And then again this song is echoing or mentioning 2 earlier songs.
'Silver threads among the gold' was sung by Christy's Minstrels and was written by E E Rexford, music by H P Danks. 'Just a song at twilight' is the chorus of the very popular song 'Love's Old Sweet Song' 1882, words by G Clifton Bingham and music by J L Molloy.