Soldier Boy (1915 song)

"Soldier Boy"
sheet music cover for "Soldier Boy" "Soldier Boy" cover
Song
Released	January 1, 1915
Label	Leo Feist, Inc.
Composer	Theodore Morse
Lyricist	D.A. Esrom

Soldier Boy is a World War I era song released in 1915. D.A. Esrom wrote the lyrics. Theodore Morse composed the music.^[1] Leo Feist, Inc. of New York, New York published the song. Artist Harry Lewis designed the cover art for the sheet music. On the cover, there are three cartoon soldiers. One has his head turned to kiss a woman behind him.^[2] The song was written for both voice and piano.^[3] It is told from the point of view of a woman who is proud of her soldier boy. She addresses the soldier directly in the chorus: ^[1]

Soldier boy,

One kiss before you go, soldier boy

I'll miss you, that you know,

Ev'ry night I'll pray for you far away,

And trust to Him above

To send you back some day

In my heart

A love will always yearn,

And I'll wait for your return.

So go and fight for the cause you know is right,

God bless you, my soldier boy.

The sheet music can be found at Pritzker Military Museum & Library^[4]

References

1. Vogel, Frederick G. (1995). World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 236, 363. ISBN 0-89950-952-5.
2. Parker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music 2. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 593. ISBN 978-0-7864-2798-7.
3. "Soldier boy". Brown University Library: Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
4. "Soldier boy". OCLC WorldCat. OCLC WorldCat. Retrieved 12 January 2016.

External links

• Soldier Boy (music) at National Library of Australia
• Soldier Boy at National Library of Australia: Trove