Song Video
Lyrics
Title goes here
What did Delaware, boys,
What did Delaware?
What did Delaware, boys,
What did Delaware?
What did Delaware, boys,
What did Delaware?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Delaware?
She wore her New Jersey, boys,
She wore her New Jersey
She wore her New Jersey, boys,
She wore her New Jersey
She wore her New Jersey, boys,
She wore her New Jersey
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She wore her New Jersey.
What did Idaho, boys,
What did Idaho?
What did Idaho, boys,
What did Idaho?
What did Idaho, boys,
What did Idaho?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Idaho?
She hoed her Maryland, boys,
She hoed her Maryland
She hoed her Maryland, boys,
She hoed her Maryland
She hoed her Maryland, boys,
She hoed her Maryland
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She hoed her Maryland.
What did Ioweigh, boys,
What did Ioweigh?
What did Ioweigh, boys,
What did Ioweigh?
What did Ioweigh, boys,
What did Ioweigh?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Ioweigh?
She weighed a Washington, boys,
She weighed a Washington
She weighed a Washington, boys,
She weighed a Washington
She weighed a Washington, boys,
She weighed a Washington
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She weighed a Washington.
How did Wiscon-sin, boys,
How did Wiscon-sin?
How did Wiscon-sin, boys,
How did Wiscon-sin?
How did Wiscon-sin, boys,
How did Wiscon-sin?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
How did Wiscon-sin?
She stole a New-brass-key, boys,
She stole a New-brass-key
She stole a New-brass-key, boys,
She stole a New-brass-key
She stole a New-brass-key, boys,
She stole a New-brass-key
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She stole a New-brass-key.
What did Tennessee, boys,
What did Tennessee?
What did Tennessee, boys,
What did Tennessee?
What did Tennessee, boys,
What did Tennessee?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Tennessee?
She saw what Arkansaw, boys,
She saw what Arkansaw
She saw what Arkansaw, boys,
She saw what Arkansaw
She saw what Arkansaw, boys,
She saw what Arkansaw
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She saw what Arkansaw.
How did Flora-die, boys,
How did Flora-die
How did Flora-die, boys,
How did Flora-die
How did Flora-die, boys,
How did Flora-die
I ask you now as a personal friend,
How did Flora-die?
She died in Missouri, boys,
She died in Missouri
She died in Missouri, boys,
She died in Missouri
She died in Missouri, boys,
She died in Missouri
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She died in Missouri.
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
Where has Oregon?
She's gone to Oklahom, boys,
She's gone to Oklahom
She's gone to Oklahom, boys,
She's gone to Oklahom
She's gone to Oklahom, boys,
She's gone to Oklahom
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She's gone to Oklahom.
Why did Califon-ya, boys,
Why did Califon?
Why did Califon-ya, boys,
Why did Califon?
Why did Califon-ya, boys,
Why did Califon?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
Why did Califon?
She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys,
She phoned to say Hawai-ya
She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys,
She phoned to say Hawai-ya
She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys,
She phoned to say Hawai-ya
I tell you now as a personal friend,
That's why Califoned.
What did Mississip, boys,
What did Mississip?
What did Mississip, boys,
What did Mississip?
What did Mississip, boys,
What did Mississip?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Mississip?
She sipped a Minnisota, boys,
She sipped a Minnisota
She sipped a Minnisota, boys,
She sipped a Minnisota
She sipped a Minnisota, boys,
She sipped a Minnisota
I tell you now as a personal friend,
That's what Mississipped.
Information About What Did Delaware, Boys?
Official name is "Delaware', written by Irving Gordon. It came out in 1959 and referenced 15 state names. It was a major hit for Perry Como.
Gordon had earlier written 'Mister and Mississippi' in 1951, which scored high on the Billboard sales charts for both Patti Page and Dennis Day. It was about a wanderer on the Mississippi River who didn't remember his parents and said, "Mister and Mississippi made me feel at home".
In "What Did Delaware, Boys?' Gordon expanded humorous puns on state names into a full song, and other states have been added in new versions since then.
Gordon was a prolific composer of popular songs who wrote for many performers in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. His work ranged from the fun and frivolous, like "What did Delaware, Boys?' to leading standards and romantic ballads.
In 1938 he wrote the lyrics to 'Prelude to a Kiss'. to music composed by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills. Gordon won a Grammy for his song 'Unforgettable' recorded by Nat King Cole in 1951. Decades later it was electronically mixed into a duet with Cole's daughter, Natalie, and it won three awards at the 1992 Grammy Awards, including Best Song and Best Record of the Year.
This song came over to England from the USA during World War II and was a favourite on the radio at the time. The words have changed a little since then.
Alternative Lyrics & Related Songs
You can use these additional lyrics to round out your US states
Why did Ohi-oh! boys,
Why did Ohi-oh!?
Why did Ohi-oh!, boys,
Why did Ohi-oh!?
Why did Ohi-oh!, boys,
Why did Ohi-oh!?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
Why did Ohi-oh!?
She heard an Illi-noise, boys,
She heard an Illi-noise.
She heard an Illi-noise, boys,
She heard an Illi-noise.
She heard an Illi-noise, boys,
She heard an Illi-noise.
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She heard an Illi-noise.
How did Connecti-cut, boys,
How did Connecti-cut?
How did Connecti-cut, boys,
How did Connecti-cut?
How did Connecti-cut, boys,
How did Connecti-cut?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
How did Connecti-cut?
She used her New Hamp-shears, boys,
She used her New Hamp-shears.
She used her New Hamp-shear, boys,
She used her New Hamp-shears.
She used her New Hamp-shears, boys,
She used her New Hamp-shears.
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She used her New Hamp-shears.
Why was Pennsyl-vain, boys,
Why was Pennsyl-vain?
Why was Pennsyl-vain, boys,
Why was Pennsyl-vain?
Why was Pennsyl-vain, boys,
Why was Pennsyl-vain?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
Why was Pennsyl-vain?
She looked down on Lousy-ann, boys,
She looked down on Lousy-ann.
She looked down on Lousy-ann, boys,
She looked down on Lousy-ann.
She looked down on Loosey-ann, boys,
She looked down on Lousy-ann.
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She looked down on Lousy-ann.
What did Massa-chew, boys,
What did Massa-chew?
What did Massa-chew, boys,
What did Massa-chew?
What did Massa-chew, boys,
What did Massa-chew?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Massa-chew?
Just a moment and I'll ask-her, boys,
Just a moment and Al-ask-a.
Just a moment and Al-ask-a, boys,
Just a moment and Al-ask-a.
Just a moment and Al-ask-a, boys,
Just a moment and Al-ask-a.
I tell you now as a personal friend,
Just a moment and Al-ask-a.
What did Ala-bam, boys,
What did Ala-bam?
What did Ala-bam, boys,
What did Ala-bam?
What did Ala-bam, boys,
What did Ala-bam?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Ala-bam?
She bammed that big Tex-ass, boys,
She bammed that big Tex-ass.
She bammed that big Tex-ass, boys,
She bammed that big Tex-ass.
She bammed that big Tex-ass, boys,
She bammed that big Tex-ass.
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She bammed that big Tex-ass.
This additional stanza can complete your states song
What did Io-weigh, boys
She weighed a Washing-ton, boys.
Where has Michi-gone, boys?
She's gone to see Georgie, boys.
What did Mass- shew, boys?
He chewed New Mexi-Chow, boys.
Here's a shorter version that you might want to use for a little bit of fun
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
If you want Alaska,
(I'll-ask-a) where she's gone.
She went to pay her Texas
She went to pay her Texas
She went to pay her Texas,
That's where she has gone.