(She didn’t say where – when – or why); a 1923 popular song
words by Roy Turk
music by Lou Handman
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Player piano roll accompaniment:
Lyrics
1. I’ve got a lovesick tale to tell to you
‘Tho’ it’s no affair of mine
It’s ’bout a gal named Sue and boy named Lou
They were fighting all the time
Lou came home one afternoon
Found an empty dining room
Without a word his turle dove had flown
So he began to moan
Chorus
“My sweetie went away, but she didn’t say where
She didn’t say when, she didn’t say why
Or bid me “goodbye”, and I’m as blue as can be
I know she loves another one, but she didn’t say who
She didn’t say which, she didn’t say what
Her papa had got, that took my sweetie from me
I’m like a little lost sheep and I can’t sleep
But I keep tryin’ to forget
My triflin’ mamma left her papa all alone
I groan, my sweetie went away but she didn’t say where
She didn’t say when, she didn’t say why
I know that I’ll die, why don’t she hurry back home?”
2. You oughta see this lovesick fellow, Lou
Doesn’t do a thing but sigh
And while he’s wond’ring what became of Sue
He’s a sight for any eye
Bought some poison, bought a gun
Say, “goodbye” to everyone
And while he’s doping out some way to die
He can’t forget to cry
Sung here by Fred Feild: