Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: GUEST,Marc
Date: 02 Mar 14 - 06:01 AM

Hi I have been thinking today of my dear grandmother that used to always sing the first couple verses of this song when we were leaving her farm at the end if holidays to return to our house in a near by town , we lived in Australia ,state nsw . So after 40 years I decided to see if I could locate the song from a few lyrics and I am so gratefull to of found this site and the words to the whole song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: Beer
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 07:30 PM

It's interesting how the words change a bit here and there. Would have been interesting to know from all those that responded where were all from. I first heard this in Nova Scotia. Another song which I did bring up before in another thread was one called "Frozen Charlotte". Words to that song changed also. I wonder if it was because a good number of songs way back were passed on by way of mouth from town to town.
ad.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: GUEST,Eileen Bird
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 06:19 AM

I have the lyrics of this song written down by my grandmother in 1908 slightly different
You're going to leave your Mother Jim today you're going away. You're going among the city fols to dwell. This spoke a poor old mother to her only son one day, if yourmind's made up that way I wish you well.........

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: GUEST,Brenda Harding
Date: 20 May 11 - 02:12 PM

Here's how my mom sang it when we were growing up:

So you're going to leave the old home, Jim,
Today you're going to leave.
You're going with those city folk to dwell.
Spoke these words a dear old mother to her boy one summer's day
If your mind's made up that way I wish you well
The old home will be lonely, we'll miss you when you're gone,
The birds won't sing as sweet when you're not here
But if you are in trouble, Jim, just write and let us know.
She spoke these words and then she said farewell.

If sickness overtakes you, or old companions forsake you,
or through the world you wander all alone;
When friends you haven't any, in your pocket not a penny
There's a mother waiting for you here at home, sweet home.

Ten years later to the village came a stranger no one knew
His steps were slow and ragged clothes he wore
The children how they laughed at him as down the street he walked
At last he stopped before a cottage door.
He gently knocked, no sound he heard, and first he thought her dead
But then he heard a voice well known to him.
It was mother's voice, her hair had silvered with the touch of time
She said thank God for sending back my Jim

If sickness overtakes you, or old companions forsake you,
or through the world you wander all alone;
When friends you haven't any, in your pocket not a penny
There's a mother waiting for you here at home, sweet home.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Mar 11 - 10:10 PM

There's another thread: Lyr Add: There's a Mother Always Waiting Here [at Home] which contains lyrics to a version sung by Sara and Maybelle Carter—plus another copy of the lyrics from the sheet music. (When will I learn to always search Mudcat first?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Mar 11 - 09:46 PM

You can hear 2 recordings of THERE'S A MOTHER ALWAYS WAITING YOU, AT HOME, SWEET HOME at The Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara:

1. Byron G. Harlan and Frank C. Stanley, 8468: Edison Gold Moulded Record, 1903.

2. Will Oakland and chorus, 2030: Edison Blue Amberol, 1913.

(Click on the number on the linked page.)

The 1913 recording has much better sound quality.

Subject: Lyr Add: THERE'S A MOTHER ALWAYS WAITING YOU AT...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Mar 11 - 09:19 PM

You can see the sheet music at the web site of Indiana University's IN Harmony collection:


THERE'S A MOTHER ALWAYS WAITING YOU AT HOME, SWEET HOME.
Words and music by James Thornton.
New York: Geo. W. Meyer Music Co., © 1903*

1. "So you're going to leave the old home, Jim. Today you're going away.
You're going among the city folk to dwell."
So spoke a dear old mother to her boy one summer's day.
"If your mind's made up that way, I wish you well.
The old home will be lonely. We will miss you when you're gone.
The birds won't sing as sweet when you're not nigh.
But if you are in trouble, Jim, just write and let us know."
She spoke these words and then she said "goodbye."

CHORUS: "When sickness overtakes you,
When old companions shake you,
As through the world you wander all alone,
When friends you haven't any,
In your pocket not a penny,
There's a mother always waiting you at home, sweet home."

2. Ten years later to the village came a stranger no one knew.
His step was halt and ragged clothes he wore.
The little children laughed at him as down the lane he walked.
At last he stopped before a cottage door.
He gently knocked. No sound he heard. He thought, "Can she be dead?"
But soon he hears a voice well known to him.
'Twas mother's voice. Her hair was silvered by the touch of time.
She said, "Thank God! They've sent us back our Jim."


* IU's catalog says "1912" but the sheet music is marked "MCMIII."

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE THE OLD HOME, JIM
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Mar 11 - 08:52 PM

You can hear this version at The Internet Archive:


YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE THE OLD HOME, JIM
As sung by Benny Borg "The Singing Soldier" (Columbia 15148D, 1927)

"[You're] going to leave the old home, son. Tonight you're going away.
You're going among those city folks to dwell."
So spake a kind old mother as she bade her boy goodbye.
She spake these words and then she said farewell.

"If sickness it overtakes you,
And all companions shake you,
As through this world you wander all alone,
And friends you haven't any,
In your pockets not a penny,
You'll remember you'll have mother still at home."

Ten years later to that city came a stranger no one knew.
His step was slow and ragged clothes he wore.
The little children laughed at him as down the lane he walked,
Then at last he stopped before a cottage door.

He gently knocked. No sound he heard. My God, can mother be dead?
Then at last he heard that voice well known to him.
'Twas mother's voice. Her step was slow, and her hair had silvered gray.
"Oh, thank you, Lord! You brought me back my boy.

"All was not gold that glittered.
You remembered what I said
As through this cold and dreary world you roamed.
Friends you hadn't any,
In your pockets not a penny.
You remembered you had mother still at home,
Home, sweet home!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: GUEST,Mary in K.C
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 04:21 PM

So you going to leave the old home jim
You're going away to stay
You're going amongst the city folks to dwell
So spoke a kind old mother to her boy one summer's day
If your minds made up that way I wish you well
The old home will be lonely we'll miss you while your roam
the birds own't sing their song when your not nigh
And if friends you haven't any in your pockets not a penny
theres a kind old mother waiting for you at home sweet home

ten years later through the village came a stranger no one knew
his shoes were torn and ragged clothes he wore
the children they all laughed at him as down the street he strolled
at last he paused before a cottage door
He gently knocked, no voice he heard
He thought may she be dead
At last he heard a voice well known to him
Thank God you brought to our home Jim back home again to stay
she spoke these words and then she said goodbye.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: Sorcha
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 09:20 PM

You are more than welcome, Beer. With a name like that, how can we help ourselves? (grin)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: Beer
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 08:33 PM

Thank you so very much for your reply. It has been bugging me for a long time then I found this web site and it is great. Thanks again and I will be singing it at our next gig. Adrien ( Beer)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: Morticia
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 05:53 AM

Kendall here, I first heard this when I was a small boy back in eastern Maine in the 40's. It was sung and recorded by Canadian singer, Wilf Carter.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 02:07 AM

Arnold Keith Storm of Mooresville, Indiana, recorded this song, as it was known and sung in his family, on his Folk-Legacy album titled Take the News to Mother, and Other Songs of a More Sentimental Age - FSA-18. It must have been released around 1964 or 65. Keith was (and is) a darned fine singer with a good flat-picked guitar style and a wealth of late 19th century songs that his father had passed on to him. From an uncle who had worked out west he learned excellent versions of "Utah Carroll" and "Little Joe, the Wrangler," which I think he sings better than any other versions I've heard. Perhaps the best thing about his record (aside from the fact that we still have a few of the vinyl LPs left on our shelves, as well as keeping them available as "custom cassettes") is that Keith sang all of these songs with total sincerity. Keith worked for the post office, is now retired, and still sings, but mostly just with friends and family. Caroline and I visited him and his wife a couple of years ago in Mooresville. Great folks!

Sandy

Subject: Lyr Add: GOING TO LEAVE THE OLD HOME
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 11:10 PM

Two verses was all I found:

GOING/GONNA TO LEAVE THE OLD HOME

VERSE 1
So you're going to leave the old home,
Jim today you're going away
You're going among th city folks to dwell
So spoke this dear old Mother, to her boy one summer day
She spoke these words an' then she said, farewell
The old home will be lonely, we'll miss you when you're gone
Th birds won't sing so sweet when you're not nigh
So spoke this dear ole Mother, to her boy one summer day
She spoke these words an' then she said, goodbye
The old home will be lonely, we'll miss you when you're gone
An' th birds won't sing so sweet, when you're not nigh
Up spoke th dear ole Mother, to her boy that sumer day
She spoke these words an' then she said, goodbye

VERSE 2
It was many years later, came a stranger, no one knew
His steps were halt an' ragged clothes, he wore
Th little children laughed at him, as down th street he walked
At last he stepped up to a cottage door
He gave a knock, no sound did he hear, he thought t'h she be dead
Just then he heard a voice, well known t' him
T'was th voice of his Mother, her hair gray by change of time
She said, thank God, He's sent me back my Jim
When sickness overtakes, your old friends they forsake you
Thru this world you wander all alone
When friends you haven't any, in your pocket not one penny
There's a Mother always waiting you at home, sweet home

As sung by Floyd McGinnis, Pea Ridge, Arkansas on May 20, 1969

From:http://www.smsu.edu/folksong/maxhunter/0716/

Subject: Going to Leave the Old Home
From: Beer
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 10:22 PM

This song goes way back but the only person I ever heard sing it is my brother and he doesn't know where it came from or does he know all of the song. two verses that I have go like this, and the words are probably not all correct.

So you're going to leave the old home,
Jim, today your going away.
Your going among those city folks to dwell.
Softly spoken dear old mother to her boy one summer day.
She said these words then she said good-bye.

When sickness overtakes you,
And ..............break you.
And through this world you wonder all alone.
Where friends you haven't any, and your pocket not a penny.
There's a mother always waiting at home sweet home.

Please help if you can. Love this old folk saga.