G'day,

As Stewie says, this is a 19th century song (one of those good old "weepies"!).

John Meredith collected a 3 verse version from an 83 year-old lady in Mudgee - then got a fourth verse from a 99 year-old man!

Here are his verses, from Folk Songs of Australia and the men and women who sang them, Vol. 2, 1987:

I'll be all smiles tonight
Lillian Kurtz (born 1894 Mudgee, NSW, Australia)

Oh beg me not tonight, mother,
The false one to forget,
Nor speak not of another
For my heart clings to him yet.
He loved me once, believe me,
But now grown cold and strange;
He sought not to deceive me,
But friends have brought this change.
Chorus:
I'll be all smiles tonight, mother,
I'll be all smiles tonight;
If my heart should break with sorrow,
I'll be all smiles tonight.

When the ball he enters,
With a fair one on his arm,
I'll try to smile on him, mother,
As if he were a charm,
And if he smiles on her, mother
As he used to smile on me,
My heart will break with sorrow,
But still no change you'll see.
Chorus:
I'll be all smiles tonight, ...

And when the ball is over
And I shall retire to rest,
While dreaming on my pillow
Of the young man I love best,
I pray that he may ne'er do wrong
Where e'er his steps may go,
And if he marries her, dear mother,
I only wish him luck.
Last Chorus:
My heart will break with sorrow,
But still no change you'll see;
I'll be all smiles tonight, mother
I'll be all smiles tonight.

Additional verse from Walter Tranter (born 1884, Paterson Valley, NSW, Australia)

I'll deck my brow with roses,
For the false one will be there,
And with the gems he gave me,
I'll neatly braid my hair,
I'll sing the songs he taught me,
Without a faltering voice,
And if I should die tomorrow
I'll be all smiles tonight.

Folk Songs of Australia, Vol. 2, pp33-35

I presume the tunes relate ... maybe I should go of and do a MIDI - text conversion ... maybe tomorrow ... oops! later today, after I get some sleep. (I mainly play the tune as a waltz, for dancers.)

Regards,

Bob Bolton