Lyr Req: Little Pal (If Daddy Goes Away)

Subject: Little Pal If Daddy Goes Away - lyrics?
From:
Date: 12 Dec 96 - 10:00 PM

Would anyone remember the lyrics to the song "Little Pal" I heard it back in the early 50s and would really like to have the words for it now. Thanks in advance

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE PAL, IF DADDY GOES AWAY
From: Tim Rossiter
Date: 19 Dec 96 - 01:42 PM

This song was written by deSyvia & Brown (Sonny Boy) for Warner Bros. (1929). My Grandfather used to sing "If someday you'll be on a new daddy's knee, just think about me, little pal" for the last stanza. I don't know where he got this.

Little Pal, if Daddy goes away,
Promise you'll be good from day to day.
If your heart’s in everything you do,
Happiness will always follow you.
Daddy didn't have an easy start,
So this is the wish that’s in my heart.

(Verse)
What I couldn't be, little pal,
I want you to be, little pal.
I want you to sing and to laugh and to play
And always be kind while your daddy's away.

I'll pray every night, little pal,
That you'll always do right, little pal.
As the years tarry by, just as long as you try,
I'll be proud that you’re my little pal.

Subject: RE: Little Pal If Daddy Goes Away - lyrics?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 21 Dec 96 - 01:41 AM

Thanx for the lyrics. dick

Subject: RE: Little Pal If Daddy Goes Away - lyrics?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 04 - 02:07 PM

My grandma and mom use to sing it all the time. I know sing it to my kids and they love it.
I want you to be little pal,
what I couldn't be little pal,
I want you to laugh
to love and to play
be good to your mommy when daddy's far away,
I pray everynight little pal
that you'll turn out right little pal,
and one day you'll be on a new daddy's knee,
don't forget about me little pal.

Subject: RE: Little Pal If Daddy Goes Away - lyrics?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 11:57 PM

Here's the catalog data from The Indiana University Sheet Music Collections

Title: LITTLE PAL
Composer: De Sylva, B. G. (Buddy Gard), 1896-1950
Composer: Jolson, Al
Composer: Brown, Lew
Composer: Henderson, Ray
Performer: Al Jolson
Performer: Davey Lee
Arranger: Weiss, Joseph M.
Publisher: DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, Inc.
Place of publication: New York
Date of publication: 1929
Call Number: M1 .D48 Box: 041 Item: 038
Performance Medium: Piano and Voice (with lyrics)
Larger Work: Say it with songs
First Line: Little pal, if daddy goes away, promise you'll be good
Chorus First Line: What I couldn't be, little pal, I want you to be, little pal.
Genre: Moving picture music

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Pal, If Daddy Goes Away
From: GUEST,Edward
Date: 04 Oct 16 - 06:47 AM

For Tim Rossiter; that line is in an extra verse on the recording by Layton and Johnston. I'm currently trying to recall the words to the whole song, which I have the original record of, but it's 3000 miles away at the moment! That's how I ended up here, lol.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: MY SON CALLS ANOTHER MAN DADDY
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Oct 16 - 03:33 PM

Same idea as the Hank Williams song "My son calls another man Daddy"

1. To-[c] night my heart is bowed in sor-[g] row.
I can't keep the tears from my [c] eyes.
My son calls an-[c7] other man [f] daddy
The [g7] right to his love, I've been [c] denied.

CHORUS: My [f] son calls another man [c] daddy.
He'll [d7] ne'er know my name nor my [g7] face.
[f] God only knows how it [c] hurts me
For an-[g7] other to be in my [c] place.

2. Each night I laid there in prison,
I pictured a future so bright,
For he was the one ray of sunshine
That showed through the darkest of night.

3. Today his mother shares a new love.
She just couldn't stand my disgrace.
My son calls another man daddy
And longs for the love he can't replace. CHORUS

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE PAL (from Al Jolson)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Oct 16 - 11:58 AM

The words actually sung by Al Jolson are a little different from those posted by Tim Rossiter above. I found this recording on Spotify and transcribed it myself. Chorus 2 is more recited than sung; it is actually a repeat of chorus 1 with a few words (and sobs) added to make it sound more conversational and dramatic, I suppose. Schmaltz at its schmaltziest.


LITTLE PAL
Words and music by Al Jolson, B. G. De Sylva, Lew Brown, and Ray Henderson.
As recorded by Al Jolson, 1929.

VERSE: Little pal, if Daddy goes away,
Promise you'll be good from day to day.
Do as Mother says and never sin.
Be the man your daddy might have been.
Your daddy didn't have an easy start,
So this is the wish that's in my heart:

CHORUS 1: What I couldn't be, little pal,
I want you to be, little pal.
I want you to laugh and to sing and to play
And be good to Mother while Daddy's away.
Each night I'll pray, little pal,
That you'll turn out right, little pal.
So till we meet again, heaven knows where or when,
Think of me now and then, little pal.

CHORUS 2: What I couldn't be, what I couldn't be, little pal,
I, I want you to be, little pal.
I want you to laugh—go on, laugh—sing and play,
And don't forget, darlin', be good to Mother when Daddy goes away.
Each night, oh, I'll pray, little pal,
That you'll turn out right, little pal,
So till we meet again, heaven only knows where or when,
Pray for me now and then, little pal.

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE PAL (from Paul Robeson)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Oct 16 - 12:46 PM

Another version. Robeson delivers this in his normal, dignified, operatic style, yet I found it much more affecting than Jolson's.


LITTLE PAL
As recorded by Paul Robeson, 1929.

VERSE: Little pal, if Daddy goes away,
Promise you'll be good from day to day.
Do as Mother says and never sin.
Be the man your daddy might have been.
Daddy didn't have an easy start,
So this is the wish that's in my heart:

CHORUS 1: What I couldn't be, little pal,
I want you to be, little pal.
I'm putting my faith and my hopes all in you
To do all the things that your dad couldn't do.
I'll pray ev'ry night, little pal,
That you'll turn out right, little pal.
If someday you should be on a new daddy's knee,
Don't forget about me, little pal.

CHORUS 2: What I couldn't be, little pal,
I want you to be, little pal.
I want you to sing and to laugh and to play,
And be good to Mother while Daddy's away.
I'll pray ev'ry night, little pal,
That you'll turn out right, little pal,
So till we meet again, heaven knows where or when,
Pray for me now and then, little pal.

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE PAL (from John McCormack)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Oct 16 - 01:13 PM

This is no doubt the origin of the version that Tim Rossiter posted:

LITTLE PAL
As recorded by John McCormack, 1929.

VERSE: Little pal, if Daddy goes away,
Promise you'll be good from day to day.
If your heart's in ev'rything you do,
Happiness will always follow you.
Daddy didn't have an easy start,
So this is the wish that's in my heart:

CHORUS: What I couldn't be, little pal,
I want you to be, little pal.
I want you to sing and to laugh and to play,
And always be kind while your Daddy's away.
I'll pray ev'ry night, little pal,
That you'll always do right, little pal.
As the years hurry by, just as long as you try,
I'll be proud that you're my little pal.

[instrumental break; repeat last half of chorus]