Lyr/Chords Req: Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight

Subject: Wandering Boy lyrics
From:
Date: 14 Aug 98 - 10:12 AM

I'm looking for the words to a tune from a 20's vintage Frank Jenkins recording called "Wandering Boy." The original has no lyrics.

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Messages from multiple threads combined.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: ADD: Bring Back My Wandering Boy
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 17 Aug 98 - 11:08 AM

could it be this song ?

Wolfgang

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Bring back my wandering boy

Out in the cold world and far away home
Some mother's boy is wandering all alone
With no one to guide him or keep his footsteps right
Some mother's boy is homeless tonight

Bring back to me my wandering boy
For there is no other who's so apt give me joy
Tell him that his mother with faded cheeks and hair
Is at the old home place awaiting him there

Out in the hallway, there stand a vacant chair
And an old pair of shoes he used to wear
Empty is the cardle he used to love so well
Oh, how I miss him no tongue can tell

* Refrain

Well I remember those parting words he said
We'll meet up yonder where tears are never shed
In that land of sunshine away from toil and care
When life is over, I'll meet you up there

* Refrain

Subject: RE: Wandering Boy lyrics
From: mr.x
Date: 18 Aug 98 - 09:47 AM

check out the music find in oldtimer.com

Subject: RE: Wandering Boy lyrics
From: Dan form Boston
Date: 18 Aug 98 - 02:02 PM

The Carter family CD "Anchored in Love" on Rounder has a song titled "the wandering boy". It has AP Carter's name.

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Messages below are from a new thread.

Subject: Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight. Lyric
From: GUEST,John in Texas
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 05:01 PM

Looking for the lyrics of this old song my mother sang to me . Last line is: My heart oer'flows For I love him he knows Oh where is my boy tonight

Subject: Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight
From: mousethief
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 05:09 PM

Clicky

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight. Lyric
From: MMario
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 05:10 PM

MouseThief you are indeeed a Prince of MouseThieves!

Subject: RE: Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight. Lyric
From: mousethief
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 05:12 PM

Shucks, MMario, what a sweet thing to say.

My average is coming down. I've found 3 songs for people today and my times were 10, 9, and 8 minutes, in that (chronological) order.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LICENCED SALOON^^
From: AndyG
Date: 05 Oct 00 - 06:29 AM

Or even;

The Licenced Saloon

Where is my wandering boy tonight,
Down in the licenced saloon.
Down in a room all cosy and bright,
Filled with the glare of many a light,
Beautiful music the ear to delight,
Down in the licenced saloon.
CH
There is my wandering boy tonight,
There is my wandering boy tonight,
Down, down, down, down,
Down in the licenced saloon.

Where is my wandering boy tonight,
Down in the licenced saloon.
Learning new vices all the night long,
Tempted to all that's sinful and wrong,
Listening to the harlot's foul song,
Down in the licenced saloon.
CH

Where is my wandering boy tonight,
Down in the licenced saloon.
Little arms once were thrown round my neck,
Look at him now my poor heart will break,
Pity that boy tonight a sad wreck,
Down in the licenced saloon.
CH

Where is my wandering boy tonight,
Down in the licenced saloon.
Brother I guess you'd enter that fight,
If it were your boy down there tonight,
Ruined and wrecked by the drink appetite,
Down in the licenced saloon.
CH

^^

AndyG

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Messages below are from a new thread.

Subject: Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight
From:
Date: 17 Jun 02 - 11:41 PM

I am trying to find a song popular during the Boar War. I was told the name is "(Oh) Where is my Wandering Boy Tonight"? It is supposed to be a mother wondering how her son is Doing in the Trenches during the war.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 17 Jun 02 - 11:46 PM

G'day augie,

The Australian group Us Not Them (Chloe & Jason Roweth) had this on a recent CD. I probably have the words in their CD liner ... but not the chords! I'll see them up in Sydney next week ... I could politely ask Jason for their chords ... maybe he will get a chance to get back to me!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jun 02 - 12:34 AM

* * * PLAY 4 VERSIONS HERE * * *

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jun 02 - 01:04 AM

Another recording here (click)

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Could this be a sequel? - The Wandering Boy's Return
Anybody want to transcribe it?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: ADD: The Wandering Boy's Return^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jun 02 - 01:59 AM

THE WANDERING BOY'S RETURN
(Words & Music by J.P. Skelly, 1902)

1. Back again to dear old mother, Comes the wand'ring boy in tears
Like her love he found no other, Though he's roamed the world for years
Oft afar in wild excesses, For this hour his heart did yearn
There are smiles and glad caresses At the wand'ring boy's return.

CHORUS
Joy dwells in the mother's heart, And sunshine in her eyes
Her darling boy is home again - away her sorrow flies
Through life he will cling to her, for aught she'll never yearn
Her dear old heart grows young again, With the wand'ring boy's return.


2. From the home he was so lonely, Flies away the shadow drear
In her heart was one care only, Now tis gone, her boy is here
Oh! the weary days of waiting When no tidings she could learn
Now sweet joy her heart's elating, With the wand'ring boy's return.

CHORUS

3. Home again to soothe and cheer her, Home again her lot to share
Evermore to linger near her, And to smoothe her silvery hair
Peace and joy her life surrounding, virtue's lesson he will learn
There are songs of angels sounding For the wand'ring boy's return.

CHORUS

Source: Levy Sheet Music Collection, Johns Hopkins University
Published in a supplement to the St. Louis Star, February 16, 1902 - section titled "Star's Series of Old Favorites." so the song may be earlier.

Subject: ADD: Wandering Boy (Doc Watson)^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jun 02 - 02:43 AM

I found lots of recordings titled "Wandering Boy," but I found no printed copies of the song. Here's a different version of the song Wolfgang posted above.
-Joe Offer-

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WANDERING BOY

Out in the cold world and far away from home
Somebody's boy is wandering alone
No one to guide him or keep his footsteps right
Somebody's boy is homeless tonight

Bring back my boy, my wandering boy
Far, far away, wherever he may be
Tell him his mother with faded cheeks and hair
In their old home is waiting him there

Out in the hallway, there stands a vacant chair
There are the shoes my darling used to wear
Empty is the cradle, the one he loved so well
Oh, how I miss him, no human tongue can tell

* Refrain

Well I remember the parting words he said
We'll meet again where no sad tears are shed
There will be no good-byes in that bright land so fair
When done with life, I'll meet you up there

* Refrain

Transcribed from Songs from the Southern Mountains, the Doc Watson Family, 1994 (Sugar Hill Records)
Identified as "traditional."^^

Subject: ADD: Where Is My Boy Tonight^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jun 02 - 03:14 AM

I found lyrics almost exactly the same as what Alex linked to above in the Country Church of Hollywood Hymn book (1936).
-Joe Offer-

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WHERE IS MY BOY TO-NIGHT
(Robert Lowry)

Where is my wand'ring boy tonight
The boy of my tend'rest care
The boy that was once my joy and light
The child of my love and prayer?

CHORUS
O Where is my boy tonight?
O Where is my boy tonight?
My heart o'erflows, for I love him, he knows
O where is my boy tonight

Once he was pure as morning dew
As he knelt at his mother's knee
No face was so bright, no heart more true
And none was so sweet as he

* Refrain

O could I see you now, my boy
As fair as in olden time
When prattle and smile made home a joy
And life was a merry chime

* Refrain

Go for my wand'ring boy tonight
Go search for him where you will
But bring him to me with all his blight
And tell him I love him still

* Refrain

Copyright Renewal 19o5, Mary Runyan Lowry
Robert Lowry also wrote the well-known hymn, "Shall We Gather at the River."

Transcribed from "The Country Church of Hollywood Hymn Book"
(Hollywood, California, 1936)

Alternate title: WHERE IS MY WANDERING BOY TONIGHT
WHERE IS MY BOY TONIGHT

@mother @nostalgia
?
Recording by the Haydn Quartet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcGpCQSWzmg

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jun 02 - 05:05 AM

Hmmm. The traditional Ballad Index has some interesting entries.
-Joe Offer-

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Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight?

DESCRIPTION: Singer (presumably the mother, although it's not stated) weeps for her wandering boy, saying he was once "my joy and light". She begs the listener to find her boy and "tell him I love him still"
AUTHOR: Robert Lowry
EARLIEST DATE:
KEYWORDS: grief loneliness rambling separation mother children
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Silber-FSWB, p. 270, "Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight?" (1 text)
SAME TUNE:
Where Is My Wandering Boy (IWW) (Greenway-AFP, p. 176)
Notes: This should not be confused with "The Wandering Boy," a different song from the looks of it. - PJS
They are indeed different, though the concept is similar. - RBW
File: FSWB270

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Wandering Boy, The

DESCRIPTION: "Out in this cold world and far away from home, Somebody's boy is wandering alone...." The mother begs, "Bring me back my wandering boy, He's all that's left to give me joy." She tells how his place still waits for him
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1938
KEYWORDS: rambling mother children separation
FOUND IN: US(So)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Randolph 845, "The Wandering Boy" (1 text)
Notes: This should not be confused with "Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight," which is a different song. - PJS
File: R845

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Down in a Licensed Saloon

DESCRIPTION: "Where is my wandering boy tonight? Down in a licensed saloon. Down in a room all cozy and bright, Filled with the glare of many a light, Ruined and wrecked by the drink appetite..." The mother recalls the boy's youthful charms and regrets his downfall
AUTHOR: W.A. Williams
EARLIEST DATE: 1892
KEYWORDS: drink mother children
FOUND IN: US(So)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Randolph 335, "Down in a Licensed Saloon" (1 text)
Notes: Published under the caption "An answer to, 'Where is My Wandering Boy To-night?'" - RBW
File: R335

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2002 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE WANDERING BOY (from V. Randolph)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 21 Jun 02 - 11:31 PM

THE WANDERING BOY
(Sung by Miss Pauline McCullough, Blue Eye, Mo., June 6, 1938)

Out in this cold world and far away from home,
Somebody's boy is wandering alone,
No one to guide him and keep his footsteps right,
Somebody's boy is homeless tonight.

  Bring back to me my wandering boy,
  He's all that's left to give me joy,
  Tell him his mother, with faded cheeks and hair
  Is at the old home, a-waiting for him there.

Oh I'd love to see him, clasp him to my breast,
Gladly I'd close my eyes and be at rest,
There is no other that's left to give me joy,
Bring back to me my wandering boy.

Out in the hallway there stands a vacant chair,
There are the shoes that once he used to wear,
Empty is the cradle that once he loved so well,
Oh how I miss him, there's no one can tell.

How well I remember those parting words he said,
We'll meet up there where no farewell tears are shed,
There'll be no goodbyes in that bright land so fair,
When we're through with life I'll meet you up there.

Oh I'd love to see him and call him my dear,
As in other times once, when he was here,
Although he has wandered in darkness and in sin,
Bring him to me, I'll welcome him in.

SOURCE: Vance Randoplph, Ozark Folksongs, vol. IV, No. 845 [pp. 370-371] (text only, no notes)

~Masato

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Subject: Lyr Add: DOWN IN A LICENSED SALOON^^
From: masato sakurai
Date: 21 Jun 02 - 11:32 PM

DOWN IN A LICENSED SALOON
"The words and music of this song by W.A. Williams, who copyrighted it in 1892, appeared in Prohibition Songs, edited by Charles M. and J.H. Fillmore (Cincinnati, 1903, No. 15), under the caption 'An answer to, "Where is My Wandering Boy To-night?"' The words of the second verse differ from the text given here."--Randolph.
(From Mrs. Lillian Short, Cabool, Mo., Dec. 30, 1940)

Where is my wandering boy tonight,
Down in a licensed saloon.
Down in a room all cozy and bright,
Filled with the glare of many a light.
Ruined and wrecked by the drink appetite,
Down in the licensed saloon.

  Down, down, down, down in a licensed saloon.

Once he was pure as morning dew,
As he knelt at his mother's knee,
No face was more fair,
No heart more true,
And none were as sweet as he.

Little arms were once thrown around my neck,
Look at him now! My poor heart will break.
Think of my boy tonight.
A sad wreck!
Down in a licensed saloon.

Brother, I guess you'd enter the fight
If it were your own
Down there tonight.
Ruined and wrecked by the drink appetite
Down in a licensed saloon.

SOURCE: Vance Randolph, Ozark Folksongs, vol. II (No. 35 [pp. 431-432]; text only)

~Masato^^