University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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When It Comes to a Lovingless Day

Title
When It Comes to a Lovingless Day - Lyrics
Composer
Frost, Jack  
Lyricist
Frost, Jack  
Publisher
Frank K. Root & Co.   
Place of Publication
Chicago (Ill.)  
Lyrics
When it comes to a Lovingless Day Verse: Years ago a man named Sherman said that war was well! I’d tell you, but I never talk that way. He’d find out that those words he spoke were far from being any joke If he could see our troubles today. Now each day that comes, I guess, is something or otherless Because of that war ‘cross the sea. But will I find I’m missin’ all my huggin’ and kissn’? Gee! That’s what is troublin’ me. Rerain: For Tuesdays are meatless and Wednesdays are wheatless, My home it is heatless, my bed it is sheetless. Now I don’t care if all the bars are treatless, Or if I must even sleep or eat less. I live in sorrow, in fear of tomorrow, I’m worried till my hair is gray. For what will I do if they spring something new, And it comes to a lovingless day? Verse: Sherman said a whole lot when he said that war was well! The place where Kaiser Wilhelm soon will go. ‘Twas said before the war began and Sherman was a married man, So you’ll admit that Sherman ought to know. Now i
Repository
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Original Location
  • Record Series 12/9/96
  • Series 2, Box 22, Folder 5
Local Identifier
2014_12996_858
Collection Title
James Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
Collection
James Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection

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https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/f1ed0f70-c556-0134-2373-0050569601ca-9

Descriptive Information

Title
When It Comes to a Lovingless Day
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
1918  
Date of Copyright
1918-01-23
Physical Description
1 score, voice and piano ([1], 2–3, [1] p.)
Comment
  • Eva Tanguay’s success with the song in March 1918 precipitated a surge of marketing and commentary, together with recordings and piano rolls, but this subsided fairly quickly
  • by September 1918 the title had largely faded from public view.
Historical Note
  • and Paramount 2057-B and Puritan 6041-B (Ada Jones, almost certainly from a single master made at N. Y. Recording Laboratories).
  • Emerson 7364-B (Eddie Nelson)
  • and Connorized Word Roll, May 1918 (player and roll number not found). At least three recordings were issued, all released in July 1918: Columbia A-2541 (Arthur Fields, recorded 1918 04 04)
  • her performances was ballyhooed on the second printing, which (from the back cover) must postdate April 10, 1918. At least two piano rolls were issued: Rythmodik, © 1918 03 20 (John I. Lederer, G101373)
  • This, the first printing, presumably predated March 4, 1918, when Eva Tanguay introduced this song
Musical Note
Billed as an instrumental one-step and a vocal “character song,” this comic novelty (marked “allegretto”) has some characteristics of a march song, with syncopation and chains of secondary dominants. A Billboard review on March 16, 1918 dwelt on the clever lyric, noting merely that the music “supplies a good basis for the lyric in march time.”
Subject - Topic
  • Tanguay, Eva, 1878-1947  
  • Rationing -- United States -- Songs and music  
  • Popular music -- 1911-1920  
  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music  
Lyrics
  • For what will I do if they spring something new, And it comes to a lovingless day? [Verse] Sherman said a whole lot when he said that war was--well! The place where Kaiser Wilhelm soon will go. ‘Twas said before the war began and Sherman was a married man, So you’ll admit that Sherman ought to know. Now if I must do without the things that I’m crazy ’bout, Then I will be ready for war, And I’ll fight for my lovin’ and my sweet turtle-dovin’ Till I get them both back once more. [Refrain]
  • When it comes to a Lovingless Day [Verse] Years ago a man named Sherman said that war was--well! I’d tell you, but I never talk that way. He’d find out that those words he spoke were far from being any joke If he could see our troubles today. Now each day that comes, I guess, is something or other-less Because of that war ‘cross the sea. But will I find I’m missin’ all my huggin’ and kissn’? Gee! That’s what is troublin’ me. [Refrain] For Tuesdays are meatless and Wednesdays are wheatless, My home it is heatless, my bed it is sheetless. Now I don’t care if all the bars are treatless, Or if I must even sleep or eat less. I live in sorrow, in fear of tomorrow, I’m worried till my hair is gray
Musical Genre
  • One-step
  • Comic song
  • Novelty song
  • March song
Repository
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Cover Description
  • unsigned.
  • above right Cupid, enclosed in a heart, is weeping. Blue, black, and red on white
  • Cartoon of soldier and sweetheart, kissing, while Uncle Sam, his back to them, with nightstick, looks through a telescope
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
  • Series 2, Box 22, Folder 5
  • Record Series 12/9/96
Local Identifier
2014_12996_858
Collection Title
James Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
Collection
James Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection
TitleWhen It Comes to a Lovingless Day
ComposerFrost, Jack [Harold G.]  
LyricistFrost, Jack [Harold G.]  
PublisherFrank K. Root & Co. [McKinley Music Co., Owners]  
Place of PublicationChicago (Ill.)  
Year of Publication1918  
Date of Copyright1918-01-23
Physical Description1 score, voice and piano ([1], 2–3, [1] p.)
Comment
  • Eva Tanguay’s success with the song in March 1918 precipitated a surge of marketing and commentary, together with recordings and piano rolls, but this subsided fairly quickly
  • by September 1918 the title had largely faded from public view.
Historical Note
  • and Paramount 2057-B and Puritan 6041-B (Ada Jones, almost certainly from a single master made at N. Y. Recording Laboratories).
  • Emerson 7364-B (Eddie Nelson)
  • and Connorized Word Roll, May 1918 (player and roll number not found). At least three recordings were issued, all released in July 1918: Columbia A-2541 (Arthur Fields, recorded 1918 04 04)
  • her performances was ballyhooed on the second printing, which (from the back cover) must postdate April 10, 1918. At least two piano rolls were issued: Rythmodik, © 1918 03 20 (John I. Lederer, G101373)
  • This, the first printing, presumably predated March 4, 1918, when Eva Tanguay introduced this song
Musical NoteBilled as an instrumental one-step and a vocal “character song,” this comic novelty (marked “allegretto”) has some characteristics of a march song, with syncopation and chains of secondary dominants. A Billboard review on March 16, 1918 dwelt on the clever lyric, noting merely that the music “supplies a good basis for the lyric in march time.”
Subject - Topic
  • Tanguay, Eva, 1878-1947  
  • Rationing -- United States -- Songs and music  
  • Popular music -- 1911-1920  
  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music  
Lyrics
  • For what will I do if they spring something new, And it comes to a lovingless day? [Verse] Sherman said a whole lot when he said that war was--well! The place where Kaiser Wilhelm soon will go. ‘Twas said before the war began and Sherman was a married man, So you’ll admit that Sherman ought to know. Now if I must do without the things that I’m crazy ’bout, Then I will be ready for war, And I’ll fight for my lovin’ and my sweet turtle-dovin’ Till I get them both back once more. [Refrain]
  • When it comes to a Lovingless Day [Verse] Years ago a man named Sherman said that war was--well! I’d tell you, but I never talk that way. He’d find out that those words he spoke were far from being any joke If he could see our troubles today. Now each day that comes, I guess, is something or other-less Because of that war ‘cross the sea. But will I find I’m missin’ all my huggin’ and kissn’? Gee! That’s what is troublin’ me. [Refrain] For Tuesdays are meatless and Wednesdays are wheatless, My home it is heatless, my bed it is sheetless. Now I don’t care if all the bars are treatless, Or if I must even sleep or eat less. I live in sorrow, in fear of tomorrow, I’m worried till my hair is gray
Musical Genre
  • One-step
  • Comic song
  • Novelty song
  • March song
RepositoryUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Cover Description
  • unsigned.
  • above right Cupid, enclosed in a heart, is weeping. Blue, black, and red on white
  • Cartoon of soldier and sweetheart, kissing, while Uncle Sam, his back to them, with nightstick, looks through a telescope
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
  • Series 2, Box 22, Folder 5
  • Record Series 12/9/96
Local Identifier2014_12996_858
Collection TitleJames Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
CollectionJames Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection

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