Vintage Audio - Don't Take My Darling Boy Away
Reproduced below is a song recorded by J. Phillips and Helen Clark in 1916 or early 1917, Don't Take My Darling Boy Away (music by Albert von Tilzer, lyrics by Will Dillon, written in 1915).
American in origin it predated U.S. entry into the war in April 1917 and comprised something of an early recorded war protest song. It was seldom heard once America formally entered the war.
Use the player above to listen to a recording of J. Phillips and Helen Clark's rendition of the marching song from 1916-17 (Contributed with thanks by Allan Rosson).
Don't Take My Darling Boy Away
A mother was kneeling to
pray
For loved ones at war far away
And there by her side, her one joy and pride,
knelt down with her that day
Then came a knock on the
door
Your boy is commanded to war
"No Captain please, here on my knees,
I plead for one I adore"
Don't take my darling boy
away from me,
Don't send him off to war
You took his father and brothers three,
Now you've come back for more
Who are the heroes that
fight your war
Mothers who have no say
But my duty's done so for god's sake leave one!
And don't take my darling boy away.
Tenting tonight, Tenting
tonight
Tenting on the old campground
You took his father and
brothers three,
Now you've come back for more
Tenting tonight, Tenting
tonight
Tenting on the old campground
But my duty's done so for
god's sake leave one!
And don't take my darling boy away.
A hero is now laid to rest,
A hero and one of the best
He fought with each son, The battles he'd won,
And the battles that proved a test
Though she never went to
the war,
She was a hero by far, they gave a gun
But who gave a son,
M. O. T. H. E. R.
Don't take my darling boy
away from me,
Don't send him off to war
You took his father and brothers three,
Now you've come back for more
Who are the heroes that
fight your war
Mothers who have no say
But my duty's done so for god's sake leave one!
And don't take my darling boy away.
Tenting tonight, Tenting
tonight
Tenting on the old campground
You took his father and
brothers three,
Now you've come back for more
Tenting tonight, Tenting
tonight
Tenting on the old campground
But my duty's done so for
god's sake leave one!
And don't take my darling boy away.
Duck-Boards comprised slatted wooden planking used for flooring trenches or muddy ground.
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