The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #105127 Message #2210378
Posted By: Joe Offer
07-Dec-07 - 06:22 AM
Thread Name: Online Songbook:Put's Golden Songster (J.A. Stone)
Subject: ADD: Parting Friends (John A. Stone)
Parting Friends [Air: "the Drummer Boy at Waterloo"]
With parting friends, no tongue can tell, No heart can feel the grief and pain, But those who bid good-by - farewell - Perhaps to never meet again. But those who bid good-by - farewell - Perhaps to never meet again.
He goes - and soon home is forgot, No tidings of him do they bear; His vows to write he heeds them not, Which causes many a silent tear. His vows to write he heeds them not, Which causes many a silent tear.
No joy the dreadful wound can heal— The tale of sorrow dies untold - Still o'er his mind those words will steal, "God speed thee to the land of gold!" Still o'er his mind those words will steal, "God speed thee to the land of gold!"
With aching hearts and watery eyes, In vain they look for his return; "He's dead! he's dead!" the weeper cries— As for the dead they for him mourn. "He's dead! he's dead!" the weeper cries— As for the dead they for him mourn.
Washing.
Caesar, what am de difference between an honest and dishonest washerwoman? Why, de former irons your linen, and de latter one steels it.
Put's Golden Songster, page 8
Not found in Dwyer & Lingenfelter, The Songs of the Gold Rush
[Tune notes by Artful Codger] "The Drummer Boy at Waterloo," also known as "Young Edward," was printed on several broadsides but without a tune. "Woodland Mary" is listed as having the same tune; by extension, so does "Wandering Mary". But tunes for these last two seem scarce, while tunes for "Drummer Boy" vary so widely I wouldn't conjecture on the particular tune Stone knew for this song. I've linked to several variants for your consideration. (Note that the text of "Wandering Mary" was published before the Battle of Waterloo, though this may be irrelevant in regard to tracing the tune derivation.)