A Friend of Mine Told a Friend of Mine

A popular song from 1906.
Words by Alfred Bryan.
Music by James Kendis and Herman Paley.

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The sheet music:

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Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:

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Lyrics

1. I’ll never tell a secret to a friend again
   If I out live Methusalum
   I found a thousand dollars on the street one day
   And tried my very best to keep it mum
   I told it to Eph Johnson on the strict Q. T.
   And Eph he told another friend
   That friend then told the owner and he called on me
   So I had to give the money back again

Chorus
Well a friend of mine told a friend of mine
In a confidential way
And that friend of his told a friend of his
And he told him not to say a word about it
Then that same friend’s friend told another friend
And the rumor spread about
And ev’ry one that told it told the other not to tell
That’s the way they let the secret out

2. I had a sure thin in the Brooklyn handicap
   A ten to one shot was to win
   I wanted all my friends to make some money too
   The way we’d beat the bookies was a sin
   My wife told her relations to bet all they had
   The tip was eighteen karat fine
   The horse ran last and ever since they’re looking for
   The friend who told it to a friend of mine

Chorus
Well a friend of mine told a friend of mine
In a confidential way
And that friend of his told a friend of his
And he told him not to say a word about it
Then that same friend’s friend told another friend
And the rumor spread about
The preacher told the sexton and the sexton tolled the bell
That’s the way they let the secret out

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Sung here by Fred Feild:

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