Duke Ellington The Brown-Skin Gal (In the Calico Gown) lyrics

She's a camp town tune at a barbecue
An old fashioned curt'sy and a how dee ya' do
A tintype from somebody's locket
The wind and the stars and the earth
But in practical terms of the pocket

Here's how I measure her worth
A penny for the moon, a nickel for a dream
A quarter for a tune like the 'Old Mill Stream'
But I'd give a dollar and my heart to follow to
The brown-skin gal in the calico gown

A puzzler for a pal, a jack-knife for a song
A garter for a gal in a blue sarong
But I'd give a necklace because I'm reckless
For a kiss from the miss in the calico gown

Haven't much use for worldly goods
Robin Hood's for me, if my love's worth a nickel
It's worth a Peso mine for the giving
Hers for the say so

A penny for a cart to take her out to dine
A scissor cuts a heart on a valentine
Then a sky-blue bonnet with pink ribbons on it

For the brown-skin gal in the calico gown

A penny for the moon, a nickel for a dream
A quarter for a tune like the 'Old Mill Stream'
But I'd give a dollar and my heart to follow to
The brown-skin gal in the calico gown

A puzzler for a pal, a jack-knife for a song
A garter for a gal in a blue sarong
But I'd give a necklace because I'm reckless
For a kiss from the miss in the calico gown

Haven't much use for worldly goods
Robin Hood's for me, if my love's worth a nickel
It's worth a Peso mine for the giving
Hers for the say so

A penny for a cart to take her out to dine
A scissor cuts a heart on a valentine
Then a sky-blue bonnet with pink ribbons on it
For the brown-skin gal in the calico gown