Before I Grew Up to Love You

{{Infobox song

| name = Before I Grew Up to Love You

| cover = Before I grew up to love you.jpg

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| caption = Sheet music cover

| type = song

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| released = 1917

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| writer = Max Friedman

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"Before I Grew Up To Love You" is a World War I era song released in 1917. Max Friedman wrote the lyrics and music. The song was published by Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. of New York City. There are two versions of the cover. One features a framed photo of Friedman in a sailor's uniform.{{cite book |last1=Parker |first1=Bernard S. |date=2007 |volume=1 |title=World War I Sheet Music |location=Jefferson |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. |page=49 |isbn=978-0-7864-2798-7}} The second version has a drawing of a man and woman with an orange-colored moon behind them. Below them is a branch of leaves. The song was written for voice and piano.{{cite web |url=http://digital.library.msstate.edu/cdm/ref/collection/SheetMusic/id/29231 |title=Before I Grew Up To Love You |author= |website=Mississippi State University: University Libraries |publisher=Mississippi State University |access-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220070848/http://digital.library.msstate.edu/cdm/ref/collection/SheetMusic/id/29231 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |url-status=dead }}

Henry Burr recorded the song on March 14, 1919. It was released under Columbia Records.{{cite web |url=http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000026125/78347-Before_I_grew_up_to_love_you |title=Columbia matrix 78347. Before I grew up to love you / Henry Burr |author= |website=Discography of American Historical Recordings |publisher=Discography of American Historical Recordings |access-date=4 March 2016}} The East Texas Serenaders recorded a version of the song. It was released under Brunswick Records.{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/East-Texas-Serenaders-McKinney-Waltz-Before-I-Grew-Up-To-Love-You/release/7591760 |title=East Texas Serenaders – McKinney Waltz / Before I Grew Up To Love You |author= |website=Discogs |access-date=4 March 2016}}

The sheet music can be found at Pritzker Military Museum & Library.{{cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/818014519 |title=Before I grew up to love you |author= |publisher=OCLC WorldCat |oclc=818014519 |access-date=4 March 2016}}

The song is about a person's heartbreak in response to the end of a relationship. The chorus is as follows:

{{poemquote|I wish I had never seen sunshine

I wish I had never seen rain

I wish that your soul had not been my goal

A prize that I sought all in vain

I only wish someone told me

That love that you gave me was untrue

And I wish I had died in my cradle

Before I grew up to love you.}}