A comic song from 1869
Words and music by H. B. Farnie
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Denese Coulbeck:
Lyrics
- I am, as you know, a Madison belle
Who did captivate once a magnificent swell
He was envoy, embassador, or something rare
To king-what’s-his-name, of I-do-not-know-where
‘Twas at Saratoga, a year come next June
We walked and we talked by the light of the moon
There was squeezing of hands, followed up by a kiss
And as far’s I remember, I felt just like this, Ah
Chorus:
Up in a balloon, boys, up in a balloon
All among the little stars sailing round the moon
Up in a balloon, boys, up in a balloon
It’s something very jolly to be up in a balloon
- The wedding was fixed, the presents were bought
And from Tiffany’s, jewelry was to be brought
But alas, when the bill to my dear lover went
By some misadventure he had not a cent
My guardian, a broker away down in Wall
Provided him plenty of funds at my call
But when the old gentleman questioned where
His securities were, why, he answered “up there”, Ah - The marriage guests came, I’d practiced a tear
I had got up a blush, and my veil was a dear
And the parson was ready, likewise the champagne
But ah! my false lover I ne’er saw again
Instead of my darling, my hope and my joy
There came to the altar, a telegraph boy
I saw that he knew, and I gasped out “O where
Is he gone?” and he pointed right up in the air, Ah
Sung by Vancha March: