A popular song from 1912
Words and music by Irving Berlin
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- My lovin’ baby, my lovin’ baby
You better dry your eyes and don’t be grievin’
You got to stop it, you better drop it
I told you once before, I’ve got to go to war
Now don’t you worry, I’ve got to hurry
Because the regiment will soon be leavin’
Don’t you feel blue
Because I’m goin’ off to war
Chorus:
I’ve got to go, I’ve got to go
A soldier man I’ve got to be
I’ve got to go, I’ve got to go
I hear the bugle calling me
Oh, my Hon’, hurry up, hurry up
Get my gun, hurry up, hurry up
Can’t you see that I’ve got to fight
For love and liberty
My honey dear, my honey dear
You better save your sympathy
If you should hear, if you should hear
I got too near the enemy
Kindly carry me back to old Virginia
And when you get me there
Say a prayer for your Ragtime soldier man
- The time is flying, I’m kind o’ sighing
‘Cause I must say goodbye to my home cooking
There’s no denying, I leave you crying
But don’t you worry, Hon’, as long as I can run
They’ll never find me, they’ll be behind me
But if they shoot me, dear, while I’m not looking
If so, you’ll know
That I was wounded comin’ home
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: