From the 1914 musical “The Girl From Utah”.
Words by Arthur Wimperis.
Music by Herman Finck.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. Florrie was a flapper, she was clever, she was smart
You’ll realize she must have been because
She was always understood to make her living by her art
And no one ever found out what it was
She figured in the chorus of “The Picture Postcard Girl”
Her part contained one solitary line
The line she had to say was, “Hip, hip, hip, hooray”
And her “hips” were really singularly fine
Refrain:
Florrie was a flapper, she was dainty, she was dapper
She was really quite a fascinating kid
She got two-pound-ten a week
And her pearls were quite unique
I don’t know how she did it
I don’t know how she did it
I don’t know how she did it, but she did
2. Florrie was a flapper who was very fond of play
She gamboled as a pretty lambkin should
I’ve often heard it stated that she had a taking way
And I fancy she took anything she could
She was pally with the peerage
She was known to all the knuts
She was friends with men of fashion and of rank
And they came to play roulette at her dainty maisonette
Where Florrie always used to take the bank
Refrain:
Florrie was a flapper, she was dainty, she was dapper
She was what you might have called a winning kid
If the red they chanced to back
There’d be such a run on black
I don’t know how she did it
I don’t know how she did it
I don’t know how she did it, but she did
3. Florrie was a flapper who was waiting for her chance
Which the management was disinclined to give
Till somehow she got round them for a little song and dance
And the man that didn’t like it didn’t live
Her singing wasn’t wonderful, her dancing wasn’t great
Her figure was delightful it is true
But what gained the most applause
Was her dress of snowy gause
For of course her friends all came to see her thro
Refrain
Florrie was a flapper, she was dainty, she was dapper
And her dancing was the limit, or the lid
When her dainty skirt she’d swish up
They say she shocked the Bishop
I don’t believe she did it
I don’t believe she did it
But he told the Missis Bishop that she did
4. Florrie was a flapper who would gad around the town
She’d lunch with you, she’d dine with you, she’d sup
She often said she couldn’t see the need to settle down
She had so many friend to settle up
She’d let you take her shopping at the most expensive place
She’d say, you mustn’t buy me things, but still
As soon as ever you began to bill and coo
She simply cooed and left you with the bill
Refrain:
Florrie was a flapper, she was dainty, she was dapper
And she never had a matrimonial skid
And Lord Cowley said that she
Was a straight as straight could be
I don’t know how he knew it
I don’t know how he knew it
I don’t know how he knew it, but he did
Extra refrain:
Florrie’s still a flapper, just as dainty, just as dapper
Every bit as full of energy and buzz
To her age she’ll never own up
But her grandchildren are grown up
I don’t know how she does it
I don’t know how she does it
I don’t know how she did it, but she does