"Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah"

— by Allan Sherman

The music is based on the 1876 Ponchielli opera "Dance Of The Hours." Sherman wrote the lyrics; the song being a comical letter from a boy at camp. The song later was used in commercials for Downy fabric softener. The letter from camp explained how he missed home because the pillow cases weren't washed in Downy.

I remember this song as a kid, listening to it on the radio. It brings back good memories, sitting there those rare occasions I saw my mother, laughing and singing this song together.

Hello Muddah,
hello Faddah.
Here I am at
Camp Grenada.
Camp is very
entertaining.
And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining.

I went hiking
with Joe Spivy.
He developed
poison ivy.
You remember
Lynnard Skinner.
He got ptomaine poisoning last night after dinner.

All the counselors
hate the waiters,
and the lake has alligators.
And the head coach
wants no sissies,
so he reads to us from something called Ullysses.

Take me home,
oh Muddah, Faddah.
Take me home.
I hate Grenada.
Don't leave me out
in the forest
where I might get eaten by a bear.

Take me home.
I promise I will not make noise,
or mess the house with other boys,
oh please don't make me stay.
I've been here one whole day!

Dearest Faddah,
darling Muddah.
How's my precious
little bruddah?
Let me come home
if you miss me.
I will even let Aunt Bertha hug and kiss me.

Wait a minute,
it stopped hailing.
Guys are swimming.
Guys are sailing.
Playing baseball.
Gee, that's better.
Muddah, Faddah, kindly disregard this letter.