GLOW-WORM
Adaptation of the 1908 song from the German operetta "Lysistrata" 
and the Broadway musical "The Girl Behind the Counter"
(Original words by Lilla Cayley Robinson / 
Modern words by Johnny Mercer / Music by Paul Lincke)

The Mills Brothers


Shine little glow-worm, glimmer, glimmer
Shine little glow-worm, glimmer, glimmer
Lead us lest too far we wander
Love's sweet voice is calling yonder
Shine little glow-worm, glimmer, glimmer
Hey, there don't get dimmer, dimmer
Light the path below, above
And lead us on to love!

(lengthy instrumental interlude)

Glow little glow-worm, fly of fire
Glow like an incandescent wire
Glow for the female of the species
Turn on the AC and the DC
This night could use a little brightnin'
Light up you little ol' bug of lightnin'
When you gotta glow, you gotta glow
Glow little glow-worm, glow

Glow little glow-worm, glow and glimmer
Swim through the sea of night, little swimmer
Thou aeronautical boll weevil
Illuminate yon woods primeval
See how the shadows deep and darken
You and your chick should get to sparkin'
I got a gal that I love so
Glow little glow-worm, glow

Glow little glow-worm, turn the key on
You are equipped with taillight neon
You got a cute vest-pocket *Mazda*
Which you can make both slow and *fazda*
I don't know who you took a shine to
Or who you're out to make a sign to
I got a gal that I love so
Glow little glow-worm, glow
Glow little glow-worm, glow 
Glow little glow-worm, glow 
Glow little glow-worm, glow !!


*****


(Paul Linccke / Lilla C. Robinson / Johnny Mercer / Arr. Spike Jones)

Recorded by:
Spike Jones & his City Slickers (vocal: Red Ingle & Aileen Carlisle) - 1946


When the night falls silently
The night falls silently
On forests dreaming
Lovers wander forth to see
They wander forth to see
The bright stars gleaming
And lest they should loose their way
Lest they should loose their way
The glow worms nightly
Light their tiny lanterns gay
Their tiny lanterns gay
And twinkle brightly
Here and there and everywhere
Through mossy dale and hollow
Hollow, hollow (Hello there, old gal, how are ya)
Floating, gliding through the air
They call on us to follow
Shine, little glow worm, glimmer
Shine, little glow worm, glimmer
Lead us, lest too far we wander
Loves sweet voice is calling yonder
Shine, little glow worm, glimmer
Shine, little glow worm, glimmer
Light the path below (you take it, girl) Above
And lead us on to love.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
(Turn the page you fathead)
And lead us on to love


(Contributed/Transcribed by Bill Huntley - October 2005)


*****


GLOWWORM
(Johnny Mercer)

Bette Midler - May 1977


When the night falls silently, the night falls silently
on forests dreaming,
lovers wander forth to see, they wander forth to see,
the bright stars gleaming.

And lest they should lose their way, lest they should lose their way
the glowworms nightly
light their tiny lanterns gay, they light their lanterns gay
and twinkle brightly.

Here and there and everywhere,
the mossy dell and hollow,
floating, gliding through the air
they call on us to follow.

Shine little glowworm, glimmer.
Shine little glowworm, glimmer.
Lead us test too far we wander.
Love's sweet voice is calling yonder.

Shine little glowworm, glimmer.
Shine little glowworm, glimmer.
Light the path below, above,
and lead us on to love.

Men's trio: Glow little glowworm, fly of fire.
Glow like and incandescent wire.
Glow for the female of the specie.
Turn on the AC and the DC.

This night could use a little brightnin'.When you gotta glow, you gotta
glow.
Glow little glowworm, glow.

Men and Bette: Glow little glowworm, glow and glimmer.
Bette sings: "glimmer, glimmer."
Swim through the sea of night, little swimmer.
Thou aeronautical boll weevil
illuminate yon woods primeval.

See how the shadows deep and darken.
You and your chick should get to sparkin'.
I got a gal that I love so.
Glow little glowworm, glow.

Glow, little glowworm, turn the key on.
You are equipped with tail light neon.
One man: You got a cute vest-pocket Mazda
All: which you can make both slow and fazdah.

I don't know who you took a shine to
or who you're out to make a sign to.
One man: I got a gal that I love so.
All: Glow little glowworm, glow.
Glow little glowworm, glow.
Glow little glowworm, glow.
Glow little glowworm, glow.


(Contributed by Andy Edgar - February 2003)


*****