Old Sheet Music

Tai Chi--

The heart-rending ballads would have been performed on Musical Evenings designed either to bring the young folks together for an evening of pleasant socializing or to raise money for the church roof, the church organ, the flood victims, the needy heathen....

Are you old enough to remember when every elementary school teacher could play the piano?

The Diver (The Popular Song)

Words by G. Douglas Thompson Music by Edward J. Loder

In the caverns deep of the ocean cold
The diver is seeking a treasure of gold,
In the caverns deep of the ocean cold
The diver is seeking a treasure of gold;
Risking his life for the spoils of a wreck,
Taking rich gems from the dead on her deck;
And fearful such sights to the diver must be,
Walking alone, walking alone,
Walking alone in the depths of the sea.

He is now on the surface, he's gasping for breath,
So pale that he wants but the stillness of death
To look like the forms he has left in the caves,
Silent and cold 'neath the trembling waves,
Silent and cold 'neath the trembling waves.
How fearful such sights to the diver must be,
Walking alone in the depths of the sea!

And Mammon's the master and Man is the slave,
Toiling for wealth on the brink of the grave,
Leaving a world of sunlight and sound
For night-like gloom and a silence profound;
And fearful the death of the diver must be,
Sleeping alone, sleeping alone,
Sleeping alone in the depths of the sea!

My Dad's The Engineer

Words and Music by Chas. Graham

We were none of us thinking of danger,
As the train sped on in the night,
'Till the flames from a burning forest
Made the passengers wild with fright.
Then a tiny maid near a window,
With a smile said, "there's nothing to fear,
I'm sure no harm will befall you,
My Dad's the Engineer."

"Daddy's on the engine,
Don't be afraid,
Daddy knows what he is doing,"
Said the little maid,
"We'll soon be out of danger.
Don't you ever fear;
Ev'ry one is safe because
My Dad's the Engineer."

With the sparks falling closely about us,
Thro' the flames we sped on so fast,
And the brave little maid's father brought us
Thro' the danger all safe at last,
And the proud, sweet face of his lassie,
And the words of the calm, little dear,
Will live in my mem'ry forever,
"My Dad's the Engineer."

"Daddy's on the engine,
Don't be afraid,
Daddy knows what he is doing,"
Said the little maid,
"We'll soon be out of danger.
Don't you ever fear;
Ev'ry one is safe because
My Dad's the Engineer."

I'm certainly old enough to remember when there was enough money in the school board budget to have a teacher dedicated solely to the teaching of music (in the elementary grades). Usually they travelled from school to school.

(I'm about a third of the way through the pile. Have to stop occasionally as the musty paper is playing havoc with my sinuses.)

When I Get You Alone To Night

Words by Joe McCarthy and Joe Goodwin Music by Fred. Fischer

Willie, Willie, Willie was so bashful, he was silly,
ev'ry girl made him feel shy,
But he went away to college, where he gained a lot of knowledge,
and he came back with a twinkle in his eye.
Now he's dressed in fancy college clothes,
Flirting is all little Willie knows,
Any little girl, he will meet on the street,
Will be sure to hear him say:

When I get you alone tonight,
When I get you alone tonight
You know we'll sit by the window, pull down the shades,
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, don't be afraid
There'll be no one around to hear,
There'll be no one around to fear,
We'll be loving, billing, cooing, just like ev'rybody's doing,
When I get you alone tonight.

Willie, Willie, Willie found it really lovely, till he married little Lillie Brown,
Now Lillie knew that Willie was a sporty daffy dilly, and, of course, she knew that he was running 'round.
One day while downtown she stopped to dine,
Who was right beside her buying wine
For a little girl, it was Bill, her own Bill,
She just looked at him and said:

When I get you alone tonight,
When I get you alone tonight
You know we'll sit by the window, pull down the shades,
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, don't be afraid
There'll be no one around to hear,
There'll be no one around to fear,
We'll be loving, billing, cooing, just like ev'rybody's doing,
When I get you alone tonight.

Waiting

Words by Reginald Rigby Music by Leo T. Croke

The nights are long, the days are drear,
And when from toil set free
I miss the voice I used to hear
That's all the world to me;
Though Spring has clothed both vale and hill
Yet in my heart 'tis winter still.

Refrain

When I hear the gate a-swinging
As you throw it open wide,
When I hear your footsteps ringing
On the cobble path outside;
When I hear your dear voice singing,
As you reach the cottage door,
Then I'll know that love is bringing
My dear one -- home once more.

The Spring has pass'd and leafy June
Is here with roses rare
That whisper you are coming soon
While all the world is fair;
And summer breezes softly tell
My lonely heart that all is well.

Refrain

When I hear the gate a-swinging
As you throw it open wide,
When I hear your footsteps ringing
On the cobble path outside;
When I hear your dear voice singing,
As you reach the cottage door,
Then I'll know that love is bringing
My dear one -- home once more.

Serenade (Standchen)

by Franz Schubert (Schwanengesang No. 4)

Thro' the leaves the night winds moving
Murmur low and sweet,
To thy chamber window roving
Love hath led my feet.
Silent prayers blissful feeling
Link us though apart,
Link us though apart,
On the breath of music stealing,
To thy dreaming heart,
To thy dreaming heart.

Moonlight on the earth is sleeping,
Winds are rustling low,
Where the darkling streams are creeping
Dearest let us go.
All the stars keep watch in heaven,
While I sing to thee,
While I sing to thee,
And the night for love was given
Dearest come to me.
Sadly in the forest mourning
Wails the whippoorwill,
And the heart for thee is yearning,
Bid it love be still,
Bid it love be still,
Bid it love be still.

In Your Moonlit Bower (Lullaby)

English Lyric by Mitchell Parish

Adapted from "Humoreske," A. Dvorak by Jas. H. Harrington

In your quiet moonlit bower,
Dream away each passing hour,
Dear one, hear the sandman callin' you,
Little precious head so curly,
Sleep until the rose is pearly,
Drippin' with the mornin dew.

Redbreast is sleepin',
Still is the peepin'
of the birdlings in the sycamore,
The world is reposin',
Eyelids are closin',
Soon my baby will be floatin' off to dreamland.

In your quiet moonlit bower,
Dream away each passing hour,
Dear one, hear the sandman callin' you,
Little precious head so curly,
Sleep until the rose is pearly
Drippin' with the early mornin' dew.

Yonder is the moon, like a ball of silver,
Watchin' over you till the break of day,
Summer breezes croon, just to lull my babe to slumber,
Mother dear will keep boogie man away,
From silent shore, hear the ripple of the water,
And it seems I heard someone gently sigh,
It is just the tremblin' of the leaves upon the branches,
Night is singin' you her lullabye.

In your quiet moonlit bower,
Dream away each passing hour,
Dear one, hear the sandman callin' you,
Little precious head so curly,
Sleep until the rose is pearly,
Drippin with the early mornin dew.
Redbreast is sleepin',
Still is the peepin',
of the birdlings in the sycamore,
The world is reposin',
Eyelids are closin',
Soon my baby will be floatin' off to sleep.

Blue Danube

Words by Mitchell Parish Music by Johann Strauss

Blue as the sky,
Your waves gently sigh,
And all the day long
They murmur a song.
O beautiful stream,
Beside you I dream
of one summer's day
That now seems
long ago and far away.

A leaf, drifting down with the tide,
She wandered far from my side,
And grief dwells where love dwelt before,
By the Danube's shore.

On Life's cruel river tossed
Is the one whom I have lost.
When the skies are dark above,
Dear one, here you will find the harbor, Love.

Flow onward, Danube, flow to the sea,
Go onward, lost one, here I will be
Waiting, hoping your destiny
Will bring you back to me.

Blue as the sky,
Your waves gently sigh,
And all the day long
They murmur a song.
O beautiful stream,
Beside you I dream
of one summer's day
That now seems long ago and far away.

Slumbersong

From the Russian of Lermontoff
English version by M. Louise Baum Music by A. Gretchaninow Op.1, No. 5

Sleep my pretty one close to mother,
Bye o' baby bye!
Bye o' baby bye!
While the moon peers thro' the window
Like a great round eye!
Mother tells her bedtime stories,
Croons her lullaby!
Cuddle close, my blue eyed darling,
bye o' baby bye!
Bye, bye. bye, bye!

The Wren (La Capinera)

English version by F.W. Rosier Music by J. Benedict

Bright April comes,
March winds are o'er,
And thou sweet bird,
Art here once more.
I hear again
Thy cheerful lay
Among the leaves
and flowerets gay.
Thy liquid notes
such pleasure bring,
My heart with thee
Would ever sing.
Would sing of joy
All joys above.
Of happy youth,
And happy love!
Of happy youth
And happy love!
Of happy happy love!
La la la etc
Of happy youth,
And happy love!

To welcome thee
Each flowerets bell
Its secret love,
To thee will tell.
The Zephyrs soft
with murm'ring sigh
Will seek a kiss
as they pass by
And while the heart
Is near to thine,
It feels a joy
And bliss divine!
Then sing of joy
All joys above,
Of happy youth
and happy love
Of happy youth
and happy love!
of happy happy love!
La la la etc.
Of happy youth and love!
Ah!
....happy love.

I suspect that the previous owner of some of this music was a trained singer -- an amateur perhaps, but trained.

"Since first I met thee."

Words by Michael Watson Music by A. Rubinstein

Long years have wing'd their weary flight
Since first I met thee,
And tho' enshrined within my heart,
I'd fain forget thee;
For as the clouds around the sun
obscure its brightness,
So thou hast robb'd my once glad life
of all its lightness.

Oh, world so wondrous fair,
Oh, heart, once free from care!
From out my inmost soul escapes a sigh:
From me now all hath flown,
That could in life atone
For weary hours of anguish long gone by.

Then pity take on one whose life
Is in the living,
Tho' love and pity be akin
Yet dare the giving,
And pity take on me,
'Tis all I ask of thee!
'Tis all I ask of thee!
"Tis all I ask!

Ah, love! if love of thine
be like to mine,
Thy heart must yield the boon for which I pine,
Then pity take on me,
then pity take on me,
pity take on me,
'Tis all I ask!

And Russia Is Her Name

Words by E. Y. Harburg Music by Jerome Kern

When I was very young I gave my heart away
Her cheeks were all the cherry trees that bloom in May
Her eyes were stars that lit the darkness with a silver flame
And she is still my love and Russia is her name.

She stood beside my plow, she kissed away my tears
And warmed my empty hands through all the empty years
And when she smiled, the HEARTBREAK vanished and the DAYBREAK came
And she is still my own and Russia is her name.

I heard her sing
I heard her sing to me
It was the song of all the world in spring to me
Then all the world was green
Then all the fields were fair
And there was bread and wine
and song for all to share
And there was love,
A love that set my hungry heart aflame
And now that love is mine
And Russia is her name.

Thinking I will leave the rest of the translations of Russian songs for another day (atchoo!).

One way that a well-brought-up woman could demonstrate her depth and flair was performing (for her own social circle) with great passion.

Lofty musical sentiments also indicated spirituality.

Noddy --

I guess I was a well-brought-up woman . (Sometimes I don't think it stuck, though.)

Tai Chi--

Don't put yourself down. The world changed and you changed with it. That's what survivors do.

My mother was born in 1905 and sang all of these old songs to us. As a family we harmonized as we washed dishes and these old songs bring back many happy memories