A popular song from 1910.
Words and music by Neil O’Brien.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. Whenever you are sad
And have some troubles on your mind
Smile, just simply smile
Throw out your chest, hold up your head
And leave your cares behind
Smile, just simply smile
When everything goes wrong
And nothing ever pleases you
Cheer up and don’t get too serious
Reports may not be true
And when the clouds seem dark and dim
There’s just one thing to do
Smile, just simply smile
CHORUS
Smile, just simply smile
Try to keep yourself a-laughing all the while
Every time you’re sick and blue
Think of others worse than you
Smile, just simply smile
2. Sometimes that friend of yours
Will say, “Old boy let me have five”
Smile, just simply smile
I’ll pay you back tomorrow
Just as sure as I’m alive
Smile, just simply smile
He gets the five and disappears
For twenty weeks or more
You meet him on the street some day
And make an awful roar
but when he tells you that
He never saw your face before
Smile, just simply smile
CHORUS
Smile, just simply smile
Try to keep yourself a-laughing all the while
How much worse it could have been
If he got you for a ten
Smile, just simply smile
3. When you come home for supper
And you have to wait till nine,
Smile, just simply smile.
And if you have to rock the twins
To sleep before you dine,
Smile, just simply smile.
You have to take one on your knee
To stop his awful cry
He stuffs potatoes in your ear
Molasses in your tie
And when he gets the knife and fork
And jab them in your eye,
Smile, just simply smile.
CHORUS
Smile, just simply smile
Try to keep yourself a laughing all the while
If your wife runs way from you
Just feel glad you haven’t two,
Smile, just simply smile.
4. When all your wife’s relations
Visit you from far and near,
Smile, just simply smile.
If they send for their baggage
And deside to stay a year,
Smile, just simply smile.
Her two big brothers wear your shoes
Her father wears your hat
they eat the best meat in the house
And leave you all the fat
So when they use your toothbrush
For to scrub their dog and cat
Smile, just simply smile.
CHORUS
Smile, just simply smile,
Try to keep yourself a laughing all the while
Never mind your wife’s Ma,
She some day may get lockjaw
Smile, just simply smile.
5. If when you’re out pleasure
And your auto car breaks down
Smile, just simply smile.
And if you walk through rain and mud
For seven miles to town,
Smile, just simply smile.
You dress up quick then leave your home
To call on Sallie dear,
And on a nice banana peel you slip
And bump your ear,
You may be mad of course,
But if a lady’s standing near,
Smile, just simply smile.
CHORUS
Smile, just simply smile,
Try to keep yourself a laughing all the while
If some fat man steps his heel
On that same banana peel.
Smile, just simply smile.
6. When hubby says, “Dear wife you are,
My only peachy pearl
Smile, just simply smile.
That photograph you found,
Is mother’s when she was a girl
Smile, just simply smile.
Sometimes he sits up with a friend
Who’s sick and nearly dead
He whispers that he’s all tired out
Then tumbles into bed,
But when you see him sleeping
With his hat upon his head,
Smile, just simply smile.
CHORUS
Smile, just simply smile,
Try to keep yourself a laughing all the while,
While he snores and acts so strange
That’s the time to get his change
Smile, just simply smile.