A World War II song from 1945
Words and music by Irving Berlin
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
I received a V-Mail yesterday
This is what the G.I.s have to say
“Stay here ’till it’s over, that’s our aim
That’s what we will do but just the same”
Chorus
Oh, to be home again
Cross the foam again
And be home again
Just one morning pounding my head
Just one breakfast served in my bed
Oh, to emerge again
In blue serge again for a splurge again
To spend a week off your feet
With a napkin and a sheet
Oh, how I long to be home
Chorus
Oh, for a tub again
Just to scrub again in a tub again
Just one shave with water that’s hot
Just one drink of water that’s not
Oh, for a place again to erase again
Last night’s face again
A looking glass and a shelf
In a bathroom by myself
Oh, how I long to be home
Chorus
Oh, just to eat again
From a seat again
Off you feet again
Just one meal back home in the States
Served on two or three different plates
Oh, to be seen again with a bean again
Fresh and green again
To have some meat with your chow
Not from cans, but from a cow
Oh, how I long to be home
Chorus
Oh, for the news again
To enthuse again
Over news again
ust to know what things are about
On the day the papers come out
Oh, to relax again
taking cracks again
At the tax again
To spend an hour all alone
With a private telephone
Oh, how I long to be home
Chorus
Oh, for a play again
Matinee again
Where you pay again
Just to see a girl show again
Where the girls aren’t played by the men
Oh, where one sees again
A strip tease again
Done by she-s again
To see a girl partly dressed
Without hair upon her chest
Oh, how I long to be home
Chorus
Oh, not to stand again
Lifting hand again
At command again
Just to see a guy with a bar
Thumb your nose and stay where you are
Oh, to be back again
In a shack again
Without flak again
To watch a plane as you stroll
Without diving in a hole
Oh, how I long to be home
Chorus
Oh, just to be again
With a she again
‘Neath a tree again
We adore the nurses and Wacs
Even in their trousers and slacks
But, to caress again
May and Bess again
In a dress again
There’s no romance when you dance
Cheek to cheek and pants to pants
Oh, how I long to be home
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: