American Old Time Song Lyrics: 34 The Poor Gal Didnt Know You Know

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 34

The Poor Gal Didn't Know, You Know.
Written by Fred'k Bowyer. Composed by John Cooke.

My sister's about the most simple of girls
That ever a person could get;
She's not very old, so there's time to improve;
She isn't quite twenty-one yet;
She had a new sweetheart she'd known but two days.
And he asked her "what money she'd got?"
She says "look for yoursef" And she gave him her purse,
And the fellow walked off with the lot.

Chorus.
But the poor gal didn't know, you know;
She hadn't been in London long;
I'm always a-telling her she must wake up,
And she ought to know right from wrong.
For any gal would know what the fellow was at.
But she stood there and watched him go,
And stared like this, with her finger in her mouth.
But the poor gal didn't know.

Her "missis" is careful with fresh servant gals;
Once a week she insists that they go
To church, where they put in a good hour's sleep,
And back by nine-twenty or so;
Poor girl she went off-as she didn't come back.
They searched for her, such a hubbub.
When, after two good, solid hours on the scout.
They found her inside of a "pub."

Chorus.
But the poor gal didn't know, you know;
She hadn't been in London long;
I'm always a-telling her she must wake up,
And she ought to know right from wrong;
For any girl would see by the sign outside
'Twas a different kind of a show;
Her eyes were red, and she did look tired,
But the poor gal didn't know.

Her fortune she had it told on the quiet
By a woman who came to the gate.
She told her she'd marry a fellow in blue
A policeman she thought was her fate.
She swore she would find out which fellow it was.
So she started on Division A;
Her rule is to walk out with two every week.
And next week she'll be right up to J.

Chorus.
The poor gal doesn't know, you know;
She hasn't been in London long;
I'm always a-telling her she must wake up.
And she ought to know right from wrong.
She says "they're the nicest men in the world,"
And she'll follow where'er they go;
They never tell lies, And never go wrong,
But the poor gal didn't know.

I think it must be that her memory's bad-
For one night we went out for a walk,
When, all of a sudden, a man gave a shout.
And soon put an end to our talk.
He said, "Ha! I've found you out at last; have I, dear?
I've led such a miserable life;
Oh, come home at once! "-I said, "What do you mean?"

He said, "That young person's my wife!"

Chorus.
But the poor gal didn't know, you know;
She hasn't been in London long;
I'm always a-telling her she must wake up,
And she ought to know right from wrong.
"She must know," he said, "if we've met before;
The marriage lines will show!"
So I said, "You let my sister alone,
For the poor gal doesn't know!"