Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 12 - 01:47 PM

The melody is that of the first part of "Sobre Las Olas" by Juventino Rosas, one of the most popular waltz melodies of the late 19th centuries.

Subject: ADD: What Is Home without Babies?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 01:32 PM

For the record, here is Charlie Poole's "What Is Home Without Babies?" I found it here (click), following a link posted by Stewie above. I can't tell whether Poole was the songwriter or not.
-Joe Offer-

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What Is Home Without Babies?

All alone in a mansion
No one to love and caress
Sat a man noble and handsome
No loving wife's lips to press
She married him for his position
No love was in her heart
He looked around in his grand home
And from his lips came these words

    What is home without babies
    To love and to tease you adore?
    What is home without sweet wife
    To kiss you each night by the door?
    What is home without sunshine
    To shed its bright rays from above?
    You may have wealth and its pleasure
    But what is home without love?

Down the street he walked one evening
Passed a cottage so neat
He stopped and looked in the window
And see the picture so sweet
Husband and wife and baby
Laughing and kissing, too
He turned aside his tears to hide
And from his lips came these words

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love
From: irishajo
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 08:26 PM

Thanks for the warning Ritchie, but I did give a listen, and I really enjoyed the song (and its delivery). Always liked Van Morrison, that probably helped. I appreciate the song/artist recommendation.

AQ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love
From: Ritchie
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 07:41 AM

Aimee,

I've got to warn you ... Tom Waits could be described as an acquired taste. He has an unusual gruff/gravely voice but a lot of his songs/words are amongst the best. It's taken me ages to get my wife to listen to the odd track by either Tom Waits or Van Morrison and appreciate just how good they are. It's something that has always baffled me about her as she has such good taste...after all she did pick me !!

regards Ritchie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 07 Jan 02 - 04:07 PM

Stewie, THANKS for the Charlie Poole website. Over the years I have some disagreements with other transcriptions but it is amazing when I go back to those County CDs how often I find that I folk processed the song myself.
When I introduce What is Home without Babies I tell people that the rich capitalists gave instructions to the scriveners on Tin Pan Alley to write songs which will make the masses believe that a rich mkan's life is actually quite unpleasant-- here's an example! PETE

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love
From: irishajo
Date: 07 Jan 02 - 11:16 AM

You're the second person I've heard recommend Tom Waits in the past few days, Ritchie.

Guess I'll have to give him a listen.

AQ

(Many thanks again to rolfyboy and Stewie, I'm going to try to buy one of those recordings as a gift for Gma.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love
From: Ritchie
Date: 07 Jan 02 - 09:31 AM

Have a listen to 'The House where Nobody lives' by Tom Waits ....lovely lyrics.

regards ritchie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love
From: GUEST,Aimee Quinteux
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 11:42 AM

Thanks a bunch! Grandma will be thrilled.

AQ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love
From: bflat
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 11:45 PM

It is just another building where emptiness abounds. It is all over the earth and reaches more of us than we are likely to admit. Attempts to change usually fall way short. I know, I am cynical. So what!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love
From: Stewie
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 10:55 PM

You will find a transcription of Charlie Poole's version on this site:

Click Here

--Stewie.

Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT IS HOME WITHOUT LOVE
From: Stewie
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 10:48 PM

Rolfyboyo is right. It was something of a 'hit' for the Monroe Brothers in 1936. Charlie recalled that it was as big for them as 'What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul'. According to Charles Wolfe, it has usually been credited to sentimental Victorian songwriter Charles K. Harris ('After the Ball'). Charlie Poole had recorded it in 1928 as 'What Is Home Without Babies' and made it quite popular. Roy Harvey had recorded it even earlier with its proper title. Subsequently, it was recorded by all manner of people including the Louvin Brothers, Doc Watson and Hazel Dickens. Here is a transcription of the Monroe Brothers version which differs only in minor respects from Charlie Poole's:

WHAT IS HOME WITHOUT LOVE

Sad and (a)lone in a mansion
No loving heart to caress
Sat a man sad and lonely
No loving wife's lips to press
She married him for position
No love in her heart had she
Sad and lone in his fine home
He looked all around him and said

Chorus:
What is home without a baby
Just to love and to tease and adore
What is home without a sweet wife
To kiss you each night at the door
What is home without sunshine
To spread its bright rays above
You may have wealth and its pleasure
But what is home without love

Walking down the street one evening
He passed by a cottage so neat
He stopped and looked in a window
He saw there a picture so sweet
A husband, a wife and a baby
Just a-hugging and kissing too
He stepped aside, his tears to hide
And from his lips came these words

Chorus

Source: transcribed from 'The Monroe Brothers Vol 1' Rounder CD 1073.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What is a Home Without Love
From: Rolfyboy6
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 10:31 PM

It sure does. I think this is the Monroe Brothers (Bill and Charlie). They have a song about

What is a home without babies
What is a home wiithout love.

It's on their collection "Feast here tonight", or at least the vinyl LP version. I don't have the CD. Well worth buying, lots of fine songs and great harmony.

Subject: What is a Home Without Love
From: GUEST,Aimee Quinteux
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 05:59 PM

My grandmother wants the lyrics to a song she used to sing as a young lady in Kentucky (1930s - 40s). All she can remember is the title, 'What is a Home Without Love'. I tried searching other places, with no luck. Does this ring a bell for anybody?

Thanks,

AQ