Once my father said
And my mother said
And my sister said
And my brother said
Now you're growing up
Soon you're gonna fall out
Of the family roundabout

Then my father said
And my mother said
And my sister said
And my brother said
There's one little thing
You should certainly know
When into the world you go
Take your troubles on the chin
And though you get an earful!
Don't despair or tear your hair,
For heaven's sake be cheerful!

That's what father said,
That's what mother said,
That's what sister said,
That's what brother said
They were certainly right in telling me so
And I think that you should know!

Here's a little trick,
Whenever things get a little bit thick
Just you take it on the chin,
Put on a little grin and smile, smile!
Here's a little ruse
To counteract an attack of the blues,
Just you take it on the chin,
Turn on a little grin and smile!

What's the use of worr'ing
'Bout a single blessed thing,
After all it's done and said,
Pretty soon we all be dead!
So as we're alive,
If there's a bother you want to survive,
Just you take it on the chin,
Cultivate a little grin and smile!

Here's a little trick,
Whenever things get a little bit thick
Just you take it on the chin,
Put on a little grin and smile, smile!
Here's a little ruse
To counteract an attack of the blues,
Just you take it on the chin,
Turn on a little grin and smile!

What's the use of worr'ing
'Bout a single blessed thing,
After all it's done and said,
Pretty soon we all be dead!
So as we're alive,
If there's a bother you want to survive,
Just you take it on the chin,
Cultivate a little grin,
Just you take it on the chin,
Cultivate a little grin and
Smile, smile, smile!