The First Lady ~ Kaye Ballard with Perry Como intro

( She's the First Lady, she's the First Lady, 

she's the First Lady of the land! ) 

 

She might have been a teacher 

a job that she'd adore . . .

She might have been a housewife 

a wife and nothing more!

She might have been an actress

who might have played Broadway!

But my husband had to be President ( hmm . . . )

and what am I today?

 

I'm the "first" lady of the land, 

the "first" lady of the land

standing on a receiving line, 

winding up with an aching spine

calluses  on my receiving hand, 

as the "first" lady of the land!

 

For every week a different hairdo, 

which means another dress

those meetings with committees, 

and sparing with the "press" 

those dreary formal dinners, 

when I stay up 'till dawn

counting all the silver 

when the guests have gone!

 

When they march out in single file, 

and I must smile, smile, smile!

I'd rather be the second 

or the third or the forth 

or the fifth or the sixth 

or the seventh instead 

of the "first" lady of the land!

 

I'm the "first" lady of the land, 

the "first" lady of the land

entertaining at lunch or tea, 

do do-gooders who call on me 

telling of their noble deeds they've planned 

for the "first" lady of the land!

 

And oh the presents that they send me

an awful lot of junk 

an un-housebroken poodle 

a dehydrated skunk

a turkey for "Thanksgiving"

potat'as in a sack

but when they send me a "diamond"

I must send it back!

 

When the whole cabinet arrives

and bring their wives, wives, WIVES!

I'd rather be the second 

or the third or the forth 

or the fifth or the sixth 

or the seventh instead 

of the "first" lady of the land!

 

Words and Music by Irving Berlin

The Best of Irving Berlin's Songs from 'Mr. President'

Performed by Kaye Ballard with intro by Perry Como

with Mitchell Ayres' Orchestra and the Ray Charles Singers

 | Large View |

Produced for records by Hugo & Luigi

Orchestrations by Philip J. Lang

Vocal Arrangements by Ray Charles

With Mitchell Ayres' Orchestra & the Ray Charles Singers

Also with Kaye Ballard and Sandy Stewart

Recorded in Webster Hall, New York City

Recording Engineer: Bob Simpson
Recorded September 30th, 1962

A Perry Como Discography 

& Digital Companion

| Site Links | All Albums |  All Songs | The Recording Sessions |

First Edition Summer 1992

Second Edition Christmas 1993

Web Page Edition Christmas 1997

25th Anniversary Revision November, 2017

Digital Upgrade August, 2018

Easter 2023 Revised Edition

 

 

George Townsend

HQV Selekt Group

3 Seaview Avenue

Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2G3

Canada

 

Telephone: (902) 698-9848

Friday, April 07, 2023

© 2023