There Was a Young Woman

Words by Meredith Tax, Melody by Alan Mills (adapted by Peter Alsop)
Rise Up Singing chapter: Women, p. 251

First verse:
D - / Em A / A D
I play it evenly, as above. Rise Up Singing has this:
D - / Em A / AD D

Subsequent verses:
D - / Em A //: D - (as needed):// Em A / A D

There was a young woman who swallowed a lie
We all know why she swallowed that lie
Perhaps she'll die

There was a young woman who swallowed a rule
"Live to serve others" - she learned it in school
She swallowed the rule to hold up the lie / And we all know why...

There was a young woman who swallowed some fluff
Lipstick and candy and powder and puff
She swallowed the fluff to sweeten the rule...

There was a young woman who swallowed a line
I like 'em dumb, baby, you suit me fine
She swallowed the line to tie up the fluff...

There was a young woman who swallowed a pill
Her doctor said, "I know that you will"
She swallowed the pill to go with the line...

There was a young woman who swallowed a ring
She looked like a princess and felt like a thing
She swallowed the ring to make up for the pill...

There was a young woman who swallowed some Spock
"Stay at home mother, take care of your flock"
She swallowed the Spock to go with the ring...

One day this young woman woke up and she said
"I've swallowed so much that I wish I were dead"
I swallowed the Spock to go with the ring...
...to hold up the lie
Why in the world did I swallow that lie?
Perhaps I'll die

She ran to her sisters, it wasn't too late
To be liberated, regurgitate
She threw up the Spock and she threw up the ring
Looked like a princess and felt like a thing
She threw up the pill and she threw up the line
"I like ' em dumb, baby, you suit me just fine"
She threw up the fluff and she threw up the rule
"Live to serve others" - she learned it in school
And last but not least, she threw up the lie
We all know why she threw up that lie
She will not die