From the musical “Bombo”, 1923.
Words by Al Jolson, Clarke & Leslie.
Music by James V. Monaco.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Wonderful pals are always hard to find
Some folks have one, some folks have none
I was alone for years, but fate was kind
And in the end, sent me a friend
Altho’ he’s not much higher than my knee
Still he’s the greatest thing on earth to me
Refrain
Dirty hands, dirty face
Leads the neighbors a chase
But his smile is as cute as can be
Making noise, breaking toys
Always fights with the boys
But his eyes are a vision to see
And when my work is done
Coming home to the setting sun
From the gate he starts to run
Then I kiss my boy
Dirty hands, dirty face
Little Devil they say
But to me he’s an angel of joy
- When stars are peeping I tuck him to sleep
With lullabyes, to close his eyes
He prays the Lord his little soul to keep
And Daddy’s, too, that thrills me through
And tho’ he hardly knows his A. B. C.
When he says Dad, Oh! what that means to me
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: