A popular song from 1901.
Words by Archie Morrow.
Music by Wilford Herbert.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. Little Willie Ribbons gets just six a week as pay
For tending to a soda water bar
Little Willie Ribbons took his sweetheart out one day
A-riding on a summer trolley car
They took a seat away up front and Willie told the girl
The lovely time she’d have when they were wed
He said he’d buy her everything and she need work no more
The conductor heard the story and he said
Chorus:
The three last seats for smokers
You can smoke on the three last seats
So if you want to keep that dream pipe lit
Go back on the three last seats and sit
For the three last seats are always kept for smokers
2. Two men got upon the car, one wore a soldier’s clothes
He said he had just returned from the war
Many wondrous tales he told of how he’d fought and bled
‘Til everyone was listening on that car
He told how he and Funston once had whipped a thousand men
And how he’d filled the enemy with lead
He said twas he that captured Aguinaldo and his band
The conductor then came in the car and said
3. Pat McGinn and Mike Malone were riding on the car
Says Pat to Mike, “You see that building there
I bought it for five thousand and next day sold it for ten
If I keep on I’ll be a millionaire”
Says Mike to Pat, “That’s nothing
Do you see that brownstone row
The one that’s got the woodwork painted red
I bought them for ten thousand and I sold for ninety-eight”
The conductor heard them talking so he said