Lyr Req: Dolly Gray / Goodbye Dolly Gray

Subject: Goodbye Dolly
From:
Date: 08 Jun 98 - 05:09 PM

Another Civil War song I believe.

Whole first line was, "Goodbye Dolly I must leave you."

Believe the next line was. "I am off to meet the foe"

Anybody ever hear of it?

Thanks,

Dick Warren

Subject: RE: Goodbye Dolly
From: jehill
Date: 08 Jun 98 - 07:15 PM

The second line is "Though its breaks my heart to go". Its a First World War song.

Subject: RE: Goodbye Dolly
From: jehill
Date: 08 Jun 98 - 08:01 PM

Grovel, grovel. I'm wrong its not a 1st WW Song. I've found this. It might help a bit
In 1897, he was just 24 years old, Morse formed the Morse Music publishing company, and published a hit song (written by Will Cobb and Paul Barnes) of the Spanish-American War, "Goodbye, Dolly Gray". His wife, writing under the pseudonym of D.A.Esrom, contributed the lyrics to the song, which was published under the title of "Hail, Hail, The Gang's All Here".
Regards
John

Subject: RE: Goodbye Dolly
From: alison
Date: 09 Jun 98 - 01:27 AM

Hi,

from memory here goes,

Goodbye dolly I must leave you,

Though it breaks my heart to go,

something tells me I am neede at the front to fight the foe,

2 more lines which I can't recall then........

Hark I hear the bugle calling, goodbye Dolly Gray.

It might jog someone elses memory, ( I used to tap dance to this when I was very small.)

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: Goodbye Dolly
From: AndyG
Date: 09 Jun 98 - 05:40 AM

I remember the words as being:

Goodbye Dolly I must leave you,
Though it breaks my heart to go,
I am needed at the front dear,
At the front to fight the foe,
Hark I hear the bugle calling,
And I can no longer stay,
Goodbye Dolly I must leave you,
Goodbye Dolly Gray.

I've no idea if the song has verses though.

AndyG

Subject: RE: Goodbye Dolly
From: AndyG
Date: 09 Jun 98 - 05:57 AM

If memory serves me well I remember reading that the song was sung by British troops leaving for the Boer War, which fits with John's publishing date.

It used to be sung regularly on that Splendid Show Specifically Singled out for Serendipitous Selections of Songs The Good Old Days on BBC TV.

AndyG

Subject: RE: Goodbye Dolly
From:
Date: 09 Jun 98 - 12:20 PM

Andy is correct about the fact that the song was sung by the troups leaving for the Boer War.
There was a book published early this Century about the Boer War entitled "Goodbye Dolly Gray"
You will find a sample of the song recorded very early this century at "http://besmark.web2010.com/civilwar.html"
Its only the first verse. If you wanted the rest you would have to buy the tape. There is also a "Singalongsmax" LP with it on. (For all you Max Bygraves fans out there...)
I feel sure the words will turn up soon anyway, Someone must know the rest.
Regards
John

Subject: RE: Goodbye Dolly
From: Bruce O.
Date: 09 Jun 98 - 03:42 PM

Go bsck to 'Sheet Music - You gotta see this!!' Click on URL in 1st message. Click on 'Bibliographic Search', and enter 'Dolly Gray' in search box. You'll come up with 3 copies of 1900.

Subject: Lyr Add: GOOD-BYE DOLLY GRAY
From: jehill
Date: 10 Jun 98 - 06:38 PM

Good on yer Bruce ... And thanks to Joe Offer. I've copied out the Lyrics because in some browsers they are illegible. I tried AOL's and couldn't read a darn thing but using Netscape here they are.

GOOD-BYE DOLLY GRAY

I have come to say good-bye, Dolly Gray.
It's no use to ask me why, Dolly Gray.
There's a murmur in the air.
You can hear it everywhere.
It is time to do or dare, Dolly Gray.

Don't you hear the tramp of feet, Dolly Gray,
Sounding through the village street, Dolly Gray?
'Tis the tramp of soldiers true
In their uniforms of blue.
I must say good-bye to you, Dolly Gray.

REFRAIN: Good-bye, Dolly I must leave you,
Tho' it breaks my heart to go.
Something tells me I am needed
At the front to fight the foe.
See the boys in blue are marching
And I can no longer stay.
Hark! I hear the bugle calling.
Good-bye, Dolly Gray!

Hear the rolling of the drums, Dolly Gray.
Hark from war the reg'ment comes, Dolly Gray.
On your lovely face so fair
I can see a look of care
For your soldier boy's not there, Dolly Gray.

For the one you loved so well, Dolly Gray,
In the midst of battle fell, Dolly Gray.
With his face towards the foe,
As he died he murmured low,
"I must say good-bye and go, Dolly Gray."

REFRAIN

Subject: RE: Goodbye Dolly
From: Dick Warren
Date: 10 Jun 98 - 07:02 PM

My great thanks to all for the effort in getting this for mr.

Dick Warren

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Apr 04 - 09:40 PM

The Virtual Gramophone has 2 recordings of GOOD-BYE DOLLY GRAY, both sung by Harry Macdonough, one recorded in 1901 and the other in 1904.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: GUEST,Anne Croucher
Date: 14 Apr 04 - 07:51 PM

This comes under the heading of songs I can never sing - my mother's father always called her'Dolly' - she was christened Dorothy, and she had grey eyes - her father used to sing Dolly Gray for her.

He sang There's the sound of soldiers feet, Dolly Gray Marching down the village street Dolly Gray Each one with heart so true will either die or do,So I must say goodbye to you, Dolly Gray' in the second verse, and in the chorus 'see the soldier boys a marching, I can no longer stay'.

He never sang the last two verses.

Which soldiers wore blue uniforms?

Anne

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: GUEST,Lindswidder
Date: 14 Apr 04 - 07:57 PM

I have the sheet music for this in a Victorian Song Book, if anyone is interested

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: The Walrus
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 08:07 PM

I seem to recall that in the British Boer War version of the song, the lines

" 'Tis the tramp of soldiers true
In their uniforms of blue.
I must say good-bye to you, Dolly Gray..."


are replaced by :

" 'Tis the tramp of soldiers' feet
In their uniforms so neat,
So good-bye until we meet, Dolly Grey..."

Regards

Walrus


By the bye, I have the lyrics for a very substandard attempt at a "Dolly Grey" for the Great War, called "Goodbye Kitty Lee", If any one is interested...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Apr 04 - 02:52 PM

Anne Croucher: I take it you're not American!

In the US Civil War, the northern (Union) army wore blue and the southern (Confederate) army wore gray. This is so well known in America, that in any story or song about the Civil War, all you have to do is mention blue or gray, and everyone knows which side you're talking about.

I don't think GOODBYE DOLLY GRAY is necessarily meant to be about the Civil War, though.

I don't know when the colors changed, but now the standard colors are olive drab or khaki. I think the Marines still use blue, though. I hope someone else will clarify this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: Gareth
Date: 17 Apr 04 - 07:32 PM

Hmmm ! I cant put any providance on the age of this song, but ' Catter Snuffy sings a mighty fine version ! Certainly Boer War or earlier.

And that makes it "Folk"

Gareth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: The Walrus
Date: 17 Apr 04 - 07:38 PM

Jim Dixon,

I believe the US Army was still wearing blue in combat during the Span-Am war of the 1890s (1898?), so I'd guess that they went into khaki about the same time that most of Europe did, at or about the turn of the century.

Regards

Walrus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: Snuffy
Date: 17 Apr 04 - 07:46 PM

I don't sing it, Gareth, it's my mate and fellow-catter alanww. I merely play my kazoo when he sings "Hark I hear the bugle calling"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Apr 04 - 08:10 PM

Does anyone have any proof of the song before 1898 when it was copyrighted?
It was composed just in time for both the Spanish-American War and the Boer War.
See the sheet music covers and hear Harry MacDonough (linked once before, above) sing it. Good-bye Dolly Gray

Note the similarity in pose and faces of the soldier and the girl but differences in uniform for the American vs. Spanish and British-Canadian vs. Boer wars.
The March sheet music came a little later.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: Flash Company
Date: 18 Apr 04 - 10:09 AM

My gran taught me this one, and I had it down as Boer War, She was a schoolgirl at the time.
They were also taught a poem in class which started:-

Lord Roberts and Kitchener, Baden-Powell and White
All went off to South Africa to have a jolly good fight!

Unfortunately, I can't remember any more except the end which was:-

And when the war is over, how happy we all will be,
The flag will fly over Pretoria and Kruger will hang from a tree!

No messing in those days!

Returning to 'Dolly Gray', I remember hearing Ian Wallace sing it once, finishing with the bravura declaration 'Goodbye DORIS DAY!!'

FC

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: Gareth
Date: 18 Apr 04 - 10:44 AM

Sorry Snuffy / Allanw - It were late at night !!

Gareth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye Dolly
From: GUEST,Lindswidder
Date: 18 Apr 04 - 11:00 AM

My Victorian songbook tells us this:

"In 1900, when British music-hall artistes were dressing up in spectacular military uniforms to perform patriotic songs, the Australian-born Baritone, Hamilton Hill, in ordinary civilian evening dress, captivated London audiences with his rendering of "Goodbye Dolly Gray". A speedy victory was expected but the Boer war began badly for Britain and the British strongholds of Kimberley, Mafeking and Ladysmith were besieged by the Boers. When the relief of Mafeking was anounced in May 1900 the favourite heroine of the cheering crowds was New York's Dolly Gray"

(song written by Will D. Cobb and composed by Paul Barnes 1898)

Subject: Lyr Add: DOLLY GRAY (Will D Cobb, Paul Barnes)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 11:07 PM

From the sheet music at The National Library of Australia. Only a few words are different from those posted above, so I have boldfaced them.

DOLLY GRAY
Words, Will D. Cobb. Music, Paul Barnes.
Melbourne : Allan & Co., c1900.
"Published by arrangement with Chas. Sheard & Co. ... London".
"Sung by the Tobins and Maggie Moore".

1. I have come to say goodbye, Dolly Gray.
It's no use to ask me why, Dolly Gray.
There's a murmur in the air.
You can hear it ev'rywhere.
It is time to do and dare, Dolly Gray.
Don't you hear the tramp of feet, Dolly Gray,
Sounding through the village street, Dolly Gray?
'Tis the tramp of soldiers' feet
In their uniforms so neat,
So goodbye until we meet, Dolly Gray.

CHORUS: Goodbye, Dolly. I must leave you,
Tho' it breaks my heart to go.
Something tells me I am needed
At the front to fight the foe.
See the soldier boys are marching
And I can no longer stay.
Hark! I hear the bugle calling.
Goodbye, Dolly Gray!

2. Hear the rolling of the drums, Dolly Gray.
Hark from war the reg'ment comes, Dolly Gray.
On your lovely face so fair
I can see a look of care
For your soldier boy's not there, Dolly Gray.
For the one you loved so well, Dolly Gray,
In the midst of battle fell, Dolly Gray.
With his face towards the foe,
As he died, he murmured low,
"I must say goodbye and go, Dolly Gray."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dolly Gray / Goodbye Dolly Gray
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jan 13 - 03:12 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dolly Gray / Goodbye Dolly Gray
From: GUEST,kernow ken
Date: 24 Jan 13 - 03:13 PM

Who WAS Dolly Gray?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dolly Gray / Goodbye Dolly Gray
From: Rumncoke
Date: 24 Jan 13 - 05:08 PM

In the decade since I first posted about this - I am Anne Croucher - I have discovered that my grandfather did not sing the last part of the song as written, and my mother 'Dolly Grey Eyes' did not sing it at all, but I have put together something like his version from the vague recollections of his offspring. In his version the man comes back safe from the war. I still can't sing it without a catch in my voice.


Hear the rolling of the drums Dolly Grey
Back from war the reg'ment comes Dolly Grey
On your face a look of joy
To see your soldier boy
Run and kiss him, don't be coy now Dolly Grey.
The one you love so true Dolly Grey
is coming home to you Dolly Grey
you will have a future bright
Because he chose to go and fight
and to defend the right when he did say


Recently one of my uncles has discovered that his father was not legally married to his mother, and had left a wife and two sons in London. He has contacted the other family and found that a granddaughter lives only a few miles away from me. Small world.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dolly Gray / Goodbye Dolly Gray
From: Weasel
Date: 24 Jan 13 - 05:38 PM

I'm surprised to see the line "At the front to fight the foe" - I always knew it as "cross the sea to fight the foe".

I should stress that this is how I heard it sung by my grandfather and claim no authority.

Cheers,

Weasel.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dolly Gray / Goodbye Dolly Gray
From: Rumncoke
Date: 25 Jan 13 - 04:17 AM

I suspect that the words morphed into familiar phrases of the time - a brighter future and so on were what my granddad was told to expect after the war.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dolly Gray / Goodbye Dolly Gray
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Jan 13 - 03:36 AM

My Grandma taught me the song and we sang 'at the front to fight the foe'.

My grandad was a veteran of the Boer and the WW1. He was in the lancashire hussars, and at Ladysmith, where they had to eat their horses. cos they were besieged.

Long before tesco put horsemeat into burgers.