she traveled near and far.
But most of them were one-night stands and none of them suited her.
The gal she hailed from Kankakee, from the State of Illinois;
The town it was not large enough; she shook the country boys;
She look the train and started East and landed in New York,
And as soon as she struck old Union Square, to herself she did remark:
Chorus.
Well, this Is the town for Nellie, this is the place for Nell;
I've made up my mind to settle down; I am sure I will do well;
The sights around the Morton House they fairly knocked her silly;
Says she, Tra la la le, old Kankakee, oh, this is the town for Nellie.
That night she saw New York lit up- it filled her heart with glee-
She kicked herself and sorry she ever was born in Kankakee.
From Fourteenth Street to Twenty-third a dozen times she ran,
Looking in all the windows like a jay from Olean;
Her Chicago feet were heavy, but her head and heart were light;
She walked all over the Bowery then till nine o'clock that night;
She's clerking up in Macy's since she's made up her mind to stay:
She's furnished a flat with her aunt tip-town-now you could not club her away.
Chorus.
Oh, this is the town for Nellie, this is the city for Nell;
And why she clerks In Macy's I never, never could tell;
She says New York it beats Chicago, Boston, Cin., or Phillle;
There's no hayseed on her, you bet, this is the place for Nellie.
She can tell you every street in town-she's never yet been lost;
She's always dressed in the very best, no matter what it costs;
Her aunt sometimes is anxious if Nell is late to tea;
But let her alone and she'll come home-she carries her own night-key;
She takes in all the matinees and every night she goes to plays,
But after ten she never stays unless she goes to dine;
Telephones make too much noise; she sends her notes by messenger-boy,
And when she comes out of the Hoffman cafe the dudes are standing in line.
Chorus.
They say, this is the town for Nell, this place for Nell:
Both day and night she's out of sight-old gal, you're looking well;
But the gawk that you got with you he's getting awfully swelly,
But, whoever he is, he knows his bus., and he is the boy for Nellie.
