American Old Time Song Lyrics: 41 They All Take After Me

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 41

THEY ALL TAKE AFTER ME.
Copyright, 1893, by Francis, Day & Hunter..
Words by T. W. Connor. Music by Harry Randall.

Folks say I ought to think myself the luckiest of men-
I am the happy father of a family of "Ten."
Not one of them will leave me while a penny I have got,
They are a nice fat-headed, ugly, lazy, lowlifed lot.

Chorus.
And they all take after me, they all take after me;
My peculiarity seems to run in the family.
They cadge, thieve, ev'ry chance they see.
There's Jack and Bill, they're on the "mill,"
And they all take after me, And they all take after me.

The girls all think they're handsome, tho' they're pug-nosed ev'ryone,
The paint and powder they put on they have in by the ton;
To all the pubs and pawnshops, too, they frequent visits pay;
They love to stay out half the night and stay a-bed all day.

Chorus.
And they all take after me, they all take after me;
My peculiarity seems to run in the family.
They all drink whiskey in their tea,
They all would rather die than work,
And they all take after me, and they all take after me.

Now all the boys are champions at shifting pots of ale,
But never soil their hands with work, except when they're in goal.
They never meet a policeman but want to have his blood;
They take delight in getting drunk and rolling in the mud.

Chorus.
And they all take after me, they all take after me;
My peculiarity seems to run in the family.
They shift, booze, till they couldn't see;
They go to bed with their boots on,
And they all take after me, And they all take after me.

There's Jim and Joe, they're married, and their wives they do adore,
They make them clean their dirty boots and sleep upon the floor;
They never give them money, though they give them lots of cheek,
They never fail to serve 'em out with black eyes once a week.

Chorus.
And they all take after me, they all take after me;
My peculiarity seems to run in the family.
They "row," fight, slang so beantif'ly:
They thrash their wives, give 'em black eyes,
And they all take after me, And they all take after me.