From the musical “Billie”, 1928
Words and music by George M. Cohan
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
Shakespeare was right, names never quite
Turn black to white, change day to night
Merely identification
That’s what he said of the rose
But when they chose the name of Rose
‘Twas through an inspiration
But then you see in naming me
‘Twas through a real relation
Refrain
I love the name Billie
My dad’s was the same Billie
I love the way they laugh and say
“How silly to call a girl Billie”
Baffles them all, Billie
For at the call Billie
They think it so queer
That a girl should appear
That there’s seldom a semblance of joy
That is the reason my name’s Billie
My parents expected a boy