A cute dating song from 1912.
words by William Jerome
music by Jimmie V. Monaco
From the book Hit Songs by Don Tyler: “Parents were [in 1912] generally very strict and there were only a few things that boys and girls could do together. They had to work at finding ways to be alone. One was a row in the park on a Sunday afternoon.”
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Young Johnnie Jones he had a cute little boat
And all the girlies he would take for a float
He had girlies on the shore
Sweet little peaches by the score
But Johnnie was a Weisenheimer, you know
His steady girl was Flo
And every Sunday afternoon
She’d jump in his boat and they would spoon
Chorus
And then he’d row, row, row
Way up the river he would row, row, row
A hug he’d giver her
Then he’d kiss her now and then
She would tell him when
He’d fool around and fool around
And then they’d kiss again
And then he’d row, row, row
A little further he would row, oh, oh, oh, oh
(1. Then he drop both his oars
Take a few more encores
And then he’d row, row, row)
(2. With her head on his breast
Then there’s twenty bars rest
And then he’d row, row, row)
- Right in his boat he had a cute little seat
And every kiss he stole from Flo was so sweet
And he knew just how to row
He was a rowing Romeo
He knew an island where the trees were so grand
He knew just where to land
Then tales of love he’d tell to Flo
Until it was time for them to go
Sung here by Fred Feild: