SEND ME AWAY WITH A SMILE
(Louis Weslyn / Albert Piantidosi)

John McCormack - 1917
M.J. O'Connell - 1917
Henry Burr - 1917
Arthur Fields - 1917
Earl Fuller's Rector Novelty Orch. (Instr.) - 1918


as recorded by John McCormack
1917


Little girl, don't cry,
I must say goodbye,
Don't you hear the bugle call?
And the fife and drum
Beats a fair old tum,
Where the flag waves o'er our all.
Though I love you so,
It is time to go
And the soldier in me, you'll find,
When on land or sea,
Many boys like me;
You would not have me stay behind!

So,
Send me away with a smile, little girl,
Brush the tears from eyes of brown.
It's all for the best
And I'm off with the rest
Of the boys from my own home town.
It may be forever we part, little girl,
But it may be for only a while.
But if fight here we must,
Then on God is our trust,
So send me away with a smile!

When I leave you, dear,
Give me words of cheer
To recall in times of pain.
They will comfort me
And will seem to be
Like the sunshine after rain.
And mid shot and shell,
I'll remember well
You've a heart of a soldier too,
And that through this war
I am fighting for
My country and my home and you!

So,
Send me away with a smile, little girl,
Brush the tears from eyes of brown.
It's all for the best
And I'm off with the rest
Of the boys from my own home town.
It may be forever we part, little girl,
But it may be for only a while.
But if fight here we must,
Then in God is our trust,
So send me away with a smile!




(Transcribed by Peter Akers - February 2016)