Contact NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services
Children's Privacy and Other Disclaimers

Mother Necessity

If you know of a midi for this song, please let us know. But first, familiarize yourself with our Privacy Policies and other Disclaimers, which restrict our use of any information we receive from you. And be sure to ask permission from your parent or guardian! You should always get permission from your parents or guardian before providing any information through the internet or by e-mail.
Music & Lyrics: Bob Dorough
Sung by: Bob Dorough, Blossom Dearie, Essra Mohawk, and Jack Sheldon

Wav sample of the song
With her good intentions,
Where would this country be
Without her inventions?

Oh, things were rotten in the land of cotton
Until Whitney made the cotton gin.
Now old times there will soon be forgotten
For it did the work of a hundred men.

Mother Necessity, where would we be?

Mother Edison worked late each night.
It went well until the fading light.
Little Thomas Alva Edison said, "I'll grow up to be
A great inventor and I'll make a lamp to help my mommy see,
Wowee! What an excellent application of electricity!"
He worked hard and pulled the switch.
He was smart and very rich.

Mother Necessity, help us to see.

Now, the mother of Samuel Morse
Always sent the lad out on a horse.
"Take a message to Ms. Peavy on the far side of the pike;
Spread the word about the quilting bee next Saturday night!"
Little Samuel started thinking of a way to send a message,
Though he'd never met a horse he didn't like. Uh!

Mother Necessity!

Elias, can you help me with my sewing?
Mother dear, I'll fulfill your fondest wishes.
Elias, how?
This machine I've made will keep your sewing really flowing.
In fact, we'll keep the whole nation in stitches. Ah!

Mother Necessity, where would we be?

Ring me on the Alexander Graham Bell.
Thank you Alexander for the phone.
I'd never get a date, I'd never get a job
Unless I had a telephone.

Mother Necessity!

"Orville, Wilbur, go outside this minute,
And there continue with your silly playing!
Take these plans and take those blueprints.
Take that funny looking thing,
Take that wheel, take that wing,
I can't hear a thing that Mrs. Johnson's saying.
Orville! Wilbur! Come back, boys! Orville! Wilbur!"

Mother Necessity, where would we be?

When Robert Fulton made the steamboat go,
When Marconi gave us wireless radio,
When Henry Ford cranked up his first automobile,
When Samuel Slater showed us how the factories go,
And all the iron and oil and coal and steel and Yankee don't you know,
They made this country really grow, grow, grow, grow,
With Mother Necessity and where would we be
Without the inventions of your progeny?

Contact NIEHS (NIH, DHHS)
Children's Privacy and Other Disclaimers
NIEHS Sing-Along Index
NIEHS Kids Page Main Index

Links Disclaimer and Caution
When you encounter this image link to a non-NIEHS site or the words "Non-NIEHS Link", it means that by following that link you will be leaving the NIEHS website. NIEHS is NOT responsible for non-NIEHS websites. Sites maintained by outside organizations may be changed without notice to NIEHS. Therefore, unless the link is to another U.S. government sponsored webpage, endorsement by NIEHS is not implied, and NIEHS does not guarantee their continuing safe content or privacy policies. So please ask your parent or guardian before continuing to any non-NIEHS website, and especially before providing any information via the internet or by e-mail. When last reviewed, the websites linked from the NIEHS Kids' Pages seemed suitable for you to visit, but that may have changed; if you have any difficulties or concerns with any linked materials, please let us know.

NIEHS Kids' Pages are supported by the NIEHS Office of Communications and Public Liaison,
PO Box 12233, NH-10, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709. Telephone: (919) 541-3345.
This page was last modified and reviewed for accessibility by the NIEHS Office of Management on .
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
Office of Inspector General, DHHS

DHHS logo NIH logo NIEHS logo USA.Gov logo