Lyr Req: Mary's a Grand Old Name (George M. Cohan)

Subject: Mary, Mary long before the fashion changed
From: Philip Hudson
Date: 18 Jun 98 - 11:41 AM

I'm looking for words to a song that has as the first line of the chorus "For it was Mary, Mary long before the fashion changed". The first verse decries the use of Marie for Mary and the whole song is a longing for older and simpler days. Does any one know the song? If so, post the words. - Philip Hudson

Subject: RE: Mary, Mary long before the fashion changed
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 18 Jun 98 - 12:23 PM

The song you are looking for is called "Mary's a Grand Old Name" by George M. Cohan and can be found at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music. Do a bibliographic search and look for the phrase "and it was Mary".

Subject: Lyr Add: MARY'S A GRAND OLD NAME (George M. Cohan)
From: Ralph Butts
Date: 18 Jun 98 - 02:10 PM

Philip......This might save you some time. I got it from an old fake book and put it in my computer some time ago......Tiger

MARY'S A GRAND OLD NAME
Words & Music by George M. Cohan

My mother's name was Mary,
She was so good and true;
Because her name was Mary,
She called me Mary, too.
She wasn't gay or airy,
But plain as she could be;
I'd hate to be contrary
And call myself Marie.

CHORUS
For it is Mary, Mary,
Plain as any name can be;
But with propriety,
Society will say Marie.
But it was Mary, Mary,
Long before the fashions came;
And there is something there
That sounds so fair,
It's a grand old name.

Now, when her name is Mary,
There is no falseness there;
When to Marie she'll vary,
She'll surely bleach her hair.
Though Mary's ordinary,
Marie is fair to see;
Don't ever fear sweet Mary,
Beware of sweet Marie!

CHORUS

G

Subject: RE: Mary, Mary long before the fashion changed
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 18 Jun 98 - 04:21 PM

Subject: RE: Mary, Mary long before the fashion changed
From: Philip Hudson
Date: 19 Jun 98 - 12:52 AM

Thanks so much Barbara Shaw and Ralph Butts. "The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music" is a fantastic collection but I find it hard to search. Unless you have it just right it doesn't give you what you want. I like a more "fuzzy" search algorithm because I'm a fuzzy sort of guy. My colored ink cartridge is empty so I will have to get one to print out the sheet music. If you try to print it in black ink, it doesn't do very well. - Thanks from Philip Hudson

Subject: RE: Mary, Mary long before the fashion changed
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Jan 04 - 03:33 PM

Here are a couple of corrections to the lyrics Ralph Butts posted, based on the sheet music at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music:

Verse 1, lines 7-8:
"I hate to meet a fairy
Who calls herself Marie."

Chorus, line 8:
"That sounds so square"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req:Mary, Mary long before the fashion changed
From: masato sakurai
Date: 03 Jan 04 - 08:24 AM

"Mary's a Grand Old Name" (lyrics & midi) is at Public Domain Music: Music from 1900-1922 (scroll down to "1905").