Lyrics:
On one summer's day,
Sun was shining fine
The lady love of old Bill Bailey
Was hanging clothes on de line
In her back yard,
And weeping hard:
She married a B. & O. brakeman
Dat took and throw'd her down,
Bellering like a prune-fed calf,
With a big gang hanging round
And to that crowd,
She yelled out loud:
chorus:
Won't you come home, Bill Bailey
Won't you come home?
She moans de whole day long.
I'll do the cooking, darling,
I'll pay the rent;
I knows I've done you wrong;
'Member that rainy eve dat
I drove you out,
Wid nothing but a fine tooth comb?
I knows I'se to blame:
Well, ain't dat a shame?
Bill Bailey, won't you please come home.
Bill drove by dat door
In an automobile
A great big diamond, coach and footman,
Hear dat big wench squeal.
“He's all alone,”
I heard her groan;
She hollered thro' that door
“Bill Bailey, is you sore?
Stop a minute; won't you listen to me?
Won't I see you no more?
Bill winked his eye
As he heard her cry:
These lyrics are from 1902 sheet music for the song (giving the title as “Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?”), a copy of which is held in the University of Maine Vocal Popular Sheet Music Collection and may be viewed online at digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu
