An early anti-war song, from 1916:

DON'T TAKE MY DARLING BOY AWAY

A mother was kneeling to pray
For loved ones at war far away
And there by her side, her one joy and pride,
knelt down with her that day

Then came a knock on the door
Your boy is commanded to war
"No Captain please, here on my knees,
I plead for one I adore"

Don't take my darling boy away from me,
Don't send him off to war
You took his father and brothers three,
Now you've come back for more

Who are the heroes that fight your war
Mothers who have no say
But my duty's done so for god's sake leave one!
And don't take my darling boy away.

Tenting tonight, Tenting tonight
Tenting on the old campground

You took his father and brothers three,
Now you've come back for more

Tenting tonight, Tenting tonight
Tenting on the old campground

But my duty's done so for god's sake leave one!
And don't take my darling boy away.

A hero is now laid to rest, A hero and one of the best
He fought with each son, The battles he'd won,
And the battles that proved a test

Though she never went to the war,
She was a hero by far, they gave a gun
But who gave a son,
M. O. T. H. E. R.

Don't take my darling boy away from me,
Don't send him off to war
You took his father and brothers three,
Now you've come back for more

Who are the heroes that fight your war
Mothers who have no say
But my duty's done so for god's sake leave one!
And don't take my darling boy away.

Tenting tonight, Tenting tonight
Tenting on the old campground

You took his father and brothers three,
Now you've come back for more

Tenting tonight, Tenting tonight
Tenting on the old campground

But my duty's done so for god's sake leave one!
And don't take my darling boy away.