University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois I-Mark

When a Boy Says Good Bye to His Mother and She Gives Him to Uncle Sam

Title
When A Boy Says Good Bye To His Mother - Lyrics
Composer
Frost, Jack  
Lyricist
Frost, Jack  
Publisher
Frank K. Root & Co.   
Place of Publication
Chicago (Ill.)  
Lyrics
  • he is some Yankee mother’s lad. Just think of how she watched and loved him, since he was just knee high, Then think how her heart must sigh. Refrain: When a boy says goodbye to his mother and the sound of the bugle is heard. He knows that tear in her eye means, “Come back by and by,” tho’ her fond lips breathe never a word. All the angels are praying above her, that he’ll come back to Yankee land, When a boy says goodbye to his mother, and she gives him to Uncle Sam. Verse: No one knows just how her soul is aching when she whispers, “come back again.” And no one knows her heart is nearly breaking, still he knows she will not complain. For she’s a Yankee mother true and when it’s time to start, She’s ready to do all her part. Refrain
  • When a Boy Says Good Bye to His Mother and She Gives Him to Uncle Sam Verse: Ev’ry time I see a suit of Khaki, I am proud tho’ my heart is sad. I think each time I see a Yankee Jackie
Repository
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Original Location
  • Series 2, Box 22, Folder 3
  • Record Series 12/9/96
Local Identifier
2014_12996_775
Collection Title
James Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
Collection
James Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection

Permalink

https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/efd57300-c556-0134-2373-0050569601ca-8

Descriptive Information

Title
When a Boy Says Good Bye to His Mother and She Gives Him to Uncle Sam
Composer
Frost, Jack [Harold G.]  
Lyricist
Frost, Jack [Harold G.]  
Publisher
Frank K. Root & Co. [McKinley Music Co., Owners]  
Place of Publication
Chicago (Ill.)  
Year of Publication
1917  
Date of Copyright
1917-09-04
Physical Description
1 score ([1], 2–3, [1] p.). Folio.
Comment
Derivative in many ways, this song never achieved significant popularity despite being included in the Feist anthology and promoted in McKinley advertisements from December 1917 to October 1918.
Historical Note
There was only one printing and no recordings. The text was included in Feist’s “Songs the Soldiers and Sailors Sing” (© 1918 01 26). The cover photograph had been used previously on the cover of “I’ll Return, Mother Darling, to You” (© 1915 04 08).
Musical Note
  • a ballad is suggested by the lyric, the tempo and rubato at the climax.
  • This mother song is a rather undistinguished march ballad (marked “marcia (not fast)”), with the usual march characterstics—walking bass, rat-a-tat-tat figures, bugle calls, and syncopation
Subject - Topic
  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music  
  • Popular music -- 1911-1920  
  • Separation (Psychology) -- Songs and music  
  • Soldiers -- Songs and music  
  • Mothers of soldiers -- Songs and music  
  • Recruiting and enlistment -- Songs and music  
Lyrics
  • When a Boy Says Good Bye to His Mother and She Gives Him to Uncle Sam [Verse] Ev’ry time I see a suit of khaki, I am proud tho’ my heart is sad
  • I think each time I see a Yankee Jackie, He is some Yankee mother’s lad. Just think of how she watched and loved him, since he was knee high, Then think how her old heart must sigh. [Refrain] When a boy says goodbye to his mother, And the sound of the bugle is heard. He knows that tear in her eye means, “Come back by and by,” Tho’ her fond lips breathe never a word. All the angels are praying above her That he’ll come back to Yankee land
  • When a boy says goodbye to his mother, And she gives him to Uncle Sam. [Verse] No one knows just how her soul is aching When she whispers, “Come back again
  • ” And no one knows her heart is nearly breaking, Still he knows she will not complain For she’s a Yankee mother true and when it’s time to start, She’s ready to do all her part. [Refrain]
Musical Genre
  • March ballad
  • Mother song
Repository
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Cover Description
  • Photograph (staged)
  • standing soldier, in uniform, embracing tearful mother, holding handkerchief
  • in red white and blue border
  • below is the US eagle, wings outstretched, with a soldier and a sailor, with rifles and standing at attention, to left and right
  • behind an abstract rendering of the sea.
Back Cover Description
Advertisement for “Late Popular Successes”. Four rows of samples: Top row: samples and covers for If You’ve Never Been in Dreamland You’ve Never Been in Love (© 1917, advertised 1917 06 14) Down the Sunset Trail to Avalon (© 1917, advertised 1917 02 07) Second row: samples for The Hour of Memory (© 1916 07 12) Sweet Cookie Mine (© 1917 04 19) Paradise Blues (© 1916 10 14) Third row: samples for I Ain’t Got Nobody (© 1914 04 08) Let’s Go Back to Dreamy Lotus Land (© 1917, advertised 1917 07 20) I Love That Loveable Melody (© 1917, piano roll announced 1917 02 24) Fourth row: samples and covers for Moonlight Blues (© 1916, advertised 1916 12 08) My Fox-trot Girl (© 1917, piano roll announced 1917 04 28)
Performance Medium
voice and piano  
Original Location
  • Record Series 12/9/96
  • Series 2, Box 22, Folder 3
Local Identifier
2014_12996_775
Collection Title
James Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
Collection
James Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection
TitleWhen a Boy Says Good Bye to His Mother and She Gives Him to Uncle Sam
ComposerFrost, Jack [Harold G.]  
LyricistFrost, Jack [Harold G.]  
PublisherFrank K. Root & Co. [McKinley Music Co., Owners]  
Place of PublicationChicago (Ill.)  
Year of Publication1917  
Date of Copyright1917-09-04
Physical Description1 score ([1], 2–3, [1] p.). Folio.
CommentDerivative in many ways, this song never achieved significant popularity despite being included in the Feist anthology and promoted in McKinley advertisements from December 1917 to October 1918.
Historical NoteThere was only one printing and no recordings. The text was included in Feist’s “Songs the Soldiers and Sailors Sing” (© 1918 01 26). The cover photograph had been used previously on the cover of “I’ll Return, Mother Darling, to You” (© 1915 04 08).
Musical Note
  • a ballad is suggested by the lyric, the tempo and rubato at the climax.
  • This mother song is a rather undistinguished march ballad (marked “marcia (not fast)”), with the usual march characterstics—walking bass, rat-a-tat-tat figures, bugle calls, and syncopation
Subject - Topic
  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music  
  • Popular music -- 1911-1920  
  • Separation (Psychology) -- Songs and music  
  • Soldiers -- Songs and music  
  • Mothers of soldiers -- Songs and music  
  • Recruiting and enlistment -- Songs and music  
Lyrics
  • When a Boy Says Good Bye to His Mother and She Gives Him to Uncle Sam [Verse] Ev’ry time I see a suit of khaki, I am proud tho’ my heart is sad
  • I think each time I see a Yankee Jackie, He is some Yankee mother’s lad. Just think of how she watched and loved him, since he was knee high, Then think how her old heart must sigh. [Refrain] When a boy says goodbye to his mother, And the sound of the bugle is heard. He knows that tear in her eye means, “Come back by and by,” Tho’ her fond lips breathe never a word. All the angels are praying above her That he’ll come back to Yankee land
  • When a boy says goodbye to his mother, And she gives him to Uncle Sam. [Verse] No one knows just how her soul is aching When she whispers, “Come back again
  • ” And no one knows her heart is nearly breaking, Still he knows she will not complain For she’s a Yankee mother true and when it’s time to start, She’s ready to do all her part. [Refrain]
Musical Genre
  • March ballad
  • Mother song
RepositoryUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Cover Description
  • Photograph (staged)
  • standing soldier, in uniform, embracing tearful mother, holding handkerchief
  • in red white and blue border
  • below is the US eagle, wings outstretched, with a soldier and a sailor, with rifles and standing at attention, to left and right
  • behind an abstract rendering of the sea.
Back Cover DescriptionAdvertisement for “Late Popular Successes”. Four rows of samples: Top row: samples and covers for If You’ve Never Been in Dreamland You’ve Never Been in Love (© 1917, advertised 1917 06 14) Down the Sunset Trail to Avalon (© 1917, advertised 1917 02 07) Second row: samples for The Hour of Memory (© 1916 07 12) Sweet Cookie Mine (© 1917 04 19) Paradise Blues (© 1916 10 14) Third row: samples for I Ain’t Got Nobody (© 1914 04 08) Let’s Go Back to Dreamy Lotus Land (© 1917, advertised 1917 07 20) I Love That Loveable Melody (© 1917, piano roll announced 1917 02 24) Fourth row: samples and covers for Moonlight Blues (© 1916, advertised 1916 12 08) My Fox-trot Girl (© 1917, piano roll announced 1917 04 28)
Performance Mediumvoice and piano  
Original Location
  • Record Series 12/9/96
  • Series 2, Box 22, Folder 3
Local Identifier2014_12996_775
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
When A Boy Says Good Bye To His Mother - Cover
Original File (TIFF) Custom Image…
When A Boy Says Good Bye To His Mother - Page 2
Original File (TIFF) Custom Image…
When A Boy Says Good Bye To His Mother - Page 3
Original File (TIFF) Custom Image…
When A Boy Says Good Bye To His Mother - Back Cover
Original File (TIFF) Custom Image…
When A Boy Says Good Bye To His Mother - Lyrics
Original File (PDF)
Email Curator About This Item