(Watch, Hope, and Wait) Little Girl ('I'm Coming Back to You')
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Watch, Hope and Wait Little Girl: I'm Coming Back To You. (Discuss) Proposed since December 2017. |
| "(Watch, Hope, and Wait) Little Girl ('I'm Coming Back to You')" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Song | |
| Published | October 3, 1918 |
| Composer(s) | Will Clayton |
| Lyricist(s) | Lew Brown |
"(Watch, Hope, and Wait) Little Girl ('I'm Coming Back to You')", also written as "Watch, Hope and Wait, Little Girl (I'm Coming Back to You)," is a World War I era song released in 1918. Lew Brown wrote the lyrics. Will Clayton composed the music.[1][2] The song was published by Broadway Music Co. of New York City. The sheet music cover was designed by Walton. It features a girl inside of a red, white, and blue heart. Flowers are gathered at her knees.[3] It was written for both voice and piano.[4][5][6]
Initially the song was titled, "(Watch, Hope and Wait) Little Girl (Until I Come Back to You)." It was altered to the more positive title, "(Watch, Hope, and Wait) Little Girl ('I'm Coming Back to You')."[7]
A version of the song was recorded on November 8, 1918 by Charles H. Hart with conductor Josef Pasternack. It was released by Victor Records.[8]
The lyrics' tone is positive and hopeful. A soldier is telling his girlfriend that "all the world looks bright." The war is over and he is returning home. He proclaims that "happy days" are in their near future, and even promises that wedding bells will soon ring. The chorus is as follows:[9]
Watch, little girl, and hope, little girl,
And wait, little girl, for me;
Smile, little girl, all the while, little girl,
Though I'm across the sea.
Give my love to ma,
Say "hello" to pa;
I'm not there but, dear, I know
How overjoyed you are.
It means, little girl, that our dreams, little girl,
Are surely coming true;
We have won, little girl,
Our duty's done, little girl
I'm coming back to you.
The sheet music can be found at Pritzker Military Museum & Library.[10]
References
- ^ Vogel (1995) p. 258 World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics (McFarland & Company, Inc.)
- ^ "Watch, Hope and Wait Little Girl (I'm Coming Back to You)". University Library: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ^ Parker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music. Vol. 2. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 749. ISBN 978-0-7864-2799-4.
- ^ "(Watch Hope and Wait) Little Girl (I'm Coming Back to You)". JScholarship. Johns Hopkins University. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ^ "Watch hope and wait little girl (I'm coming back to you)". 19 February 2016. Indiana Historical Society. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ^ "Watch, hope and wait little girl: I'm coming back to you". Gonzaga University Digital Collections. Gonzaga University. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ^ Vogel (1995) p. 99 World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics (McFarland & Company, Inc.)
- ^ "Watch, hope, and wait, little girl (I'm coming back to you)". Library of Congress: National Jukebox. Library of Congress. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ^ Vogel (1995) pp.378-379 World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with over 300 Complete Lyrics (McFarland & Company, Inc.)
- ^ "Watch, hope and wait little girl: I'm coming back to you". OCLC WorldCat. OCLC WorldCat. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
Bibliography
- Vogel, Frederick G. World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1995. ISBN 0-89950-952-5