A hit song from 1903
Words and music by George M. Cohan
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- My Dad would never preach to me
In fact, he’d never teach to me
The different thinks that I should do
When I’d be here and there
In fact, he said, “Go on alone
You have ideas of your own
You’ll never lose, if you will use
The others fair and square”
That’s just as far as he’d advise
‘Till one day, to my surprise
I went to say that I was going
To other lands to live
And as I went to say good-bye
He saw a teardrop in my eye
Said he, “My lad, Ah! that’s too bad
I’ve some advice to give”
Chorus
“Always leave them laughing
When you say good-bye
Never linger long about
Or else you’ll wear your welcome out
When you meet a fellow
With a tear dimmed eye
You can leave him laughing if you try
When he tells his troubles
Interrupt him with a joke
Tell him one he’s never heard
And he’ll declare that its a bird
When he’s giggling good, you know
That’s the time to turn and go
Always leave them laughing
When you say good-bye”
- Said Dad when e’er you hear a joke
Just laugh as if you’re going to choke
And make the teller think that he
Has told you something new
Said he, “I never went to school
But still I have a golden rule
To always laugh at others
As you’d have them laugh at you
Don’t sympathize with anyone
But turn their troubles into fun
When everybody’s pouting
That’s the time to wear a smile
No matter if you’re rich or broke
Just treat the whole thing as a joke
Everybody likes the man
Who’s laughing all the while”
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: