Lyr Add: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still

Subject: ADD Version: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: karen k
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 12:20 PM

Allan,
Here are the words you want for Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still.

The first version is from Frank and Anne Warner. It has one flat and the time signature is 3/2.

The second version is from Heart Songs and written by W.T.Wrighton. It has 4 flats and the time signature is 3/4.

The Warner version uses the last 4 lines of the 1st verse as a refrain. The Wrighton version repeats the last four lines of each verse.

There are only very minor differences in the words in a couple of places.

Hope this is what you are looking for, Allan. Nice to see you at Old Songs. If you want the music for these just PM me with a place to send them and I will send them along. Thanks for helping Sandy pack up after Old Songs. See you at the Getaway.

karen

(1) Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
Collected from Eleazar Tillett and Martha Etheridge, 1951 by Frank and Anne Warner
This song was given to us by the Gallop sisters – Mrs. Tillett and Mrs. Etheridge.

It's been a year since last we met,
We may never meet again.
I have struggled to forget
But the struggle was in vain.
For her voice lives on the breeze,
And her spirit comes at will,
In the midnight on the seas,
Her bright smile haunts me still.

Refrain
For her voice lives on the breeze
And her spirit comes at will.
In the midnight on the seas
Her bright smile haunts me still.

At the first sweet dawn of light,
When I gaze upon the deep,
Her form still greets my sight
While the stars their vigils keep.
When I close my aching eyes,
Sweet dreams my senses fill,
And from sleep when I arise
Her bright smile haunts me still.

I have sailed 'neath alien skies,
I have trod the desert path,
I have seen the storm arise
Like a giant in his wrath.
Every danger I have known
That a reckless life can fill,
Yet her presence is not flown,
Her bright smile haunts me still.

(2) Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
by W.T. Wrighton, in Heart Songs

'Tis years since last we met,
And we may not meet again.
I have struggled to forget
But the struggle was in vain.
For her voice lives on the breeze,
And her spirit comes at will,
In the midnight on the seas,
Her bright smile haunts me still.
For her voice lives on the breeze
And her spirit comes at will.
In the midnight on the seas
Her bright smile haunts me still.

At the first sweet dawn of light,
When I gaze upon the deep,
Her form still greets my sight
While the stars their vigils keep.
When I close mine aching eyes,
Sweet dreams my senses fill,
And from sleep when I arise
Her bright smile haunts me still.
When I close mine aching eyes,
Sweet dreams my senses fill,
And from sleep when I arise
Her bright smile haunts me still.

I have sailed 'neath alien skies,
I have trod the desert path,
I have seen the storm arise
Like a giant in his wrath.
Every danger I have known
That a reckless life can fill,
Yet her presence is not flown,
Her bright smile haunts me still.
Every danger I have known
That a reckless life can fill,
Yet her presence is not flown,
Her bright smile haunts me still.

Subject: RE: Lyr: For Allan C from Sandy Paton - Bright Smile
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 12:49 PM

I see we have a different rendition of the Warner version, posted in the Digital Tradition as "HER BRIGHT SMIE HAUNTS ME STILL." Guess I'd better send in a correction.
Allan - please post a message in this thread when you see it, so I can change the thread title to something closer to the song title.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: ADD Version: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 02:12 PM

Sandy has an exact transcription from Anne Warner's book, Traditional American Songs from the Anne & Frank Warner Collection, which is supposed to be a transcription of the 1951 recording of Eleazar Tillett and Martha Etheridge - but it's not printed in the verse order I hear on the recording. Here's what's on the recording:

Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
Collected from Eleazar Tillett and Martha Etheridge, 1951 by Frank and Anne Warner

It's been a year since last we met,
We may never meet again.
I have struggled to forget
But the struggle was in vain.
For her voice lives on the breeze,
And her spirit comes at will,
In the midnight on the seas,
Her bright smile haunts me still.
In the midnight on the seas
Her bright smile haunts me still.

I have sailed 'neath alien skies,
And I've trod the desert path,
I have seen the storm arise
Like a giant in his wrath.
Every danger I have known
That a reckless life can fill,
No, her presence is not flown,
Her bright smile haunts me still.
No, her presence is not flown,
Her bright smile haunts me still.

At the first sweet dawn of light,
When I gaze upon the deep,
Her form still greets my sight
While the stars their vigil keep.
When I close my aching eyes,
Sweet dreams my memory fill,
And from sleep when I arise
Her bright smile haunts me still.
And from sleep when I arise
Her bright smile haunts me still.

Transcribed from Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still: the Warner Collection, Volume 1 (Appleseed Recordings, 2000). Recorded in 1951 from the singing of Eleazar Tillett and (sister) Martha Etheridge, Wanchese, NC.

---

I could swear that at the end of each verse, they sing, "Her bright smile daunts me still," the first time, and "haunts" the second.

Subject: RE: Lyr: For Allan C from Sandy Paton - Bright Smi
From: Jeri
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 02:35 PM

"...which is supposed to be a transcription of the 1951 recording of Eleazar Tillett and Martha Etheridge...

Nope. Ms Pedantic here. From the book:

We find it is included in both Heart songs Dear to the American People, edited by Joe Mitchell Chapple, p. 380, as composed by W. T. Wrighton, with words by J. E. Carpenter, and in Love Songs the Whole World Sings, edited by Albert. E. Wier.

And later...

These are the words from the songster edition.

I wanted to learn this song the first time I heard it on the recording. So did quite a few other people.

Subject: RE: Lyr: For Allan C from Sandy Paton - Bright Smile
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 02:26 PM

upsyy daisy

Subject: RE: Lyr: For Allan C from Sandy Paton - Bright Smi
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 12:12 AM

Allan asked for the texts as they were printed in the Warner book and in Heart Songs. Those are the two texts entered by Karen K, the dear, who volunteered to do the typing in my stead. Those of you who have seen my numerous typos in Mudcat posts will be grateful to her. We were talking about the problems Allan was having getting the text from the Warner field recording. Don Wade of Minstrel Records came by. We called Jerry Epstein on Don's cell phone to ask him to help with some of the words that were troubling Allan. Jerry, who transcribed the music for the Warner collection, has recorded a personally collated version of the song on Minstrel Records. Jerry was able to help with a couple of the hard-to-understand words, but Allan decided to check out the known printed texts. Thus, the post from Karen K.
    Allan now has a couple of texts to choose from in working on the song. We felt the best way to get them to him was via the Mudcat, as he is on the road in his RV and checking in from various stops along the way. Better method, I hope, than a photocopy of the printed pages mailed to Dallas, which Allan might not see for months! So, here they are, Allan, ready to be added to your songbag.
    Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr: For Allan C from Sandy Paton - Bright Smi
From: Allan C.
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 04:55 PM

karen k, you are a dear! Thank you! Sandy, thank you so much for the help you and Caroline have given me on this wonderful song. What a fortuitous coincidence that Don Wade and Jerry Epstein were at hand to be of help! Thanks also to Joe for his additions and Jeri for her pedantics. You are all such great folks!

I sincerely hope that the next time you see me I'll be singing this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr: For Allan C from Sandy Paton - Bright Smile
From: SINSULL
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 04:59 PM

Allan I have Heart Songs here but never thought to look. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: GUEST,Black Jake
Date: 23 Jan 20 - 09:49 AM

I have only just caught up on the correspondence regarding this song (because I'm totally useless on computers). My paternal grandmother knew the song, so did my mother, and I have sung it to my daughter and grandson. I probably still have the record somewhere by Edward Johnson (released 1919) and certainly have a copy of it on cassette tape.
I believe the song was written in 1857, though some sources give a later date. It's curious to find it suddenly popular again on the Folk scene,and interesting how little it's changed over the years. I'm glad to confirm that the lyrics quoted above are pretty much as originally written and sung. However, the tune used by modern performers is slightly at variance from the one used by Edward Johnson and his recording contemporaries. Alas, not being a musician I cannot show you the differences on paper, but it's great to see a song I've always loved back in circulation again.

Kind regards everybody.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 23 Jan 20 - 10:18 AM

I have the sheet music somewhere. My copy is 1868 so it may be that Carpenter wrote it in 1857 and Wrighton didn't set it to music until later. The sheet music is pretty easy to get hold of as it was very popular in its day as a parlour song. I have one of Carpenter's song books as well. I'll see if it's in there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: Lighter
Date: 23 Jan 20 - 11:38 AM

Illustrated London News (Aug. 13, 1859), p. 148:

"NEW MUSIC RECEIVED ... W. T. Wrighton's Ballad, 'Her bright Smile haunts me still.' Transcribed for the Piano-forte by B. Richards."

It was also advertised in America in Dwight's Journal of Music (Jan. 7, 1860), p. 328.


With music by Adolf Baumbach, "Her Bright Smile" was copyrighted with the Library of Congress in 1863:

https://tinyurl.com/v5hf9t4

Several memoirists wrote that it was a favorite during the Civil War; it was republished several times in the South, notably in Richmond in 1864. (Other printings are undated.)

In an 1863 letter, Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart recommended the song's sentiments to his wife as especially suited for her.

It's a good parlor song. You can hear various snippets at Amazon.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 23 Jan 20 - 02:20 PM

No mention of Carpenter, Jon?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: Lighter
Date: 23 Jan 20 - 09:22 PM

Steve, I find still earlier notice in the Journal of the Royal Society of the Arts (London), Nov. 28, 1856, p. 33.

It reads:

"Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still. By. W. T. Wrighton. Poetry by J. E. Carpenter, Esq."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: Lighter
Date: 23 Jan 20 - 09:36 PM

Identically a week earlier (Nov. 21, 1856), p. 17.

But a yet earlier notice, placed in The Illustrated London News (May 26, 1855, p. 511) by Robert Cocks and Co., New Burlington-street, says:

"NEW BALLADS ... Her Bright Smile Haunts me Still, by Sir Henry R. Bishop."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: GUEST,EBarnacle
Date: 26 Jan 20 - 07:00 PM

Every time I look at the title of this thread I think of a Cockney moonshiner with a haunted still.
Sorry about that.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: JennieG
Date: 27 Jan 20 - 05:12 AM

Ah - but just think of the flavour a haunting would impart to the 'shine!

This is the same Henry R. Bishop who wrote "Home, Sweet Home" and other similar sentimental gems?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 27 Jan 20 - 03:25 PM

Bishop died in 55 so it might have been one of his last scores.

Subject: Lyr Add: HER BRIGHT SMILE HAUNTS ME STILL
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Mar 24 - 08:32 PM

Getting a handle on the exact age of this song is difficult, because many of the oldest examples of sheet music are printed without a date. Baylor University cataloged this one as “1858-1864” although there doesn’t seem to be a date printed on it.

Compared to the version posted by Joe Offer above, note that (1) the verses are in a different order; (2) a few words are different and I have boldfaced them; (3) 4 lines, not 2, are repeated from each verse; and (4) this may not be the only musical setting of the words.


HER BRIGHT SMILE HAUNTS ME STILL
Words by J. E. Carpenter, music by W. T. Wrighton.

1. ’Tis years since last we met,
And we may not meet again.
I have struggled to forget,
But the struggle was in vain;
||: For her voice lives on the breeze,
And her spirit comes at will,
In the midnight on the seas,
Her bright smile haunts me still. :||

2. At the first sweet dawn of light,
When I gaze upon the deep,
Her form still greets my sight
While the stars their vigil keep.
||: When I close mine aching eyes,
Sweet dreams my senses fill,
And from sleep when I arise
Her bright smile haunts me still. :||

3. I have sailed 'neath alien skies,
I have trod the desert path,
I have seen the storm arise
Like a giant in his wrath.
||: Ev’ry danger I have known
That a reckless life can fill,
Yet her presence is not flown,
Her bright smile haunts me still. :||