Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Lyrics

[ELIZABETH] Low sales, high rent No sandalwood for scent Well, pardon my dust But Arden isn't folding up her tent Necessity is the mother of invention I will think of new things to invent No silk for bows No nylon left for hose American ingenuity can compensate for those Necessity is the mother of invention And in war, we must be on our toes [HELENA] Launch our new lines New products made for war Bold new designs They've never seen before For sea and then in the airfield A working women's corps The ladies who bolt the rivets On the airplane factory floor [ELIZABETH] Before I call it quits I'll give 'em my two bits [BOTH] What more have I ever needed Than the sharpness of my wits? [HELENA] America is in it [ELIZABETH] Let working women win it [BOTH] In makeup of the minute, women win Necessity is the mother of invention Let the fight of the century begin [TOMMY, spoken] Attention, all you brave gals pining at home or shipping overseas! You've got a brand new ally and her name is Helena Rubenstien! [HELENA] All metal tubes and cases For lipstick, rouge and bases Are needed now for bullets for the war New plastics I invented Now lipsticks won't get dented Not even when you drop them on the floor (spoken) Right?! [HARRY, spoken] Miss Elizabeth Arden, patriot! [ELIZABETH] With nylon stockings rationed I truly felt impassioned And cleverly refashioned women's hose Draw seams with eyebrow pencil And in between use stencil New leg tan in a formula that flows And once it dries it won't discolor clothes [HELENA & RUBINSTEIN GIRLS] You'll drone on there in Heaven Sent, a fragrance free of lead! [ELIZABETH & ARDEN GIRLS] A lipstick for your uniform called Montezuma Red! [HELENA & RUBINSTEIN GIRLS] Assembly lines use Rubinstein's new bulletproof mascara! [ELIZABETH & ARDEN GIRLS] The rest use Arden's combat packs traversing the Sahara [ALL] Through thick and thin Manila to Berlin [ELIZABETH & HELENA] Are helping defend our country from the enemy within [ARDEN GIRLS] America will make it [RUBINSTEIN GIRLS] No enemy can break it [ELIZABETH & HELENA] With makeup made to take it on the chin [ARDEN GIRLS, spoken] Yes ma'am! [ALL] Necessity is the mother of invention Brains and brawn (Brains and brawn) Dusk to dawn (Dusk to dawn) Women win!