Lyr Req: My Wife Went Away and Left Me

Subject: Lyr Add: THAT'S WHEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU (Biggs)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Apr 15 - 12:49 PM

THAT'S WHEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU
Written by Fred Biggs
As recorded by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven, 1927.

FEMALE VOICE (Lil Hardin-Armstrong?):
Now, daddy, I'll treat you right, and promise never to fight,
If you'll only come back to me.
I'll work hard ev'ry day and give you all my pay,
If you only try to agree.
You can knock me down, treat me rough, and even kick me,
Black both my eyes, but, daddy, please don't quit me.
I'll scrub, wash, and eat(?) my suds,
If you'll only come back to me.

MALE VOICE (Louis Armstrong):
Now, mama, when the rain turn to snow, and it's ninety below,
That's when I'll come back to you.
When I have nothin' to eat, and no shoes for my little feet,
Then I will think that you've been true (which, I know that's a lie, ha!).
You may have somebody else, I'll agree,
But, baby, you lost a gold mine when you lost me.
Now, when your hair drags the ground, and bugs are flyin' around,
Then I'll come back to you, baby, yes, dearie.
Papa, then he'll 'bout face an' come back to you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Wife Went Away and Left Me
From: RunrigFan
Date: 11 Apr 15 - 02:29 AM

My Wife Went Away and Left Me Daddy John Love - Another version

Subject: Lyric ADD: Then I'll Come Back to You
From: Stevebury
Date: 10 Apr 15 - 09:54 PM

As so often happens, when I'm trying to find information about a song, Mudcat comes through! I ran across this song in "Folksongs of Florida." I wanted a tune and I wanted to find some other versions. This version works with either the tune recorded by Kelly Harrell (1927) or the one recorded by Charlie Poole (1928).

Meanwhile, here's the Florida version and a little more information for this thread.

THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU
(songwriter unknown)

My wife has gone off and left me,
Alone in this wide world to roam;
From happiness to darkness she left me;
She gone off and left her good home.

I wrote her a letter last Tuesday,
And sealed it with a kiss.
The answer came back this morning,
And what she said to me was this:

"When the grocer doesn't put sand in sugar,
When the milkman doesn't make milk of chalk,
When Texas goes for Prohibition,
And the women forget how to talk,

"When the boys of this glorious republic,
Don't go out at night on a spree,
But stay home at night with their mothers,
The, my darling, I'll come back to you.

"When the flowers that bloom in the springtime,
Don't open their petals till fall,
When the oysters, the cats, and the codfish,
Dance hand in hand at the ball,

"When all the old maids have sweethearts,
And the married people all agree,
When the man in the moon comes in a balloon,
Then, my darling, I'll come back to you."

The text was collected in Florida from two sources, and published (with no tune) in "Folksongs of Florida," Alton C. Morris, University of Florida Press, 1950 (reprinted 1990), pp 152-153.
SRW


There is another version of this song on the "Traditional Music Library" website: "I'll Come Back, My Darling, to Thee", attributed to Hurtling Brothers copyright 1889.
http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/songster/23-ill-come-back,-my-darling,-to-thee.htm
This version has more lyrics, some of which are included in the Florida version, but which are not the Charlie Poole or Kelly Harrell versions. In particular,
"When the oyster, the clam, and the codfish,
Shall dance a 'can-can' at the ball,"
is probably the original version of the Florida lyrics.
Also, as befits the rhyme scheme, the lines end " … I'll come back to thee."

There is also more information about this and related songs on the Traditional Ballad Index, including older broadsides.
http://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/RcMWWALM.html

Roud indexes this as #3686 (Roud lumps this song with other "Things Impossible" songs, including "The Inquisitive Lover".)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyric request and title
From: Stewie
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 07:03 PM

Thanks, Mick and Spaw, but it looks like MMario and George beat me to it by a day - I didn't see the previous thread of which this one is a duplicate!

I wasn't aware of the resource that George posted a link to - some kind soul has put up the lyrics to Poole's entire repertoire. A great one to bookmark. Here's a clickie to it:

Charlie Poole Lyrics

Thanks, George.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyric request and title
From:
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 06:25 PM

Bobbi, you posted this twice yesterday. Did you forget?

Yesterday's Thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyric request and title
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 10:06 AM

Once again, great job Stewie! You continually amaze me.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyric request and title
From: Big Mick
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 09:45 AM

I love this place!! Someone always has it and is willing to share it. Good man, Stewie.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: Lyr Add: MY WIFE WENT AWAY AND LEFT ME
From: Stewie
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:06 AM

Here you go:

MY WIFE WENT AWAY AND LEFT ME

My wife went away and left me
Out in this wide world alone
Sadness and gladness she left me
She left a doggone good home
I wrote her a letter last Tuesday
Sealed it with a kiss
The answers came back the next morning
And what she said to me was this

When the groc'ry man puts sand in the sugar
The milkman makes milk out of chalk
Boys stay home with their mothers
Women forget how to talk
When the ocean turns into corn whiskey
The railroad runs under the sea
And the man in the moon comes down in a balloon
Then darling, I'll come back to thee

I sat down and wrote her another
Sealed it with my fist
The answer was mailed the next morning
And what I said to her was this

When the moon turns into an apple
And a rainbow turns into a vine
They build a steeple to heaven
The stars they all fail to shine
When tho ocean turns into rye whiskey
Makes glasses to see the wind
When the girls quit using powder and paint
Then, darling, I'll ask you again

Source: transcription in Kinney Rorrer 'Rambling Blues: The Life & Songs of Charlie Poole' Old Time Music Booklet #3. This side has been reissued on CD on 'The Legend of Charlie Poole Vol 3' County CD-3561. Original recording made in New York on 23 July 1928.

Rorrer had the following note: 'A song written in 1889 by Charles D. Vann titled 'Then My Darling I'll Come Back to Thee' bears some relation to Poole's recording. However, Poole's does differ in many instances. Kelly Harrell recorded a similar, though not identical, version with the Virginia String Band on Victor (21520) in 1927. Poole may have learned it from Harrell and made his own changes to suit his taste'.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyric request and title
From: bobbi
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:39 AM

ThanX Margo... you're a gem! I didn't think of searching the engines since I found this site. Just figured everyone here knows everything... And usually they do... I'll try that avenue now as well. If I had a turntable.. it would definitely be yours! ;-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyric request and title
From: Margo
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:32 AM

I did a search on google and came up with this one reference, which gives you a writer and performers. Perhaps you can find a recording to complete your lyrics? Margo

Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2001 22:23:31 -0500
From: John Bradshaw

Subject: Re: "I'll Take You Back"

My favorite song by Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers is "That's When I'll Come Back to You" (or some such similar title). I've got it on lp (County) and my turntable died, so, I haven't heard it in awhile. But I always thought the conditions of the "reunion" were quite clever and funny. Things like when "they make glasses to see the wind", "milkmen make milk out of chalk", "women forget how to talk", "boys stay home with their mothers", etc. John P.S.: Anybody know where I can get a decent turntable (actually I probably need what we used to call a "record player") cheap?

Subject: Lyric request and title
From: bobbi
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:23 AM

Looking for a title and additional lyrics for an old song: "When the grocer-man puts sand in the sugar.. and the milkman makes milk out of chalk.. when the boys stay at home with their mothers and the girls forget how to talk.. And after the ball game is over and the railroad runs under the sea.. When the man in the moon comes down in a balloon, then Darling, I'll come back to thee.