Vintage Audio - Good-bye-ee
Reproduced below are the lyrics to the popular wartime song, Good-bye-ee, composed by R. P. Weston and Bert Lee in 1915.
A snatch from the song later formed the title of an edited book of memoirs from a serving cavalryman, Ben Clouting, Tickled to Death to Go.
Use the above player to listen to a variation of the song performed by Courtland and Jeffries in 1918.
Good-bye-ee
Brother Bertie went away
To do his bit the other day
With a smile on his lips
and his Lieutenant's pips
upon his shoulder bright and gay
As the train moved out he said,
'Remember me to all the birds.'
Then he wagged his paw
and went away to war
Shouting out these pathetic words:
Goodbye-ee, goodbye-ee,
Wipe the tear, baby dear, from your eye-ee,
Tho' it's hard to part I know,
I'll be tickled to death to go.
Don't cry-ee, dont sigh-ee,
there's a silver lining in the sky-ee,
Bonsoir, old thing, cheer-i-o, chin, chin,
Nah-poo, toodle-oo, Goodbye-ee.
At the hospital at Kew,
The convalescents, dressed in blue,
Had to hear Lady Lee, who had turned 83,
Sing all the old, old songs she knew.
Then she made a speech and said,
"I look on you boys with pride,
And to thank you all I'm going to kiss each one",
Then they all grabbed a stick and cried,
Goodbye-ee, goodbye-ee,
Wipe the tear, baby dear, from your eye-ee,
Tho' it's hard to part I know,
I'll be tickled to death to go.
Don't cry-ee, dont sigh-ee,
there's a silver lining in the sky-ee,
Bonsoir, old thing, cheer-i-o, chin, chin,
Nah-poo, toodle-oo, Goodbye-ee.
Shrapnel comprised steel balls ejected from shells upon detonation.
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