Does Anyone Know the Lyrics to “Dolly When You Grow To Be a Lady”?

Clarissa wrote:

Hello, my great grandmother is dying with cancer, she has asked me to find an old song her mother use to sing to her as a child. I am guessing the time was 1920’s and some of the lyrics are:

Dolly when you grow to be a lady,
Who will wash your face and comb your hair.
Dolly when you grow to be a lady
Who will tuck you in and hear your prayers
(or say your prayers).

This is all I know and I have looked for hours on the Internet and I cannot seem to find anything. Any help of suggestions of where I might find these full lyrics would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

If anyone can help out with this song, please comment below. It would be a great help!

-Lisa

This article was posted on Wednesday, March 14th, 2007 at 4:32 pm and is filed under American Kids Songs, Children's Songs, English, Languages, Questions, Readers Questions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

7 Responses to “Does Anyone Know the Lyrics to “Dolly When You Grow To Be a Lady”?”

  1. Janet Says:

    I knew this song as a child:

    Dolly when you grow to be a lady, who will comb your hair and wash your face. When it’s time to take you to your bedroom, tuck you quilt and blanket into place. Who will dress you early in the morning. Change your dress a thousand times a day. Tell me dearest don’t you think you’d rather, always just my baby dolly stay.

    Did you get any other replies?

  2. Lisa Says:

    So far you’re the first to reply. Thanks for writing in!

    -Mama Lisa

  3. Adena Says:

    I to would like to know the lyrics to this song my grandmother used to sing it to me when I was a child and she passed almost a year ago now and I would like to pass it on to my kids if you find out anything will you pass it on to me as well. Thank You

  4. Florence Says:

    much appreciatedtab seems accurate

  5. Bill Says:

    thx!tab seems just like the band

  6. Kelly Says:

    “When my dolly grows to be a lady,
    who will comb her hair and wash her face?
    And when it’s dark who’ll take her to her bedroom,
    and tuck her quilts and blankets into place?
    Who will wake her early in the morning?
    Change her dress a dozen times a day?
    Tell me dolly don’t you think you’d rather,
    always just my own dear dolly stay…”

    My Mimi used to sing that to me & my sisters, and now I sing it to my daughter Dorothy, who I named after her. <3

  7. Marva Brubaker Says:

    My grandpa would hold a doll on his lap and sing us this song! I have 2 verses and the chorus, but there is a third verse that has escaped us!
    1. Dear Dolly I suppose you’ll grow like other babies that we see,
    And if you eat and drink a lot, you’ll be perhaps as big as me.
    And Dolly, really, I suppose that you will not stop growing then.
    And oh dear me, I’ll never see my baby doll again.
    Chorus:
    Dolly, when you grow to be a lady, who will comb your hair and wash your face?
    When it’s dark who’ll take you to your bedroom, tuck your quilt and blanket into place?
    Who will dress you early in the morning? Change your dress a dozen times a day?
    Tell me, dearest, don’t you think you’d rather, always just my baby dolly stay?
    2.My mother tells me many things that I should do to make me grow,
    And if you will stop doing them, you’ll stay a little girl I know.
    You mustn’t take a nap at all or eat fat meat or crusts of bread,
    And especially when company comes, go always late to bed.
    Chorus

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