A popular song from 1906.
Words and music by Neil O’Brien.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. I joined a secret society
Dar’s no use to mention any names
Dey said I’d make a good candidate
And den dey all started wid de game
Dey brought out a big, thick feather bed
Dey tied it around my eyes
I heard a voice say let her go
Be careful, don’t lose dis precious prize
Den all at once my feet left de floor
Dey pulled me way up high and down I fell
When I got real mad dey pulled me up again
All laughed and den began to yell
CHORUS
Oh my dats Brotherly love
Great lights are shining way up above
We try to show and want you to know
Just what we think of you ‘fore you go
Oh my dats Brotherly love
When you are down we give you a shove
You may have a doubt but stand up and shout
Oh my dat’s Brotherly love
2. I never felt so dizzy before
I seemed to be wrong up in my head
I thought I saw all kinds of reptiles
And hundreds of Demons painted red
Den someone yelled out, “Bring on de goat
He must get the golden rule”
I felt something hit me forty times
I’m sure dat de goat was Maud de mule
Dey placed me at a table all sit
Wid Possum, Spring chicken, Quail and wine
When dey strapped my jaws
And tied my hands and feet
I heerd everybody’s voice but mine
CHORUS
Oh my dats Brotherly love
Great lights are shining way up above
We try to show and want you to know
Just what we think of you ‘fore you go
Oh my dats Brotherly love
When you are down we give you a shove
We may break your arm but mean you no harm
Oh my dat’s Brotherly love
3. Dey made me eat a whole bar of soap
And swallow a busy Bumble Bee
Dey held raw onions ober my eyes
And tobasco sauce I drank like tea
Day filled both my shoes with bacon grease
My pockets were filled wid tar
Dey put some fly paper on my head
Den jammed it into a pickle jar
Dey made me turn my face to de wall
My most pressed against a carpet tack
Dey told me to sing, as loud as I could yell
While day poured molasses down my back
CHORUS
Oh my dats Brotherly love
Great lights are shining way up above
We try to show and want you to know
Just what we think of you ‘fore you go
Oh my dats Brotherly love
When you are down we give you a shove
If you disappear, you must have no fear
Oh my dat’s Brotherly love