WE WANT OUR DADDY DEAR, BACK HOME (HELLO CENTRAL, GIVE ME FRANCE)
(James M. Reilly / Harry De Costa,   1918)


A little girl woke when the dawn was near, 
And the nurse said "See your new brother," dear, 
She went to her mother with wondring stare 
And their thoughts were of Dad who's "over there." 
The little girl crept down the stairs all alone, 
And this love call she sent through the telephone:

The little girl smiled, then the clock struck one, 
As the Central called White House, Washington, 
The President heard and he understood, 
Like the father of this great country should. 
He cabled in code every word Central said;
In the trenches in France the proud Daddy read:

Hello, Central, give me France, 
I want to talk to Daddy dear,
Because I'd like to tell him while I got the chance, 
The stork brought a brand new baby here. 
Won't you say that its "me"
And he'll answer you'll see; 
So hurry, please, and get him on the phone, 
Hello, Central, give me France, 
'Cause we want our Daddy dear back home.