So Long, Mother

"So Long, Mother" is a World War I era song released in 1917. Raymond B. Egan and Gus Kahn wrote the lyrics. Egbert Van Alstyne composed the music.[1] The song was published by Jerome H. Remick & Co. of Detroit, Michigan. On the cover is a soldier and mother in an embrace. To the left is an inset photo of singer Al Jolson.[2] It was written for both voice and piano.[3]

"So Long, Mother"
Song
Released1917
Composer(s)Egbert Van Alstyne
Lyricist(s)Raymond B. Egan, Gus Kahn

The song is told from the soldier's point of view as he comforts his heavyhearted mother before he leaves for war. The chorus is as follows:[4]

So long my dear old lady
Don't you cry
Just kiss your grown-up baby goodbye
Somewhere in France I'll be dreaming of you
You and your dear eyes of blue
Come let me see you smile before we part
I'll throw a kiss to cheer your dear old heart
Dry the tear in your eye
Don't you sigh
Don't you cry
So long, mother
Kiss your boy goody-bye

The sheet music can be found at Pritzker Military Museum & Library.[5]

References
  1. Vogel, Frederick G. (1995). World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 236. ISBN 0-89950-952-5.
  2. Parker, Bernard (2007). World War I Sheet music. Vol. 2. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 590. ISBN 978-0-7864-2799-4.
  3. "So long, mother". Duke University libraries: Digital Collections. Duke University. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  4. "So long, mother". Library of Congress. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  5. So long, mother: Al Jolson's mother song. OCLC WorldCat. 1917. OCLC 19956744. Retrieved 25 February 2016.


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