The Band Played On

A great waltz song inspired by a German street band, 1895.
words by John F. Palmer
music by Charles B. Ward

John Palmer was an actor in New York City. One morning he was listening to a German street band playing outside his window. When his sister called him to breakfast, he called back to her dramatically, “One moment! Let the band play on…” He wrote the song but couldn’t find a publisher for years. Charles B. Ward was that publisher. He was also a vaudevillian. He made some minor alterations to Palmer’s song and took credit as composer.

The sheet music:

The-Band-Played-On – Sheet MusicDownload

Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:

The_Band_Played_On – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. Matt Casey formed a social club
    That beat the town for style
    And hired for a meeting place a hall
    When payday came around each week
    They greased the floor with wax
    And danced with noise and vigor at the ball
    Each Saturday you’d see them
    Dressed up in Sunday clothes
    Each lad would have his sweetheart by his side
    When Casey led the first grand march
    They all would fall in line
    Behind the man who was their joy and pride, for…

Refrain
Casey would waltz with a strawberry blond
And the band played on
He’d glide cross the floor with the girl he adored
And the band played on
But his brain was so loaded it nearly exploded
The poor girl would shake with alarm
He’d ne’er leave the girl with the strawberry curls
And the band played on

  1. Such kissing in the corner
    And such whispering in the hall
    And telling tales of love behind the stairs
    As Casey was the favorite and he that ran the ball
    Of kissing and lovemaking did his share
    At twelve o’clock exactly they all would fall in line
    Then march down to the dining hall and eat
    But Casey would not join them
    Although everything was fine
    But he stayed upstairs and exercise his feet, for…
  2. Now when the dance was over
    And the band played Home Sweet Home
    They played a tune at Casey’s own request
    He thanked them very kindly
    For the favors they had shown
    Then he’d waltz once with the girl that he loved best
    Most all the friends are married
    That Casey used to know
    And Casey, too, has taken him a wife
    The blond he used to waltz and glide
    With on the ballroom floor
    Is happy missis Casey now for life, for…

Sung here by Fred Feild: