All er Nuthin’

Rodgers & HammersteinOklahoma

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All er Nuthin’

Lyrics By Oscar Hammerstein II  Music By Richard Rodgers

Having secured the $50 he promised Ado Annie’s father for her hand in marriage, Will demands that Ado Annie commit to him, and only him. With characteristic frankness, Ado Annie responds as only she can.

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“All er Nuthin’” LYRICS

Will:
You’ll have to be a little more standoffish,
When fellers offer you a buggy ride.

Ado Annie:
I’ll give a imitation of a crawfish,
And dig myself a hole where I c’n hide.

Will:
I heared how you was kickin’ up some capers
When I was off in Kansas City, Mo.
I heared some things you couldn’t print in papers,
From fellers who been talkin’ like they know!

Ado Annie:
Foot!

I only did the kind of things I orta—sorta,
To you I was as faithful as c’n be, fer me.
Them stories ’bout the way I lost my bloomers—Rumors!
A lot of tempest in a pot o’ tea!

Will:
The whole thing don’t sound very good to me.

I go and sow my last wild oat!
I cut out all shenanigans!
I save my money—don’t gamble er drink,
In the backroom down at Flannigan’s!
I give up lotsa other things,
A gentleman never mentions—
But before I give up any more,
I wanta know your intentions!

With me it’s all er nuthin’!
Is it all er nuthin’ with you?
It cain’t be “in between”
It cain’t be “now and then”
No half-and-half romance will do!

I’m a one-woman man,
Home-lovin’ type,
All complete with slippers and pipe.
Take me like I am er leave me be!
If you cain’t give me all, give me nuthin’—
And nuthin’s whut you’ll git from me!

Ado Annie:
Not even sump’n?

Will:
Nuthin’s whut you’ll git from me!

Ado Annie:
It cain’t be “in between”?

Will:
Uh-uh.

Ado Annie:
It cain’t be “now and then”?

Will:
No half-and-half romance will do!

Ado Annie:
Would you build me a house,
All painted white,
Cute and clean and purty and bright?

Will:
Big enough fer two but not fer three!

Ado Annie:
Supposin’ ’at we should have a third one?

Will:
He better look a lot like me!

Ado Annie:
The spit an’ image!

Will:
He better look a lot like me!

Ado Annie:
With you it’s all er nuthin’—
All fer you and nuthin’ fer me!
But if a wife is wise,
She’s gotta realize,
That men like you are wild and free.

So I ain’t gonna fuss,
Ain’t gonna frown,
Have your fun, go out on the town,
Stay up late and don’t come home till three,
And go right off to sleep if you’re sleepy—
There’s no use waitin’ up fer me!

Will:
Oh, Ado Annie!

Ado Annie:
No use waitin’ up fer me!

Will:
Come on and kiss me.