“Once I Had a Sweetheart (I)”

Description

"Once I had a sweetheart, A sweetheart brave and true, His hair was dark and curly, His cunning eyes were blue." But her sweetheart wanted to roam; he gave her a ring and departed (to become a soldier). He is killed far from home

Notes

A generic plot, and floating lyrics too! But it seems to be a separate song -- though it's hard to believe it originated in the U. S., as the notes in Brown imply. - RBW

Recordings

• Jimmie Rodgers, "The Soldier's Sweetheart" (Victor V-20864, 1927 -- a World War I adaption)

References

1. BrownII 140, "Once I Had a Sweetheart" (1 text)
2. [Randolph 796, "Once I Had a Sweetheart" -- deleted in the second printing]
3. Randolph/Cohen, pp. 527-528, "Once I Had a Sweetheart" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 796A)
4. Roud #4477
5. BI, BrII140