Lyr Req: Somebody's Waiting for Me (Sterling/Von T

Subject: There's A Light Shining Bright
From: Judy Mainord Malone
Date: 01 Apr 99 - 12:19 AM

Can anyone give me some background info on this song? I am not even sure of the title, but my mother and her sister (both deceased) used to sing it. I wish I had asked more, as no one in my area, West Tenn., has heard of it. The song goes like this:

It was in a concert garden where the fun was at its height.
They were joyful as the wine began to flow.
From a table in a corner there a young man slowly rose
And said "It's growing late, boys, I must go".
Oh, sit down Jack, says the maiden for the fun has just begun.
But he slowly shook his head and then replied,

"There's somebody waiting for me, someone that loves me I know.
Someone is wondering where I can be and what can be keeping me so.
Somebody's heart is sad, watching so anxiously,
There's a light shining bright in the window tonight,
There's somebody waiting for me.

Oh, perhaps he has a sweetheart, somewhere one among them said.
If she's fair, please introduce her, do.
If you'll come with me I'll show you said poor Jack with aching heart,
For she's the only sweetheart that I ever knew.
Then he took them to a cottage
Where a gray haired mother sat
With bended knee and bowed down head.
Here's my mother, she's my sweetheart
She's the one I meant tonight.
So, you see, I told the truth, boys, when I said.

REPEAT: There's somebody waiting for me....

Any help greatly appreciated. My grandmother sang old folksongs including Twa Sisters, Twa Boys, and Butcher Boy. She was born in Decatur Co, Tenn.. died before I was born. So, I never heard her sing and don't know where the folksongs came from.

Judy Mainord Malone

Subject: RE: There's A Light Shining Bright
From: Gene
Date: 01 Apr 99 - 02:19 AM

Cliff Carlisle recorded a song titled
There's a lamp shining in the window tonight

and Charlie Monroe recorded
I see a bright light shining

Will check if either one matches your lyrics...

Subject: RE: There's A Light Shining Bright
From: Pete Peterson
Date: 01 Apr 99 - 11:45 AM

It resally IS called There's Somebody Waiting for Me and the first recording of it was by Ernest Stoneman of Galax VA, probably about 1928. I had the privilege last summer of hearing two of his children singing it at the Mtn Laurel Autoharp Festival. They seemed really happy that people remembered Pop Stoneman and his songs. The words you have look good to me-- will re-check with friends as i am a little hazy on the verses.

Subject: RE: There's A Light Shining Bright
From: Gene
Date: 01 Apr 99 - 02:22 PM

Well, Judy & Pete...I guess it just shows that
It takes 2 or more to UN-TANGLE!

SOMEBODY'S WAITING FOR ME
Recorded by: The Stonemans
Writer: William York

Somebody's waiting for me (somebody's waiting)
Someone who loves me, I know
Oh, a light is shining bright in her window tonight
And there's somebody waiting there for me.

Was in a concert garden when the fun was at its' height
When all the joy and wine began to flow
At a table in our corner, a young man slowly rose
And he said "It's getting late, boys, I must go".

CHORUS

"Perhaps you have a sweetheart?" One among them said
"Is she handsone, Jack?" "Pray introduce us, do."
"If you'll follow me." He answered. "I will show her to you, boys."
She's the only sweetheart that I ever knew.

CHORUS

Then he took them to a cottage, pointed to a window pane
Where a gray haired woman sat with bowed-down head
She's my mother, she's my sweetheart, she's the one I meant tonight.
So, you see, I told the truth, boys, when I said.

CHORUS

REPEAT CHORUS and fade....

SOURCE:
THE STONEMANS-IN ALL HONESTY
1970 RCA LSP-4343


To play - *CLICK HERE*

Subject: RE: There's A Light Shining Bright
From: Judy Mainord Malone
Date: 01 Apr 99 - 02:56 PM

WOW, I am impressed. Now I'll know where to go with any folksong, etc. that I want to know about. Thanks Pete and Gene, for the time you spent looking it up, typing it for me, and even giving me a place to hear it. I will listen to it when I get out of this program. It is downloaded. I'm pretty new to this computer stuff, and maybe there is a way I can click on it and hear it now, but I don't know how. I did download..Oreo Cookie Blues....(I love that song) by Stevie R. Vaughn and Lonnnie. Have it on my active desktop, so I can click and hear at anytime. Again, thanks and wow! Judy Mainord Malone in old West Tenn.

Subject: RE: There's A Light Shining Bright
From: Judy, again
Date: 01 Apr 99 - 04:06 PM

Pete & Gene, I kept messin' around and got my realaudio updated, and when I clicked on it this time...viola!! It works. I am listening to it now. Yep, it's the song. My Aunt (mother's fraternal twin) played the guitar as she sang it and since she had only learned a few chords from a man that traveled around back in the 1920's and taught music to people at community centers or gathering places...she didn't have a very big range. She sang the song a lot slower and mournful as I'm sure her mother sang it. Oh, my mother and this Aunt were born in 1906. I was a surprise baby when my mother turned 42! Anyway, I'm glad that the song survives, and it is interesting to see that the words have strayed little even though it was not written down in my family until I recorded my Aunt singing it and got her to also talk the words so I knew I was getting it right. My mother died in 1963 when I was 14, so I had to rely on this Aunt to tell me stories and sing the songs. I hope what I am reading about this mudcat doesn't prove to be true. It is muchly needed, and there are always going to be "new" people coming along and discovering folk songs and looking for places to find and discuss them. Now, do you have someone singing The Two Sisters? My Aunt sang..Sing I do, Sing I day...for the chorus, although I know there are different words on this. Judy [e-mail]

Subject: Lyr Add: SOMEBODY'S WAITING FOR ME (Sterling/Von T
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Dec 10 - 09:47 PM

From the sheet music at Indiana University:


SOMEBODY'S WAITING FOR ME
Words, Andrew B. Sterling. Music, Harry Von Tilzer.
New York: Leo Feist. Copyright 1902.

1. It was in a Concert Garden, where the fun was at its height.
All were youthful and the wine began to flow.
From a table in the corner then a young man slowly rose
And said, "It's growing late, boys. I must go."
'Twas a burst of laughter rang out, as he stood there, hat in hand.
"Why, it's only twelve o'clock," then someone cried.
And another said, "Sit down, Jack. Why the fun has just commenced,"
But he slowly shook his head as he replied:

CHORUS: "Somebody's waiting for me,
Someone who loves me, I know,
Somebody's wondering where I can be,
And what can be keeping me so;
Somebody's heart is sad, watching so anxiously.
There's a light shining bright
In the window tonight,
For there's somebody waiting for me."

2. "You have got a sweetheart, somewhere," one among them softly said.
"Is she handsome, Jack? Pray introduce us, do."
"If you'll come with me," he answered, "I will show her to you, boys,
The only sweetheart that I ever knew."
Then he led them to a cottage, pointed through the window pane,
Where a gray-haired woman sat, with a bowed-down head.
"It's my mother. She's my sweetheart. It was her I meant tonight,
So you see, I told the truth, boys, when I said: CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Somebody's Waiting for Me (Sterling/Von T
From: Mark Clark
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 10:47 AM

There was a version of this recorded by...     hmmm... either Red Allen or maybe it was Randall Collins and Curtis Blackwell.

In a noisy eastern city sat a lonely lad one night,
In a bar room where the wine began to flow,
From a table in the corner the young lad slowly rose,
He said “I see it's getting late boys. I must go.”

   Refrain:
   Somebody's waiting for me,
   Someone who loves me I know,
   There's a light shining bright in the window tonight,
   Somebody's waiting for me.

“I suppose you have a sweetheart” his companion jovially said,
“If she's pretty we would like to see her too.”
“If you'll only stop your teasing I will show her to you, boys.
She's the only sweetheart that I ever knew.”

   (Refrain)

From an old brown leather pocketbook a picture he did take,
Of a gray haired lady with a bowed down head,
“She's my mother. She's my sweetheart and she waits for me tonight.
So you see I told the truth, boys, when I said...”

   (Refrain)


      - Mark