Ooo, Ooo, Lena!

by Jerome D. Kern and John L. Golden

Sheet music cover

[Verse 1]

PRALINE. When Lena was a naughty girl her mother used to say

"Ooo, Ooo, Lena!"

She got into some diff'rent kind of trouble ev'ry day.

GIRLS. "Ooo, Ooo, Lena!"

PRALINE. She'd slip into the cupboard just as quiet as a clam

And steal her fill of pasty tarts of jellies and of jam,

The first time mother caught her was the first time she said, "Sh!"

GIRLS. Ooo, Ooo, Lena!

[Refrain]

PRALINE. Ooo, Ooo, ts, ts, ts, Lena was so wild,

People used to wonder "what will happen to the child?"

Ooo,

GIRLS. Ooo, ts, ts, ts,

PRALINE. She was so indiscreet,

But Somehow little Lena always landed on her feet,

Lena landed on her

GIRLS. Rum tum tiddle diddle,

Rum tum tiddle diddle,

Rum tum tiddle diddle,

Tra, la, la, la, la, la, la.

[Verse 2]

PRALINE. One day she thought she'd have a swim and stay away from school

"Ooo, Ooo, Lena!"

She took of mostly all her clothes and paddled in the pool.

GIRLS. "Ooo, Ooo, Lena!"

PRALINE. A sudden shriek and Lena sank when from the bushes slid

A man, who fished her out but seemed ashamed of having hid,

Said Lena "Don't apologize I'm very glad you did!"

GIRLS. Ooo, Ooo, Lena!

[Verse 3]

PRALINE.One day she said to mother this here town is awful slow

"Ooo, Ooo, Lena!"

I've got what's known as Wanderlust and so I guess I'll go

GIRLS. "Ooo, Ooo, Lena!"

PRALINE. She got aboard a train without a single sou you see

And simply said Conductor, can't you let me go through free?

"And when she smiled he answered that seem fare enough to me!"

GIRLS.Ooo, Ooo, Lena!

[Verse 4]

PRALINE. When Lena reached the city why the queerest things occurred,

"Ooo, Ooo, Lena!"

The way folks fell for Lena's smile was really most absurd.

GIRLS. "Ooo, Ooo, Lena!"

PRALINE. For ev'ry man who saw it went immediately wild

And offered rings and other things unto the angel child,

And she accepted evry thing that came her way and smiled!

GIRLS. Ooo, Ooo, Lena!

[Verse 5]

PRALINE. Now Lena's poor old folks at home got poorer ev'ry year

"Ooo, Ooo, Lena!"

Kept losing all their money as they'd lost their Lena, dear.

GIRLS. "Ooo, Ooo, Lena!"

PRALINE. They quite made up their minds that she had surely come to harm

When one day she came home and there was no cause for alarm,

She'd make enough to take the darned old mortgage off the farm!

GIRLS. Oh you, Lena!