Lyr Req: Beautiful City of Tears

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful City of Tears
From: GUEST,#
Date: 10 Mar 21 - 08:07 PM

City of Laughter, City of Tears (Roud 12905)

City of laughter with lights aglow;
You live for pleasure alone, I know.
You'll play with life like a child with its toys,
But 'neath all its pleasure and joys -
City of laughter, city of tears,
What are the secrets you hold?
What are the sorrows behind the joys,
The pain 'neath the glitter of gold?
Faces are beaming, happy and bright,
But midst all the pleasure that cheers,
There are hearts that seem light,
That are aching tonight
In the city of laughter and tears.

City of laughter, no one can see,
You hold for pleasure life's golden key.
Bright lights may gleam for a while, 'tis true,
But when all this pleasure is through -
City of laughter, city of tears,
What are the secrets you hold?
What are the sorrows beneath the joys,
The pain 'neath the glitter of gold?
Faces are beaming, happy and bright,
But midst all the pleasure that cheers,
There are hearts that seem light,
That are aching tonight
In the city of laughter and tears.

from

https://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/b_hart.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful City of Tears
From: cnd
Date: 16 Jan 20 - 12:31 AM

Following Jabbajahda's suggestion, I found some which seem close:

https://www.loc.gov/resource/ihas.100007715.0/?sp=1

It's a City of Sighs and Tears, it's describing a girl who goes away. Though we'll probably never know for certain, this seems close.

To boot, there are a few recordings old enough to have existed back then:

Robert Price singing

J. W. Myers' recording - estimated to have peaked at #4 song at the time

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful City of Tears
From: GUEST,Jabbahdah
Date: 14 Jan 20 - 10:16 PM

I'm seeking the same reference also. It occurs to me that the Library of Congress might have copies of the sheet music. But recording in those days was pretty hit and miss for music, and enven then, the discs were so fragile, they might not survive the hundred years since they may have been made, but you could ask if any such are also in the collections there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful City of Tears
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 08:34 AM

Here's the text of The Mint by T. E. Lawrence, and here is the relevant paragraph:

The half-hour after breakfast belongs to cleaning and tidying and is consecrated to song. Fifty of the fifty-four men in the hut chant continuously, each his fancied tune. Yet it might easily be worse: for there are no more than three songs in great vogue and their airs are short. 'Peggy O'Neil', 'Sally', 'The Beautiful City of Tears'; sentimental, sobbing things, whose dear girls die or go away for ever. If Sailor or Dickson begins such a song generally it will dominate, for there is an infective loveliness in the voices of these two men. The others then play their helpful parts whether in unison or in variety: the floor-broom sweeps, the boot-brushes brush, even the polishing rag polishes to and fro, in time with the choiring air. For the moment our hut and all of us thrum to a collective rhythm.

Subject: Lyr Add: CITY OF LAUGHTER, CITY OF TEARS
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 08:30 AM

I wonder if this is the song that was wanted? The date is about right.

From the sheet music images at The National Library of Australia:

CITY OF LAUGHTER, CITY OF TEARS
Words, Worton David. Music, Horatio Nicholls.
Melbourne : E.W. Cole, 1920.

1. City of Laughter, with lights aglow,
You live for pleasure alone, I know;
You play with life, like a child with its toys,
But 'mid all your pleasures and joys--

CHORUS:
City of Laughter, City of Tears,
What are the secrets you hold?
What are the sorrows beneath the joys,
The pain 'neath the glitter and gold?
Faces are beaming, happy and bright,
But 'mid all the pleasure that cheers,
There are hearts that seem light, that are breaking to-night,
In that City of Laughter and Tears.

2. City of Heartaches that no one sees,
You hold for pleasure life's golden keys;
Bright lights may gleam for a while, it's true,
But when all the glamour is through--

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful City of Tears
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 08:39 PM

All I can think of is the old hymn We're Marching to Zion in which the last verse starts, Then let our songs abound, And ev'ry tear be dry; and then the chorus ends, ...The beautiful city of God.

This is probably not the song you want, but maybe it will jog someone else's memory.

Mary

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful City of Tears
From: SeanM
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 07:19 PM

Refresh for one more trip...

M

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful City of Tears
From: MMario
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 09:22 PM

I couldn't find it in a web search, but still looking

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful City of Tears
From: simon-pierre
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 09:18 PM

Sorry to don't know that one too, but it's a beatiful title (or line). Hope we'll get the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful City of Tears
From: The Shambles
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 02:51 PM

I don't know the song but if we put the post back to the top, I'm sure someone will be able to help.

Subject: Beautiful City of Tears
From: MAD
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 03:54 PM

I'm looking for the words & music to this popular song from c1921. "Beautiful City of Tears" may be among the lyrics rather than the correct title. In his book The Mint T.E. Lawrence described how the RAF recruits sang together constantly, their favorite numbers being this one, "Peggy O'Neil" & "Sally Wont You Come Back." Longingly trying to imagine a world where group singing was the norm, I wish I knew the soundtrack.