Lyr Req/ADD: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham)

Subject: Searching for lost memories
From: Mike Collins
Date: 22 Mar 98 - 01:40 AM

I want to find the complete lyrics to a song my grandmother used to sing to me before bed at night to help me sleep. I can remember the chorus but I can't recall the rest of the song.

I sing it to my son at night and I hope someone can help me, I would like to sing the whole song to him.

The chorus is: Two little girls in blue ladd Two little girls in blue They were sisters and we were brothers and learned to love the two One of the girls in blue ladd won your fathers heart She was your mother I married the other but we have drifted apart." If you can help me please e-mail me at "[e-mail]" Thank you for your help.

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: Phideaux
Date: 22 Mar 98 - 09:36 AM

The onle recording I have of that is by Granpa Jones. It's a little hard to understand, but I'll try if I can find it.

May take a few days so if anyone else has the lyric please post.

Bob S.

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: alison
Date: 23 Mar 98 - 01:58 AM

Hi,

do a search for this one. It was here approx one month ago.

Slainte

alison

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: Helen
Date: 24 Mar 98 - 07:28 AM

I found the words in a book & I'll type them in later tomorrow if no-one beats me to it.

Helen

Subject: Lyr Add: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE (Charles Graham)
From: Helen
Date: 25 Mar 98 - 06:42 AM

Here it is, as promised. My mother used to sing this when my sister and I were little.

Helen

TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
Words and music by Charles Graham, © 1893.

An old man gazed on a photograph, in the locket he'd worn for years;
His nephew then asked him the reason why that picture had caused him tears.
"Come listen," he said, "I will tell you, lad, a story that's strange but true;
Your father and I, at the school one day, met two little girls in blue.

CHORUS: Two little girls in blue, lad, two little girls in blue,
They were sisters, we were brothers, and learned to love the two;
And one little girl in blue, lad, who won your father's heart,
Became your Mother, I married the other, but now we have drifted apart.

"That picture is one of those girls," he said, "and to me she once was a wife,
I thought her unfaithful, we quarrelled, lad, and parted that night for life.
My fancy of jealousy wronged a heart, a heart that was good and true,
For two better girls never lived than they, those two little girls in blue."

Copyright by Francis, Day & Hunter.

Francis & Day's Popular & Community Song Book for all Occasions. Sydney, Albert & Son.

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 25 Mar 98 - 08:49 PM

I was really hoping it was the child's father who said, "One was your mother; I married the other."

Subject: Lyr Add: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE (C Graham, 1893)
From: Gene
Date: 26 Mar 98 - 10:53 AM

Here's a similar version, give or take a couple of words.
TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
Charles Graham, 1893

1. An old man gazed on a photograph in the locket he'd worn for years.
His nephew then asked him the reason why that picture had caused him tears.
"Come, listen," he said. "I will tell you, lad, a story that's strange but true.
Your father and I at the school one day met two little girls in blue.

CHORUS: "Two little girls in blue, lad, two little girls in blue—
They were sisters. We were brothers, and learned to love the two;
And one little girl in blue, lad, who won your father's heart,
Became your mother. I married the other but we have drifted apart.

2. "That picture is one of those girls," he said, "and to me she was once a wife.
I thought her unfaithful. We quarreled, lad, and parted that night for life.
My fancy of jealousy wronged a heart, a heart that was good and true;
For two better girls never lived than they, those two little girls in blue."

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From:
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 02:34 AM

I would love it if someone has the music or chords to this song. As in one of the earlier post, my Granny use to sing this song to me to help me get to sleep. I only remember the chorus as being sung and that very faintly. I seem to remember that she talked the verses. I would love it if someone has the music to go along with the words. Thanks so much for making my day with these post. I had looked for this for a long time. It made me cry it was so special to me. S. Romanek

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: alison
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 02:39 AM

I'll do it for you later. I must have been about 6 when a friend and I were dressed in blue dresses and made to sing this at a church social.

slainte

alison

Subject: Tune Add: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: alison
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 03:07 AM

Here's MIDI and ABC

i'll send you a GIF via email... maybe sing it with mediaring..

MIDI file: TWOLIT~1.MID

Timebase: 480

Name: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Key: G
Start
0960 1 62 079 0478 0 62 079 0002 1 67 088 0958 0 67 088 0002 1 67 090 0478 0 67 090 0002 1 67 091 0478 0 67 091 0002 1 69 091 0478 0 69 091 0002 1 71 088 0478 0 71 088 0002 1 64 088 0958 0 64 088 0002 1 64 081 0478 0 64 081 0002 1 64 081 0958 0 64 081 0002 1 67 084 0238 0 67 084 0002 1 67 091 0238 0 67 091 0002 1 66 084 0478 0 66 084 0002 1 69 081 0478 0 69 081 0002 1 66 077 0441 0 66 077 0039 1 64 082 0960 1 66 082 0009 0 64 082 0469 0 66 082 0002 1 67 091 2398 0 67 091 0002 1 62 080 0478 0 62 080 0002 1 67 111 0478 0 67 111 0002 1 67 098 0478 0 67 098 0002 1 67 092 0478 0 67 092 0002 1 67 092 0478 0 67 092 0002 1 69 088 0478 0 69 088 0002 1 71 096 0478 0 71 096 0002 1 64 078 0958 0 64 078 0002 1 64 092 0478 0 64 092 0002 1 64 078 0958 0 64 078 0002 1 69 098 0478 0 69 098 0002 1 69 095 0478 0 69 095 0002 1 71 088 0478 0 71 088 0002 1 69 088 0478 0 69 088 0002 1 67 088 0958 0 67 088 0002 1 64 079 0478 0 64 079 0002 1 69 087 2398 0 69 087 0002 1 71 104 0478 0 71 104 0002 1 72 098 0478 0 72 098 0002 1 72 099 0460 0 72 099 0020 1 72 086 0478 0 72 086 0002 1 72 092 0470 0 72 092 0010 1 71 088 0478 0 71 088 0002 1 69 092 0478 0 69 092 0002 1 71 090 0958 0 71 090 0002 1 71 103 0478 0 71 103 0002 1 67 088 0958 0 67 088 0002 1 71 096 0478 0 71 096 0002 1 69 090 0478 0 69 090 0002 1 71 084 0478 0 71 084 0002 1 69 090 0478 0 69 090 0002 1 67 080 0958 0 67 080 0002 1 64 078 0478 0 64 078 0002 1 69 084 2398 0 69 084 0002 1 62 077 0478 0 62 077 0002 1 67 098 0478 0 67 098 0002 1 67 084 0454 0 67 084 0026 1 67 093 0480 1 67 095 0009 0 67 093 0469 0 67 095 0002 1 69 086 0478 0 69 086 0002 1 71 090 0467 0 71 090 0013 1 64 082 0931 0 64 082 0029 1 64 081 0478 0 64 081 0002 1 64 077 0958 0 64 077 0002 1 72 091 0454 0 72 091 0026 1 71 094 0478 0 71 094 0002 1 69 086 0478 0 69 086 0002 1 67 102 0427 0 67 102 0053 1 69 094 0960 1 66 086 0009 0 69 094 0469 0 66 086 0002 1 67 082 2878 0 67 082 0002 1 67 107 0478 0 67 107 0002 1 69 088 0478 0 69 088 0002 1 71 095 0447 0 71 095 0033 1 67 098 0944 0 67 098 0016 1 64 091 0478 0 64 091 0002 1 67 111 1438 0 67 111 0002 1 62 082 1438 0 62 082 0002 1 67 095 0480 1 69 086 0020 0 67 095 0458 0 69 086 0002 1 71 092 0478 0 71 092 0002 1 67 095 0960 1 66 081 0003 0 67 095 0475 0 66 081 0002 1 64 092 2878 0 64 092 0002 1 66 095 0958 0 66 095 0002 1 66 089 0478 0 66 089 0002 1 66 083 0478 0 66 083 0002 1 69 095 0958 0 69 095 0002 1 67 090 0958 0 67 090 0002 1 67 092 0447 0 67 092 0033 1 67 092 0478 0 67 092 0002 1 69 096 0478 0 69 096 0002 1 71 096 0480 1 69 092 0003 0 71 096 0955 0 69 092 0002 1 64 083 0478 0 64 083 0002 1 69 092 0958 0 69 092 0002 1 67 079 0478 0 67 079 0002 1 66 082 2398 0 66 082 0002 1 62 081 0478 0 62 081 0002 1 67 094 0478 0 67 094 0002 1 69 086 0479 0 69 086 0001 1 71 091 0470 0 71 091 0010 1 67 084 0958 0 67 084 0002 1 64 076 0478 0 64 076 0002 1 67 088 1438 0 67 088 0002 1 62 080 0958 0 62 080 0002 1 62 086 0478 0 62 086 0002 1 64 088 0958 0 64 088 0002 1 64 079 0478 0 64 079 0002 1 69 095 0953 0 69 095 0007 1 71 074 0478 0 71 074 0002 1 72 088 2378 0 72 088 0022 1 64 075 0478 0 64 075 0002 1 66 101 0947 0 66 101 0013 1 66 089 0477 0 66 089 0003 1 66 092 0467 0 66 092 0013 1 64 094 0478 0 64 094 0002 1 62 079 0478 0 62 079 0002 1 67 094 0478 0 67 094 0002 1 66 080 0478 0 66 080 0002 1 67 094 0478 0 67 094 0002 1 69 107 0478 0 69 107 0002 1 71 083 0478 0 71 083 0002 1 72 094 0470 0 72 094 0010 1 74 091 0478 0 74 091 0002 1 71 088 0447 0 71 088 0033 1 67 092 0480 1 69 090 0016 0 67 092 0462 0 69 090 0002 1 67 082 0478 0 67 082 0002 1 69 087 0478 0 69 087 0002 1 67 090 2398 0 67 090
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Two little girls in blue
M:3/4
Q:1/4=100
K:G
D6|G4G2|G2A2B2|E4E2|E4GG|F2A2F2|E4F2|G6|-G4D2|
G2G2G2|G2A2B2|E4E2|E4A2|A2B2A2|G4E2|A6|-A4B2|
c2c2c2|c2B2A2|B4B2|G4B2|A2B2A2|G4E2|A6|-A4D2|
G2G2G2|G2A2B2|E4E2|E4c2|B2A2G2|A4F2|G6|-G6|
G6|-G2A2B2|G4E2|G6|D6|G2A2B2|G4F2|E6|-E6|
F6|-F4F2|F2A4|G4G2|G2A2B2|A4E2|A4G2|F6|-F4D2|
G2A2B2|G4E2|G6|D4D2|E4E2|A4B2|c6|-c4E2|F4F2|
F2E2D2|G2F2G2|A2B2c2|d2B2G2|A2G2A2|G6|-G6|
||

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: Roger the zimmer
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 03:43 AM

This was a song sung at family parties in my childhood (BTV)*too.
*Before TeleVision.

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: Tiger
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 07:14 AM

I put the piano parts into NoteWorthy a while back, so I can put a nice MIDI arrangement on my web page, or E-mail it to anyone who asks.

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: N.C. Girl
Date: 15 Aug 99 - 10:36 PM

Thank you so much Alison for the music and the singing of the song for me. I would like also to know if anyone knows the history of this song? I wonder if it is an Irish song, or a Scottish song or what. I have heard that my ancestors were from England and some went to Ireland. I wonder if they brought this song with them from there? SRomanek

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From:
Date: 12 Sep 99 - 09:28 PM

My Mother is 83. Her sister, my Aunt Wilma was 84. She died last Monday. Mom sang this song to her in the hospital shortly before her death. It made her smile. I would like to find sheet music for Aunt Wilma's daughters so they can play the song. No one is on the internet but me so midi music won't help. At least one can play the piano. Can anyone help me?

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: alison
Date: 13 Sep 99 - 01:39 AM

sorry to hear about your Aunt Wilma. May God be good to her.

I am sending you a GIF of the melody line and guitar chords.

Slainte

alison

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: Tiger
Date: 13 Sep 99 - 07:34 AM

The sheet music is available in the Levy collection at:

http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: Ralf Weihrauch
Date: 13 Sep 99 - 09:55 AM

The Song was recorded by Flowers an Frolics and June Tabor in the 70s on a Free Reed album

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: Dale Rose
Date: 13 Sep 99 - 10:27 AM

Tiger, I thought it was in Levy, but had no luck finding it. I was searching for Charles Graham, but it is listed under Chas. Graham. No wonder I could not find it.

So here is the sheet music from The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE. Just click on the page 1 link at the bottom of the page to go to the next page. Trying to print out sheet music from Levy is a bit of a problem, though.

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From:
Date: 19 Sep 99 - 02:07 PM

Alison thank you so very much for the music. I spoke to Mom this morning and she had given it to Aunt Wilma's two daughters as well. You have made my whole family happy. Mom sends you her thanks as well. kathy

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: alison
Date: 20 Sep 99 - 02:53 AM

Thank you so much....... that is why we are here ... to help people....

My regards to you family....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: bob schwarer
Date: 03 Jun 00 - 07:20 PM

Heard this today in a Betty Grable movie "Sweet Rosie O'Grady"(1943). Even had three stars***.

Bob S.

Subject: RE: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 Jun 00 - 04:40 PM

It's up for auction on Ebay. Item#345209192 or type the title in search and it will come up. Starting bid $3 and no one has bid on it. Good Luck. SS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Two Little Girls in Blue
From:
Date: 29 Aug 04 - 01:27 AM

What a blessing to find all this info. While visiting my mother recently she told me about her dad singing this song about two little girls in blue and how she would like to know all the words to this song. I know she will be so pleased to hear this sweet tune from her past. I'm going to see if my son can play it on the piano for her on our next visit. Her dad would sing this back when she was a kid. She was born in 1932, also he would sing the letter edged in black. Music transports us across time, this will surely bring a smile to her face. Thank you one and all!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Two Little Girls in Blue
From: masato sakurai
Date: 29 Aug 04 - 03:45 AM

Another copy of the original sheet music is at Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920 (from Duke University). Lyrics & midi are at PUBLIC DOMAIN MUSIC: Music from 1866-1899 (under 1893).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Two Little Girls in Blue
From: GUEST,Sam
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 03:32 PM

My mother also sang this wonderful little song to me, but she added a twist by seguing into "After The Ball Was Over". The two songs will ever be entwined in my mind and heart.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Two Little Girls in Blue
From: Dave Hunt
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 05:42 PM

bove - alison provided the ABC of the music - if you are unfamiliar with ABC just copy the whole of the ABC notation - go to http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html paste where it says, hit submit and you will get the music and it will play it to you too!

ABC is a wonderful system for sending music by mail. If you want to know how to use it have a look at Steve Mansfields site here http://www.lesession.co.uk/index.htm or even better go straight to the inventor of the system ! Chris Walshaw http://www.walshaw.plus.com/abc/ for a full explanation.
Dave

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham, 1893)
From: GUEST,Dick Shouer, Freeport, IL
Date: 01 Dec 10 - 11:34 PM

My grandpa sang it this way in the 1940s:
"My father and I had a picnic one day with two little girls in blue. Two little girls in blue. Two little girls in blue. They were happy and we were too, with those two little girls in blue."

There might have been another line, something like "One was your mother and the other was you, the two little girls in blue."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham, 1893)
From: Louie Roy
Date: 02 Dec 10 - 11:26 AM

I've been singing this song since I was 7 years old and on a guitar there are several chord changes and it is a 6 chord song Louie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham, 1893)
From: GUEST,Jen
Date: 04 Mar 11 - 01:44 PM

I have Mp3 for the orginal song....how do I conver to midi and upload for you

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham, 1893)
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 08:51 PM

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham, 1893)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 10:18 PM

http://www.trasksdad.com/MusicHall/MusicHall.html

Check at the above site for the song melody.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/ADD: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham)
From: GUEST,alex
Date: 05 Jun 17 - 09:12 PM

My mother sang this to my sister and me during 1940,s/50's. Indelibly printed on our hearts!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/ADD: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham)
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Dec 20 - 11:40 PM

My Mum also sang this song ,but finished with a different verse that talked about after a ball also, and sitting alone by a fire. Does anyone have that version?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/ADD: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham)
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 15 Dec 20 - 05:56 AM

It's the kind of song which struck a special cord somewhere with singers all over England & beyond. It has stayed in the song tradition when the vast majority of popular song has faded from memory.

You'll find it in the repertoire of many [most?) traditional singers, even if most modern folksingers would have a low opinion of it....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/ADD: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham)
From: Mo the caller
Date: 15 Dec 20 - 07:25 AM

It was regularly sung in our family, at Christmas gatherings 1940s and 50s, but like so many of these songs, just the chorus. I think we sang the 2nd line as
They were sisters. We were brothers, and loved each other so

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/ADD: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham)
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 05:43 AM

Mo- isn't that what traditional music is about? Passing an 1893 composition down through the generations? The 'Old Armchair' is another example, from an even earlier date & my uncle Bob's party piece 'The Spaniard who blighted my life' (1910) is another.
Some songs are identified by the tradition & need little help to become part of it!
Folk song collectors did not approve, and were very selective in what they recorded, but it never stopped these old 'popular' songs being passed on.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/ADD: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham)
From: Reinhard
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 06:53 AM

Steve Roud has 95 entries of this song (#2793)

And Ginette Dunn collected wo Little Girls in Blue from Cyril Poacher in 1975, which is on his Musical Traditions CD.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/ADD: Two Little Girls in Blue (C Graham)
From: GUEST,JHW
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 04:17 PM

I was considering this in the bath.
The words 'They were sisters, we were brothers,'
No rhyme and the phrases could go the other way round rhythm wise.
We were brothers, they were sisters, But it would sound wrong. Is this just familiarity or have I missed a trick of the songwriter?

My dad sang this occasionally, he was 1896.