(When the Boys Come Marching Home)
A World War I song from 1918
Words by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young
Music by Harry Ruby
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Denese Coulbeck:
Lyrics
- Why are all the girlies feeling great?
Something’s in the air
They don’t even want to make a date
With a poor old millionaire
They’re fixing up the morris chair
And pulling down the blind
Soon there’ll be somebody there
And here’s what’s on their minds
Chorus
Oh! what a time, what a time for the girlies
When the boys come marching home
They’ll get the kissing that they’ve been missing
While they were over the foam
Mary and Jane will explain to her soldier
How she spent her nights alone
Think of all the loving they will get
Two long years they’ve been without a pet
Oh! what a time, what a time for the girlies
When the boys come marching home
- Have you noticed any girlie, who
Has a boy in France?
She was always feeling sad and blue
You could tell it at a glance
But now upon her face you’ll see
A look of joy and pride
It’s because she knows that he
Will soon be by her side
Chorus
Oh! what a time, what a time for the girlies
When the boys come marching home
They’ll get the kissing that they’ve been missing
While they were over the foam
Mary and Jane will explain to her soldier
How she spent her nights alone
Every “Cutie” waiting at the pier
Wants to do her duty over here
Oh! what a time, what a time for the girlies
When the boys come marching home
Chorus
Oh! what a time, what a time for the girlies
When the boys come marching home
They’ll get the kissing that they’ve been missing
While they were over the foam
Mary and Jane will explain to her soldier
How she spent her nights alone
When a soldier squeezes you too hard
Raise your hand and holler “Kamerad”
Oh! what a time, what a time for the girlies
When the boys come marching home