#555 - Oh! What a Difference in the Morning

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• Composer:
  • Felix McGlennon

    • #515 - Comrades
    • #555 - Oh! What a Difference in the Morning
    • #1011 - The Rowdy Dowdy Boys
    • #2091 - 1. I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard / 2. He Never Cares to Wander from his Fireside
    • #2131 - 1. I'll Tell Papa on You / 2. Oh, Uncle John

    (1856-1943), 1880s
• Also known as:
  • But Oh What a Difference in the Morning
• MIDI | show
  
• Parsons Code: XUDDUUUDDRUDURUDDUDUUDDRDUDRDU¹⁾
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• Lyrics:
  I'll sing of the curious sights that we see,
  At night, at night!
  They're awfully funny I think you'll agree
  At night, at night!
  There's the giddy young clerk who hasn't much cash,
  And likes with his friends to appear very flash,
  So he orders Champagne and he cuts a big dash,
  At night, at night!
  
  But Oh! what a difference in the morning!
  Then comes repentance with the dawning;
  His head's just twice its size,
  And he's got two fine black eyes,
  And so he swears off drinking in the morning.
  (repeat chorus)
  
  You see a young lady who strolls up the street,
  At night, at night!
  She's stylish and handsome, her figure so neat,
  At night, at night!
  Her waist is so slender, complexion so new,
  Her feet very tiny in number two shoe,
  And hair of a light color'd delicate hue,
  At night, at night!
  
  But Oh! what a difference in the morning!
  What an alteration with the dawning;
  Her cheeks have lost their hue,
  She wears a seven shoe,
  Her hair lies on the table in the morning.
  (repeat chorus)
  
  And then there's the jolly young husband you know,
  At night, at night!
  Who thinks that existence is awfully slow,
  At night, at night!
  So he says “My dear, I must pay up my dues
  At the lodge,” but instead he goes off on a booze,
  And when he gets home, on the doorstep he'll snooze,
  At night, at night!
  
  But Oh! what a difference in the morning!
  What a different fellow with the dawning;
  Tho' very, very dry,
  For a drink he'll vainly cry,
  For his wife's been thro' his pockets in the morning.
  (repeat chorus)
  
  etc.
  
  
  • Willie Piffkow, arr. and additional verses by Philip Hastings, 1891
• Lyrics:
  How queer are the scenes we behold on the street,
  At night, at night!
  The faces we see and the folks that we meet,
  At night, at night!
  A young fellow comes with his money so free,
  Along with his friends just to go on a spree,
  They take on the town, and the sights that they see,
  At night, at night!
  
  But Oh! how they feel in the morning!
  Where's all the money in the morning?
  Not a dollar do they find,
  Ev'ry cent is “left behind,”
  They're a handsome lot of chappies in the morning.
  (repeat chorus)
  
  There are ladies who walk on the avenue,
  At night, at night!
  Their figures are handsome, and they dress so well,
  At night, at night!
  Their waists are so dainty, complexions so new,
  And tootsies so neat in a number two shoe,
  With hair of such delicate straw-colored hue,
  At night, at night!
  
  But Oh! what a difference in the morning!
  What an alteration in the morning;
  Within their private room,
  Their cheeks, there's little bloom,
  And their hair lies on the table in the morning.
  (repeat chorus)
  
  And then there's the frivolous gay married man,
  At night, at night!
  To tell what he gets at is part of my plan,
  At night, at night!
  With plenty of money he goes on the booze,
  He meets some old pals and they have a carouse,
  And when he gets home, on the doorstep he'll snooze,
  At night, at night!
  
  But Oh! what a difference in the morning!
  Then comes repentance with the dawning;
  Tho' he's very dry,
  For a drink he'll vainly cry,
  For his wife's been thro' his pockets in the morning.
  (repeat chorus)
  
  etc.
  
  
  • Willie Piffkow, arr. and additional verses by M.C.J., 1891

There are several editions, with differing lyrics and additional verses.

The lyrics have several similarities to //After Nine both in content and form. (see: #2036 - After Nine / Hello! Central, Hello!)