Lyr Req: Waitin' in the Shadows (Coombs, Wellesley

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nighttime Comes A Creepin' - Whippoor
From: GUEST,J Welch
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 08:17 PM

Oops, forgot the link.

http://www.mont-alto.com/photoplaymusic/zamecnik/zamecnik.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nighttime Comes A Creepin' - Whippoor
From: GUEST,J Welch
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 08:16 PM

Hannibal. Actually west of Hannibal. I am pretty sure the song from the database at Indiana University is the right one. However, there's not much more to find. I now think that the composer is J.S. Zamecnik, who evidently wrote a lot of silent film music in that era. Here is a link that identifies the composer in the Indiana University database, one Grant Wellesley, as a name this person wrote under.

Anyone, how would be the best way to find an actual recording of this song, or is it even possible. I don't think it was in one of the movies that this composer provided the sound for.

I'm pretty happy that I have (well, hopefully) figured out as much about this as I have.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nighttime Comes A Creepin' - Whippoorwil
From: Melissa
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 01:10 AM

J Welch,
Where in Missouri?
The chances of me coming up with anything are pretty slim, but I mingle with people who are full of songs from the eastern edge of north-east MO. I can ask around.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nighttime Comes A Creepin' - Whippoorwil
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 02:14 AM

"Jes ter welcome you" may be "Just to welcome you."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nighttime Comes A Creepin' - Whippoorwil
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Oct 08 - 09:18 PM

Joe: When you look up songs at the Indiana University site, click the "Long Display" button and you get a bit more information, e.g.:

First Line: Night time comes a creepin', ev'rything is still,
Chorus First Line: Waitin' in the shadows, jester welcome you,

That's enough to confirm it's the right song, although I don't know what to make of the phrase "jester welcome you."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nighttime Comes A Creepin' - Whippoorwil
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Oct 08 - 10:43 PM

Refresh. Can anybody help?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nighttime Comes A Creepin' - Whippoor
From: GUEST,J Welch
Date: 02 Oct 08 - 08:55 PM

Thank you for this info. I'll be in touch if I don't hear more. I don't really know how to track this stuff down, so any additional advice from anyone reading the thread would also be appreciated. If not, thanks Joe Offer, and I'll get in touch next week via email.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nighttime Comes A Creepin' - Whippoorwil
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Oct 08 - 01:21 AM

Hmmmm. I'm on the road, so I don't have much in the way of resources. I think I found it at the Indiana University Sheet Music Collection, a 1927 song called "Waitin in the Shadows." Since it's that recent, it's still under copyright, so it's hard to find online.
My dad used to listen to music of that era constantly, and I think this is a song I used to hear often when I was a kid.

Title: Waitin' in the shadows
Composer: Wellesley, Grant
Lyricist: Coombs, Effie C.
Publication: Cleveland: Sam Fox Pub. Co., 1927
Call Number: M1 .D48 Box: 245 Item: 028

---

if nobody comes up with an answer by next week Wednesday (Oct 8?), send me an e-mail reminder and I'll do some more looking, or call my dad.
-Joe Offer-
[e-mail]

Subject: Lyr Req: Nighttime Comes A Creepin' - Whippoorwil
From: GUEST,J Welch
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 10:05 PM

I have looked on and off for years for information on a song my grandmother used to sing to me. From what she remembers, when she was in grade school (1930s) in Northeast Missouri, she had a teacher that moved from California. This teacher was a very sad lady (something had happened to make her move east), and my grandma remembers how she sang this song in their music lesson, and how sad it was. Here are what we know of the lyrics. They may or may not be right. Any information on this song, the actual lyrics, its origin, etc would be greatly appreciated and help a very old mystery to me.

(Verse 1)
Nighttime comes a creepin'
Everything is still
All the birds are sleepin'
Except the whippoorwill
He's so sad and lonely
Waitin' for a way
Hopin' that you'll only be
Comin' home to stay

(Chorus)
I'm waitin' in the shadows
Just to welcome you
I'm waitin' and a hopin'
You'll be comin' soon
I'm waitin' in the evenin'
Waitin' and believin'
You'll be comin' home.

(Verse 2)
Now the stars are twinklin'
In the evenin' sky
The fireflies are blinkin'
I'm so lonesome I could cry
I'm listenin' to the robin's
Sleepy goodnight song
Honey you've been gone
So Long