University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois I-Mark

The items in the Digital Collections of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library contain materials which represent or depict sensitive topics or were written from perspectives using outdated or biased language. The Library condemns discrimination and hatred on any grounds. As a research library that supports the mission and values of this land grant institution, it is incumbent upon the University Library to preserve, describe, and provide access to materials to accurately document our past, support learning about it, and effect change in the present. In accordance with the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read statement, we do not censor our materials or prevent patrons from accessing them.

If you have questions regarding this statement or any content in the Library’s digital collections, please contact digitalcollections@lists.illinois.edu

American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Statement

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at the University Library

The Alcoholic Blues

Permalink

https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/476e2cb0-c0e6-0134-2373-0050569601ca-f

Rights Information

No Copyright - United States

Supplementary Document

Title
The Alcoholic Blues - Lyrics
Composer
Von Tilzer, Albert  
Lyricist
Laska, Edward  
Publisher
Broadway Music Corporation  
Place of Publication
New York (N.Y.)  
Year of Publication
1919  
Lyrics
  • and not with Bevo or ginger ale, I want real stuff by the pail.
  • goodbye whiskey, you used to make me frisky. So long highball, so long gin. Oh, tell me when you comin’ back agin [sic]? Blues, I’ve got the blues, since they amputated my booze, Lordy Lordy, war is well, you know, I don’t have to tell, oh I’ve got the alcoholic blues, some blues, I’ve got the blues. Prohibition, that’s the name, Prohibition drives me insane. I’m so thirsty, soon I’ll die, I’m simply goin’ to ‘vaporate, I’m just that dry. I wouldn’t mind to live forever in a trench, just if my daily thirst they only let me quench
  • I cut my sugar, I cut my coal, but now they dug deep in my soul. I’ve got the blues, I’ve got the blues, I’ve got the alcoholic blues. No more beer my heart to cheer
  • I love my country, ‘deed I do, but oh, that war has made me blue. I like fightin’, that’s my name, but fightin’ is the least about the fightin’ game. When Mister Hoover said to cut my dinner down, I never even hesitate, I never frown
Repository
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Rights
No Copyright - United States
Original Location
  • Series 2, Box 12, Folder 4
  • Record Series 12/9/96
Local Identifier
2014_12996_017
Collection Title
James Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
Collection
James Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection

Descriptive Information

Title
The Alcoholic Blues
Alternative Title
Cover: The alcoholic blues (some blues)
Composer
Von Tilzer, Albert  
Lyricist
Laska, Edward  
Publisher
Broadway Music Corporation  
Place of Publication
New York (N.Y.)  
Year of Publication
1919  
Date of Copyright
1918-12-12
Physical Description
1 score, voice and piano ([1], 2-3, [1] p.)
Comment
Marketed in a variety of formats and variants, this timely title attained considerable popularity, especially after July 1919, when the prohibition amendment took effect. It was taken up by diverse performers, with lyrics freely adapted to suit the occasion. After 1920 the song moved into the country-western repertory, where it remained a popular novelty for many years.
Historical Note
  • At least seventeen recordings and sixteen piano rolls were issued before 1923, by nearly all the major companies.
  • This is the third of four printings that are distinguished by back covers; the third printing was issued after March 18, 1919. The first copyright was for the manuscript; a second copyright was issued for the published copy on the very day (January 16, 1919) that Prohibition (the Eighteenth Amendment) became law. The first two printings were relatively small, and early promotion relied on recordings and piano rolls, but the song was also taken up by diverse performers, with lyrics freely adapted to suit the occasion. The third and fourth printings were large; sheet music sales peaked after July 1, 1919, when the Wartime Prohibition Act took effect, and interest was sustained when prohibition began to be enforced on January 17, 1920.
Musical Note
This novelty is a stylistic hybrid: the verse follows Tin Pan Alley conventions, using secondary dominants and melodic sequence in a sixteen-bar structure, but the chorus, twenty-four bars long, contains two twelve-bar blues. Syncopation hints slightly at ragtime, but the juxtaposition of duple and dotted rhythms strongly suggests swung rhythms, confirmed in some of the recordings.
Subject - Topic
  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music  
  • Popular music -- United States -- 1911-1920.  
  • Prohibition -- Songs and music.  
  • Veterans -- United States -- Songs and music.  
  • Novelty songs.  
  • Humorous songs.  
  • Blues (Music).  
Lyrics
  • [verse 1] I love my country, ’deed I do, / But oh, that war has made me blue. / I like fightin’, that’s my name, / But fightin’ is the least about the fightin’ game. / When Mister Hoover said to cut my dinner down, / I never even hesitate, I never frown; / I cut my sugar, I cut my coal, / But now they dug deep in my soul.
  • [refrain 1] I’ve got the blues I’ve got the blues, / I’ve got the alcoholic blues. / No more beer my heart to cheer; / Goodbye whiskey, you used to make me frisky. / So long highball, so long gin. / Oh, tell me when you comin’ back agin? / Blues I’ve got the blues / Since they amputated my booze / Lordy, Lordy, war is well, / you know, I don’t have to tell / Oh, I’ve got the alcoholic blues, some blues
  • [verse 2] Prohibition that’s the name, / Prohibition drives me insane. / I’m so thirsty, soon I’ll die, / I’m simply goin’ to ’vaporate, I’m just that dry. / I wouldn’t mind to live forever in a trench, / Just if my daily thirst they only let me quench; / And not with Bevo or Gingerale / I want real stuff by the pail. /goodbye whiskey, you used to make me frisky. So long highball, so long gin. Oh, tell me when you comin’ back agin [sic]? Blues, I’ve got the blues, since they amputated my booze, Lordy Lordy, war is well, you know, I don’t have to tell, oh I’ve got the alcoholic blues, some blues, I’ve got the blues. Prohibition, that’s the name, Prohibition drives me insane. I’m so thirsty, soon I’ll die, I’m simply goin’ to ‘vaporate, I’m just that dry. I wouldn’t mind to live forever in a trench, just if my daily thirst they only let me quench
  • [refrain 2]
Musical Genre
Novelty song
Repository
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Rights
No Copyright - United States
Cover Description
Inebriated owl, hat askew, perched on a crescent moon, opening left, small black cat on upper tip. Black, blue and yellow, combining to make a dark green background; unsigned.
Back Cover Description
  • At the End of My Trail of Dreams (© 1919 03 18)
  • When Ireland Comes into her Own (© 1919 01 04)
  • Minnie, Shimmie for Me (© 1919 01 02)
  • Don’t Forget the Salvation Army (My Doughnut Girl) (© 1919 02 17)
  • Covers and vocal incipits for four titles:
Interior Description
  • Gutter: This composition may also be bought for your talking machine or player piano
  • Plate number: p. 3, BL: The Alcoholic Blues 2
  • Cover, BR: 5
Performance Medium
Voice and piano  
Original Location
  • Record Series 12/9/96
  • Series 2, Box 12, Folder 4
Local Identifier
2014_12996_017
Collection Title
James Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
Collection
James Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection
TitleThe Alcoholic Blues
Alternative TitleCover: The alcoholic blues (some blues)
ComposerVon Tilzer, Albert  
LyricistLaska, Edward  
PublisherBroadway Music Corporation  
Place of PublicationNew York (N.Y.)  
Year of Publication1919  
Date of Copyright1918-12-12
Physical Description1 score, voice and piano ([1], 2-3, [1] p.)
CommentMarketed in a variety of formats and variants, this timely title attained considerable popularity, especially after July 1919, when the prohibition amendment took effect. It was taken up by diverse performers, with lyrics freely adapted to suit the occasion. After 1920 the song moved into the country-western repertory, where it remained a popular novelty for many years.
Historical Note
  • At least seventeen recordings and sixteen piano rolls were issued before 1923, by nearly all the major companies.
  • This is the third of four printings that are distinguished by back covers; the third printing was issued after March 18, 1919. The first copyright was for the manuscript; a second copyright was issued for the published copy on the very day (January 16, 1919) that Prohibition (the Eighteenth Amendment) became law. The first two printings were relatively small, and early promotion relied on recordings and piano rolls, but the song was also taken up by diverse performers, with lyrics freely adapted to suit the occasion. The third and fourth printings were large; sheet music sales peaked after July 1, 1919, when the Wartime Prohibition Act took effect, and interest was sustained when prohibition began to be enforced on January 17, 1920.
Musical NoteThis novelty is a stylistic hybrid: the verse follows Tin Pan Alley conventions, using secondary dominants and melodic sequence in a sixteen-bar structure, but the chorus, twenty-four bars long, contains two twelve-bar blues. Syncopation hints slightly at ragtime, but the juxtaposition of duple and dotted rhythms strongly suggests swung rhythms, confirmed in some of the recordings.
Subject - Topic
  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music  
  • Popular music -- United States -- 1911-1920.  
  • Prohibition -- Songs and music.  
  • Veterans -- United States -- Songs and music.  
  • Novelty songs.  
  • Humorous songs.  
  • Blues (Music).  
Lyrics
  • [verse 1] I love my country, ’deed I do, / But oh, that war has made me blue. / I like fightin’, that’s my name, / But fightin’ is the least about the fightin’ game. / When Mister Hoover said to cut my dinner down, / I never even hesitate, I never frown; / I cut my sugar, I cut my coal, / But now they dug deep in my soul.
  • [refrain 1] I’ve got the blues I’ve got the blues, / I’ve got the alcoholic blues. / No more beer my heart to cheer; / Goodbye whiskey, you used to make me frisky. / So long highball, so long gin. / Oh, tell me when you comin’ back agin? / Blues I’ve got the blues / Since they amputated my booze / Lordy, Lordy, war is well, / you know, I don’t have to tell / Oh, I’ve got the alcoholic blues, some blues
  • [verse 2] Prohibition that’s the name, / Prohibition drives me insane. / I’m so thirsty, soon I’ll die, / I’m simply goin’ to ’vaporate, I’m just that dry. / I wouldn’t mind to live forever in a trench, / Just if my daily thirst they only let me quench; / And not with Bevo or Gingerale / I want real stuff by the pail. /goodbye whiskey, you used to make me frisky. So long highball, so long gin. Oh, tell me when you comin’ back agin [sic]? Blues, I’ve got the blues, since they amputated my booze, Lordy Lordy, war is well, you know, I don’t have to tell, oh I’ve got the alcoholic blues, some blues, I’ve got the blues. Prohibition, that’s the name, Prohibition drives me insane. I’m so thirsty, soon I’ll die, I’m simply goin’ to ‘vaporate, I’m just that dry. I wouldn’t mind to live forever in a trench, just if my daily thirst they only let me quench
  • [refrain 2]
Musical GenreNovelty song
RepositoryUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
RightsNo Copyright - United States
Cover DescriptionInebriated owl, hat askew, perched on a crescent moon, opening left, small black cat on upper tip. Black, blue and yellow, combining to make a dark green background; unsigned.
Back Cover Description
  • At the End of My Trail of Dreams (© 1919 03 18)
  • When Ireland Comes into her Own (© 1919 01 04)
  • Minnie, Shimmie for Me (© 1919 01 02)
  • Don’t Forget the Salvation Army (My Doughnut Girl) (© 1919 02 17)
  • Covers and vocal incipits for four titles:
Interior Description
  • Gutter: This composition may also be bought for your talking machine or player piano
  • Plate number: p. 3, BL: The Alcoholic Blues 2
  • Cover, BR: 5
Performance MediumVoice and piano  
Original Location
  • Record Series 12/9/96
  • Series 2, Box 12, Folder 4
Local Identifier2014_12996_017
Collection TitleJames Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
CollectionJames Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection

Download Options

  Zip of Original Files…   Zip of JPEGs PDF
The Alcoholic Blues - Cover
Original File (TIFF) Custom Image…
The Alcoholic Blues - Page 2
Original File (TIFF) Custom Image…
The Alcoholic Blues - Page 3
Original File (TIFF) Custom Image…
The Alcoholic Blues - Back Cover
Original File (TIFF) Custom Image…
The Alcoholic Blues - Lyrics
Original File (PDF)
Email Curator About This Item
for questions and to provide feedback.