The Song of All Songs by Stephen Foster Lyrics
(Verse 1)
As you've walked through the town on a fine summer’s day
The subject I've got, you have seen, I dare say
Upon fences and railings, wherever you go
You'll see the penny ballads sticking up in a row
The titles to read you may stand for a while
And some are so odd, they will cause you to smile
I noted them down as I read them along
And I’ve put them together to make up my song
(Chorus)
Old songs! New songs! Ev'ry kind of song
I noted them down as I read along
(Verse 2)
There was "Abraham's Daughter," "Going Out Upon a Spree"
With "Old Uncle Snow" "In the Cottage by the Sea"
"If Your Foot Is Pretty Show It," "At Lanigan's Ball"
And "Why Did She Leave Him" "On the Raging Canawl"
There was "Bonnie Annie" with "A Jockey Hat and Feather"
"I Don't Think Much of You" "We Were Boys and Girls Together"
"Do They Think of Me at Home?" "I'll Be Free and Easy Still"
"Give Us Now a Good Commander" with "The Sword of Bunker Hill."
(Chorus)
Old songs! New songs! Ev'ry kind of song
I noted them down as I read along
(Verse 3)
"When This Cruel War Is Over" "No Irish Need Apply"
"For Everything Is Lovely and the Goose Hangs High"
"The Young Gal From New Jersey" "Oh, Wilt Thou Be My Bride?"
And "Oft in the Stilly Night" "We'll All Take a Ride"
"Let Me Kiss Him for His Mother" "He’s a Gay Young Gambolier"
"I’m Going to Fight mit Sigel" and "De Bully Lager Bier"
"Hunkey Boy Is Yankee Doodle" "When the Cannons Loudly Roar"
"We Are Coming, Father Abraham, Six Thousand More!"
(Chorus)
Old songs! New songs! Ev'ry kind of song
I noted them down as I read along
(Verse 4)
"In the Days When I Was Hard Up" with "My Mary Ann"
"My Johnny Was a Shoemaker" or "Any Other Man"
"The Captain With His Whiskers" and "Annie of the Vale"
Along with "Old Bob Ridley" "A-Riding on a Rail"
"Rock Me to Sleep, Mother" "Going Round the Horn"
"I’m Not Myself At All" "I'm a Bachelor Forlorn"
"Mother Is the Battle Over?" "What Are the Men About?"
"How Are You, Horace Greeley" "Does Your Mother Know Your'e Out?"
(Chorus)
Old songs! New songs! Ev'ry kind of song
I noted them down as I read along
(Verse 5)
"We Won’t Go Home Till Morning" with "The Bold Privateer"
"Annie Lisle" and "Zouave Johnny" "Riding in a Railroad Kerr"
"We Are Coming, SIster Mary" with "The Folks That Put on Airs"
"We Are Marching Along" with "The Four and Thirty Stars"
"On the Other Side of Jordan" "Don't Fly Your Kite Too High"
"Jenny's Coming O'er the Green" to "Root Hog or Die"
"Our Union's Starry Banner" "The Flag of Washington"
Shall float victorious o'er the land from Maine to Oregon!
As you've walked through the town on a fine summer’s day
The subject I've got, you have seen, I dare say
Upon fences and railings, wherever you go
You'll see the penny ballads sticking up in a row
The titles to read you may stand for a while
And some are so odd, they will cause you to smile
I noted them down as I read them along
And I’ve put them together to make up my song
(Chorus)
Old songs! New songs! Ev'ry kind of song
I noted them down as I read along
(Verse 2)
There was "Abraham's Daughter," "Going Out Upon a Spree"
With "Old Uncle Snow" "In the Cottage by the Sea"
"If Your Foot Is Pretty Show It," "At Lanigan's Ball"
And "Why Did She Leave Him" "On the Raging Canawl"
There was "Bonnie Annie" with "A Jockey Hat and Feather"
"I Don't Think Much of You" "We Were Boys and Girls Together"
"Do They Think of Me at Home?" "I'll Be Free and Easy Still"
"Give Us Now a Good Commander" with "The Sword of Bunker Hill."
(Chorus)
Old songs! New songs! Ev'ry kind of song
I noted them down as I read along
(Verse 3)
"When This Cruel War Is Over" "No Irish Need Apply"
"For Everything Is Lovely and the Goose Hangs High"
"The Young Gal From New Jersey" "Oh, Wilt Thou Be My Bride?"
And "Oft in the Stilly Night" "We'll All Take a Ride"
"Let Me Kiss Him for His Mother" "He’s a Gay Young Gambolier"
"I’m Going to Fight mit Sigel" and "De Bully Lager Bier"
"Hunkey Boy Is Yankee Doodle" "When the Cannons Loudly Roar"
"We Are Coming, Father Abraham, Six Thousand More!"
(Chorus)
Old songs! New songs! Ev'ry kind of song
I noted them down as I read along
(Verse 4)
"In the Days When I Was Hard Up" with "My Mary Ann"
"My Johnny Was a Shoemaker" or "Any Other Man"
"The Captain With His Whiskers" and "Annie of the Vale"
Along with "Old Bob Ridley" "A-Riding on a Rail"
"Rock Me to Sleep, Mother" "Going Round the Horn"
"I’m Not Myself At All" "I'm a Bachelor Forlorn"
"Mother Is the Battle Over?" "What Are the Men About?"
"How Are You, Horace Greeley" "Does Your Mother Know Your'e Out?"
(Chorus)
Old songs! New songs! Ev'ry kind of song
I noted them down as I read along
(Verse 5)
"We Won’t Go Home Till Morning" with "The Bold Privateer"
"Annie Lisle" and "Zouave Johnny" "Riding in a Railroad Kerr"
"We Are Coming, SIster Mary" with "The Folks That Put on Airs"
"We Are Marching Along" with "The Four and Thirty Stars"
"On the Other Side of Jordan" "Don't Fly Your Kite Too High"
"Jenny's Coming O'er the Green" to "Root Hog or Die"
"Our Union's Starry Banner" "The Flag of Washington"
Shall float victorious o'er the land from Maine to Oregon!