Song lyrics to Agnes Clung, Written by Hessie Smith and Dorothy Shay, Performed by Dorothy Shay in Coming Round the Mountain
My cousin Agnes Clung
Left home when she was young
I’ll tell you how it happened, let me think …
She was cute, and pretty too,|
Her eyes were oh so blue,
But a single cocktail made poor Agnes wink
It’s not funny, as you think,
When a gal has got to wink
Every time she has a little drink or two …
One day she got a jug
And she drank it all — glug!
And she said goodbye and left us in a stew …
Well, she got to the city
She was just a little giddy
She asked the feller how to get around
She said, “Don’t think that I am fresh,
But can you tell me an address
Where I can go ’cause I don’t know my way in town?”
Now, the feller was a gent
He knew just what Agnes meant
That is until he saw her start to wink …
And then he believed he knew
Exactly what a guy should do
So he suggested that they both should have a drink.
Well, he took her by the hand
And Agnes said, “This is grand
But mister I’m afraid you’ve made a big mistake.”
“If you’ll just be kind enough
I’d like to stop this silly stuff
Liberties you’re not allowed to take.”
Now, the feller didn’t know
About her winkin’ eye, and so
He couldn’t figure out what was the score …
So he took her out to eat
And to a show right down the street
And he asked her if she’d care for something more?
Agnes said, “I think you’re swell
But can you find me a hotel
Where I can go and not be bothered by the men?”
“I’m a long, long way from home
And I want to be alone
Perhaps I’ll see you sometime soon again.”
Now, our Agnes wasn’t dumb
But back home where she came from
She never learned the value of her wink.
In the city she got wise
Learned to use her winkin’ eyes
Now our Agnes does her winkin’ in a mink.