Lyr Req: Keep a Light in Your Window Tonight

Subject: Lyr Req: Keep a light...
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 11:24 PM

I'm not sure about the name of the song. My Dad used to sing it back in the 40's. The only words I remember are:

"keep a light in your window tonight,
your wandering boy is coming home.
Just make sure that it's still shinning bright
I'm/He's/ (?) coming home no more to roam."

There is a cowboy song (COWPIE) with the title "keep a light in your window tonight" but it's not the same song.

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep a light...
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 11:31 PM

Found several songs with that phrase, but no "wandering boy" in them. sorry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep a light...
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 12:05 AM

Hmmmm - this page (click) makes use of the phrase, so there should be something. Almost sounds like a sequel to Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight?

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep a light...
From: GUEST, Dale
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 12:10 AM

# Keep a Light in Your Window Tonight - Lester McFarland, Robert A. Gardner and Happy Jack Turner - M.M. Cole Publishing Company - 1933

I have a recording of it, I am sure, as I have two Mac and Bob LPs. I'll look for it, but it will take a few days, I am sure.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep a light...
From: GUEST, Dale
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 12:13 AM

Wasn't thinking very well before, I also have a couple of Mac and Bob songbooks, so I have the lyrics there. I'll be back.

Subject: Lyr Add: KEEP A LIGHT IN YOUR WINDOW TONIGHT
From: GUEST, Dale
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 12:31 AM

Keep A Light In Your Window Tonight
Lester McFarland, Robert Gardner, Happy Jack Turner 1933
Arrangement by Jean Walz, from Mac and Bob Book of Songs Old and New, distributed by M.M. Cole, copyright 1931, Agricultural Broadcasting Company

I've a letter that just came today
From mother, asking me to please come home.
I wrote right back to mother just to say;
I'm sorry that I left you all alone!

So keep a light in your window tonight,
Your wand'ring boy is coming home
Just be sure that it's still burning bright,
I promise never more to roam.

Oh, what a wonderful feeling that in a little while
I will be trav'ling way down that last long mile
(So won't you) Keep a light in your window tonight,
Your wand'ring boy is coming home

So boy is coming home.

It has been a while since I heard it, so I am not sure how that last line fits in to the scheme of things. Also, I am not quite certain how the song can carry a date of 1933, while the book says 1931. My guess is that it is a later edition and they didn't bother to change the date on the inside cover. Most of the musicians of the day had songbooks, and put out a new one every year or so, with only a few changes here and there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep a light...
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 01:11 AM

Many thanks Dale you made my day.   I was beginning to think only existed in my mind. I got to thinking about it a week or two ago and have been looking all over the internet to no avail. The melody for the verse is a little vague yet but it is starting to come back.

Thanks again.

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep a light...
From: GUEST, Dale
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 01:17 AM

No problem, Bob. Glad to do it. If you like, I can send a scan of the sheet music (three pages) and/or an mp3 of the song sung by Mac and Bob. Now THAT will take a while and maybe even a bit of prompting.

You can reach me at [e-mail]   that is an address that I rarely use, and I really don't care who sees it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep a Light in Your Window Tonight
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 21 - 09:00 AM

Sure, It’s an old song we used to sing growing up. I know words and music in its entirety…we used to listen to a recording of the song by a man with sort of a Whiney voice….no idea who it was….certainly a country singer…

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep a Light in Your Window Tonight
From: GUEST,Brad Sondahl
Date: 31 Oct 21 - 09:27 AM

I never knew that first verse, but have performed it for years...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwSxro4qe1A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep a Light in Your Window Tonight
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 21 - 10:25 AM

The recording of the song was probably by Gene Autry….