. . . Good Night Germany; a 1918 World War I song
words by Grant Clarke and Howard E. Rogers
music by Geo. W. Meyer
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. Little Mary’s beau, said “I’ve got to go,
I must fight for Uncle Sam”
Standing in the crowd
Mary called aloud “Fare thee well my lovin’ man”
All the girls said “Ain’t he nice and tall,”
Mary answered “yes, and that’s not all.”
Chorus
“If he can fight like he can love,
Oh, what a soldier boy he’ll be!
If he’s just half as good in a trench
As he was in the park on a bench.
Then ev’ry Hun, had better run
And find a great big linden tree,
I know he’ll be a Hero ”over there”
‘Cause he’s a bear in any Morris chair
And if he fights like he can love
Why, then it’s good night Germany!”
“If he can y!”
2. Ev’ry single day, all the papers say,
Mary’s beau is oh, so brave
With his little gun, chasing ev’ry Hun
He has taught them to behave\
Little Mary proudly shakes her head,
And says “Do you remember when I said?”
Chorus
“If he can fight like he can love,
Oh, what a soldier boy he’ll be!
If he’s just half as good in a trench
As he was in the park on a bench.
Then ev’ry Hun, had better run
And find a great big linden tree,
I never saw him in a real good scrap
But you’re goner when you’re in his lap
And if he fights like he can love
Why, then it’s good night Germany!”
“If he can y!”
Sung here by Fred Feild: