From the 1898 musical “The Belle of New York”.
Words by Hugh Morton.
Music by Gustave Kerker.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. There’s a great little girl
In a queer little gown
Who’s the pride of the Salvation Army
And when she appears in this part of the town
Why she makes the whole neighborhood balmy
She’s got a blue eye that’s as fair as the sky
That is smiling so tender above her
And the boys and the girls couldn’t tell you just why
But there isn’t a one that don’t love her
Refrain:
Oh, she is the Belle of New York
The subject of all the town talk
She makes the old Bowery Fragrant and flowery
When she goes out for a walk
She’s soft as a snowy white dove
She’s simply created to love
The fellows all sigh for her
They would all die for her
She is the Belle of New York
2. There isn’t a tough in a Bowery dive
Dat isn’t dead gone on the lassie
And any hot guy wouldn’t long be alive
If, to her, he would even get sassy
I give it you straight, she’s a regular bird
And as dainty as ever you saw fly
And since she’s been ’round
I’ll give you my word
That we don’t read a thing but the War Cry
Sung by Laurence Rubenstein: