Mis-remembered
Mares eat oats and does eat etc
My aunt Em was always singing this
a novelty song composed in 1943 by Milton Drake, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston. It was first played by Al Trace and his Silly Symphonists. The song made the pop charts several times, with a version by the Merry Macs reaching No. 1 in March 1944.
The song's refrain, as written on the sheet music, seems meaningless:
Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, Wouldn't you?"
However, the lyrics of the bridge provide a clue:
If the words sound queer and funny to your ear, a little bit jumbled and jivey,
Sing "Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy."