A popular song from 1914.
Words by Gus Kahn.
Music by Grace Le Boy.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. I once knew a lovely lad
Fell in love and got it bad
Couldn’t eat and couldn’t sleep
But still he felt so glad because
He had a girl who let him call
Never lingered in the hall
Sat and talked and that was all
But oh! what times he had
Chorus:
He’d call around at eight o’clock
And she was there to meet him
So was mother, dad and brother
He longed to have his girl alone
And take her in his arms
But Pa would stick and talk
On everything from war to farms
Then presently she’d serve some tea
And ma would see that they sat far apart
Then in tones polite he’d say “Good night”
And for his train he ran
Now that’s a lovely evening
For a great, big, healthy man
2. His girl’s sister was so bright
By the hour she’d recite
“Gonga Din” she’d speak for him
At least four times each night (with gestures)
While her brother, heartless brute
Played a solo on the flute
Their pet dog would tear his suit
But Ma said “He won’t bite”
Chorus:
They’d eat a little chocolate fudge
And play a little euchre
So would mother, dad and brother
He longed to have his girl alone
And say “Please name the day”
But Pa would start the graph-o-phone
And play “On Moonlight Bay”
Some nights they’d go to see a show
And you might know that ma would go along
And she’d sit between him and his queen
To please him was her plan
Now that’s a lovely evening
For a great, big, healthy man