(sammy cahn, j.v. huesen/james hanley, grantclarke, harlan howard/jerry herman)
There are three well known young ladies
people talk about today
three young ladies known for fortune and fame
they aren't mod
they don't sing rock
a real old fashioned trio
who are simply known as millie, rose and mame
Thoroughly modern millie
Everything today is thoroughly modern
check your personality
everything today makes yesterday slow
you better face reality
It's not insanity
says vanity fair
in fact, it's stylish to raise your skirts and bob your hair
In a rumble seat the world is so cosy
if the boy is kissable
and that tango dance they wouldn't allow
Goodbye, good, goody girl
i'm changing and how
so beat the drums
cause here comes thoroughly modern millie now
Second hand rose
I'm wearing second hand hats
second hand clothes
that's why they call me second hand rose
(you're ragged)
even my pajamas when i don em
has somebody else's nitials on 'em
(initials)
Second hand pearls
oh, i'm wearing second hand curls
i never had a single thing that's new
(what's a girl to do about it?)
Once while strolling through the ritz
a girl got my goat
(what'd she do?)
she nudged her friend and said
oh, look, there's my old fur coat
(and how embarassing)
and everyone knows that i'm just second hand rose
from second avenue
Mame
you coax that blues right out of the horn, mame
you charm that husk right off of the corn, mame
you've got that banjo strummin
plunkin out a tune to beat the band
the whole plantation's hummin'
since you brought dixie back to dixie land
You make them blackeyed peas and our grits, mame
seems like the bill of fare at the ritz, mame
you came, you saw, you conquered
and absolutely nothing was the same
you're special fascination'll prove to be inspirational
we think you're just sensational, mame
Everything today is thoroughly modern
bands are getting jazzier
(mame)
and everything today is starting to go
the cars are getting snazzier
(mame)
Men say it's criminal
what women will do
what they're forgetting is
this is 1922
Second hand shoes
i'm wearing second hand hose
they've all been worn before
You're special fascination'll prove to be inspirational
we think you're just sensational mame
not to mention rose and millie
we think you're just sensational mame
You're special fascination'll prove to be inspirational
we think you're just sensational mame
come on let's groove it, one last time
we think you're just sensational mame