Ma Says Pa Says

Go tell your mother you're steppin' out with me
Say that we'll be dancing and you won't be home 'til three
Go tell your father he needn't pace the floor
Promise at the stroke of three, you'll tiptoe through the door

I told my mother and
I told my father and
They say (yes, what do they say?)

Ma says, pa says we must keep on dancin'
Ma says, pa says we must keep on dancin'
For if we keep on dancin', a-we won't start romancin'
But if we start romancin', a-we won't keep on dancin'

Well, now, go tell your mother I'm taking you out to dine
Tell her this here restaurant, the cookin' is divine
And then go tell your father you've got an appetite
Say that you're so hungry, you could eat all through the night

I told my mother and
I told my father and
They say (yes, what do they say?)

Ma says, pa says we must keep on eating
Ma says, pa says we must keep on eating
For if we keep on eating, our lips can't be meeting
But if our lips are meeting, we won't keep on eating

Well, now, go tell your mother tonight you've got a date
Say that you and I will be attending a little debate
Go tell your father I'm gonna make a speech
Say the lecture will be held upon a sandy beach

I told my mother and
I told my father and
They say (yes, what do they say?)

Ma says, pa says we must keep on talkin'
Ma says, pa says we must keep on talkin'
For if we keep on talkin', we won't go out walkin'
But if we go out walkin', we won't keep on talkin'

We'll date an' debate
We'll meet and eat
We'll walk and talk beneath the moon
'Cause ma says, pa says we can marry soon