1st verse:]

Old man Rosenthal lay sick in bed

Soon the doctor came around and said

"No use crying, the man is dying. He can't live very long!"

"Send my son here to my side," they heard the old man say

"I've got something to tell him before I pass away"

Soon his son was sitting by his bed

"What's the matter, Papa dear?" he said

The old man said, "My son, before my days are done

I want you to know:



[chorus:]

Cohen owes me ninety-seven dollars

And it's up to you to see that Cohen pays

I sold a lot of goods to Rosenstein and Sons

On an I.O.U. for ninety days

Levi brothers don't get any credit

They owe me for one hundred yards of lace

If you promise me, my son, you'll collect from ev'ry one

I can die with a smile on my face"



[2nd verse:]

Old man Rosenthal is better now

He just simply wouldn't die somehow

He is healthy and very wealthy since he got out of bed

Such a change you never saw, he's got such rosy cheeks

He picks up in just one week what should take weeks and weeks

Ev'ryone who knew that he was sick

Couldn't tell how he got well so quick

They went and asked him to explain how he pulled through

Rosenthal replied:



[2nd chorus:]

Cohen owed me ninety-seven dollars

And my son went out and made poor Cohen pay

A bill was owed to me by Rosenstein and Sons

And they settled on that very day

What could my son with all that money

If I should leave it all and say goodbye?

It's all right to pass away, but when people start to pay

That's no time for a bus'nessman to die