It Takes A Woman
I've had a great idea for a new 'recruitment' anthem in Britain's railway industry where - as regular readers know - women drivers are about as rare as hen's teeth.
Maybe the train drivers union will be interested in taking the idea up too - because they seem to struggle on the women members front also - as my previous comments explain.
See post dated 5 January 2012 - 'More Women Drivers'.
Now the inspiration for my new recruitment anthem comes from the famous musical film - 'Hello Dolly' - which I watched over the festive period.
Anyway one of the characters in the film - Mr Vandergelder, played by the incomperable Walter Matthau - bursts into song and sings the praises of womankind generally.
The song - 'It Takes A Woman' - is highly ironic in this day and age
Because it portrays women as delicate little flowers - fit for domestic chores (as if these didn't involve back-breaking work) - but not fit for a man's world.
Which I think is a perfect description of the rail industry and the rail unions - in 2012.
If only they have the courage to turn this to their own advantage - loosen up a bit - and laugh at themselves.
So here are the words to 'It Takes a Woman' - and a YouTube link to a clip of the film.
Which for some reason has subtitles in a foreign language - though to my mind that just adds to the bizarre charm of it all.
The song - by the way - is about 4 minutes in to the YouTube clip of the film.
It Takes a Woman
http://youtu.be/YXLsbOPWGMw
Vandergelder:
It takes a woman all powdered and pink
To joyously clean out the drain in the sink
And it takes an angel with long golden lashes
And soft dresden fingers
For dumping the ashes
Yes it takes a woman
A dainty woman
A sweetheart, a mistress, a wife
Cornelius, Barnaby, & 2 customers:
O yes it takes a woman
A fragile woman
To bring you the sweet things in life
Vandergelder:
The frail young maiden who's constantly there
For washing and blueing and shoeing the mare
And it takes a female for setting the table
And weaving the Guernsey
And cleaning the stable
All:
O yes it takes a woman
A dainty woman
A sweetheart, a mistress, a wife
O yes it takes a woman
A fragile woman
To bring you the sweet things in life
And so she'll work until infinity
Three cheers for femininity
God bless femininity
Vandergelder:
And in the winter she'll shovel the ice
And lovingly set out the traps for the mice
She's a joy and treasure for practically speaking
To whom can you turn when the plumbing is leaking?
Vandergelder, Cornelius, & Barnaby:
To That dainty woman
That fragile woman
That sweetheart, that mistress, that wife
That womanly wife
O yes it takes a woman
Vandergelder:
A husky woman
Vandergelder, Cornelius, & Barnaby:
To bring you the sweet things in life!
All:
O Yes it takes a woman
A dainty woman
A sweetheart, a mistress, a wife
O yes it takes a woman, a fragile woman
To bring you the sweet things in life.
