Olcott’s Fly Song

From the musical “Sweet Inniscarra”, 1897.
Words and music by Chauncey Olcott.


The sheet music:


Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:


Lyrics

  1. A letter now I’ll write to Kate
    The dear one of my heart
    The girl who’ll one day be my wife
    Until we’re doom’d to part
    For she’s the dearest girl
    In all old Ireland I know
    But how can I write Mister Fly
    If you will bother so
    Now little Fly if your dear heart
    Were lost in love like mine
    Why you would pity, not molest me
    With this buzz of thine

Chorus
Now go away for goodness sake
Why don’t you let me be
I’m writing to my sweetheart
Go away now don’t you see
How can I write if you’ll insist
To fly about me so
Now go away oh, Mister Fly
I’ll catch you now I know

  1. Now there I told you that I’d catch you
    You’d not list to me
    I wish it was my darling Kate
    I held upon my knee
    I’d hold her there so tight and fast
    And say before she’d go
    My prisoner you’ll have to be
    Until my fate I know
    But if she were to be your judge
    She’d quickly set you free
    So, for the love I have for her
    That will my verdict be