Hostess Songtext
von Joyce Grenfell

When Mamma gave a dinner for twelve
She rested all day long
She rested all day long
Oh, she ordered the meal and directed the cook
Ordered the flowers, took a last look at the table
But she rested all day long
She rested all day long

Down below in her kitchen kingdom
The cook, Mrs. Cooper, reigned supreme
Down in the kitchen working miracles
With butter, sugar and cream
Bullying the kitchen maid called Maisie
Bullying the scullery girl called Flo
Keeping everybody in her kitchen
Hurrying to and fro


Down below in his butler′s pantry
The grand Mr. Harrison reigned
Down in his butler's pantry
Lording it over the young persons he had trained
Ordering the parlour maid called Beatrice
Ordering the pantry boy called Jim
Keeping everybody in his kingdom
Running around for him

When Mamma gave a dinner for twelve
She rested all day long
She rested all day long
Oh, she ordered the meal and directed the cook
Ordered the flowers, took a last look at the table
But she rested all day long
She rested all day long

Up above in her nursery kingdom
Nanny contrived to quiet her flock
Up above in the nursery seeing
The rocking horse didn′t rock
Gloomily the schoolgirls in the schoolroom
Tidily in French the menus write
For their parents' dinner party
Later on that night

When Mamma gave a dinner for twelve
She rested all day long
She rested all day long


I'm only just home from the office
Oh, surely my watch can′t be right
I′ve only an hour to do it in
And we're giving a dinner tonight