[MACHEATH]
There was a time, and now it's all gone by
When we two lived together, she and I
The way we were was just the way to be
I cared for her, and she took care of me
And that arrangement seemed to work perfectly
The milkman rang the bell, I got out of bed
I opened up her purse, paid him what he said
I'd have a glass of milk, back in bed I'd climb
You understand, she was out working all this time
And so we lived, me and my little mouse
In that snug two-by-four where we kept house

[JENNY]
That was a time, and now it's all gone by
When we were poor but happy, he and I
But when the day would bring no job to me
He'd curse and say, "How lazy can you be?"
I let him huff and puff; I worked long enough
But when he drank too much I'd get kind of grim
And shout the house down how I stood a clown like him
And then he'd turn around and try to bite my arm
And I would kick him in the teeth, meaning no harm
It was so sweet to be his little spouse
In that foul two-by-four where we played house
[MACHEATH & JENNY]
Oh happy time, and now it's all gone by
Until we quit each other, you and I

[JENNY]
You stayed in bed all day, and don't you smirk

[MACHEATH]
You know we said that you'd do all the work
Now sleep's for the night they say; it ain't bad by day

[JENNY]
So then I had my fiddles so I wouldn't stir

[MACHEATH]
It looked like soon I might be taking care of her

[JENNY]
You'd think a woman had a right to have one gripe
You left me flat

[MACHEATH]
Well I just ain't the working type

[MACHEATH & JENNY]
We locked the door and each commenced to roam
Goodbye sweet two-by-four that we called home