A popular song from 1909
Words by Junie McCree
Music by Albert Von Tilzer
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Gerd Westendorp:
Lyrics
- A Bowery lad was feeling sad
Because he had never gone to school
His talk was queer for one to hear
He used a lingo as a rule
He loved a gal, she was his pal
He tried to ask her if she’d wed
But he did not know any love words so
In pigeon English then he said
Chorus
Ood-kay oo-yay earn-lay oo-tay ove-lay ee-may
Ood-kay oo-yay I-may ear-day ove-day ee-bay
Ill-way oo-yay ee-bay I-may ife-way
Ake-may ee-may add-glay or-fay ife-lay
Ett-lay ee-may I-bay ee-thay ing-ray
Or-fay ee-thay edding-way
Ett-lay ee-may iss-kay oo-yay ear-day iss-may
Ee-bay I-may arling-day
- When they were wed the parson said
Now will you love, honor and obey
The boy did blurt, why parson “cert”
I’m on the job for what you say
Through many years of smiles and tears
He learned to read and write with ease
But no words that he ever learned could be
As sweet to his dear wife as these
Sung here by Vancha March: