A popular song from 1925
words by Billy Rose
music by Walter Donaldson
arranged by J. E. Andino
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- I met a moth
I’ll never forget the night
That I met this poor little moth
The face of a saint was under the paint
I knew she was from the south
The moment she open’d up her mouth
I whispered, “Take my advice
It isn’t too late, it isn’t too late
Don’t pay the price
You’ve gotta go straight
You’ve gotta go straight”
We both went along Broadway
She had to cry when she heard me say
You’d better
Chorus
Fly home Swanee Butterfly
Why roam Swanee Butterfly
Pretty things like your wings
Will be crushed up against diamond rings
And never play with fire if you’re wise
Leave that to the fireflies
When you fly to the east
You’re gonna go wrong
You’re gonna go wrong
Fly to the West
You’ve gotta go wrong
You’ve gotta go wrong
But fly down south and bye and bye
You’ll be a happy Swanee Butterfly
- Smile and forget
Your little heartaches
Your little mistakes
Smile and forget
Your butterfly years
And butterfly tears ’bout face
Make a brand new start
What good is lace on a broken heart
Those “I don’t care” kind of girls
They never get by, they never get by
Tho they wear pearls
They’re paying too high
They’re paying too high
Your arms weren’t meant to roam
So save your charms for the one back home
You’d better
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: