  IF you’re waking call me early, call me early, Mother dear. I think at 4 o’clock A.M., the circus will be here; If it was any other day ’twould take an awful shock To rouse me from my little bed before quite 8 o’clock; You needn’t mind my breakfast, for I’ll be in dreadful haste, And if I see the cars unload I’ll have no time to waste; Perhaps they’ll wash the cages, Ma, and I’ll be there to see The men take off the sideboards from the whole menagerie. If you’re waking call me early, call me early, Mother dear, Because the place where it unloads is full two miles from here; I’d faint without my breakfast if ’twas any other day, But I’ll be strong enough, I think, to run quite all the way; The boys I know will all be there; ’twill be a wondrous sight To see the elephants led out before it’s hardly light; And hear the lions roar, which makes goose pimples when you hear— If you’re waking, call me early, call me early, Mother dear. If you’re waking call me early, call me early, Mother dear, No matter if you whisper it I’ll be quite sure to hear; If I was being waked to turn the wringer it would be A good deal harder job, of course, for you to waken me; But I will leave my stockings on and put my shirt in place, And if I’m rushed for time I will not need to wash my face; And in the early morning light you’ll see me leaving here About three minutes after four, so call me, Mother dear. If you’re waking, call me early, call me early, Mother dear; I will not yawn and rub my eyes and ask if morning’s here; I will not pull the covers up as I have done before And ask you if I cannot sleep just half an hour more; I’ll jump right out of bed as soon as ever you may call And be all dressed and down the stair and gone out through the hall Before you say Jack Robinson—the circus will be here At 4 o’clock, so call me early, early, Mother dear! |
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