Dear Little Boy of Mine
{{Infobox song
| name = Dear Little Boy of Mine
| cover = Sheet music cover - DEAR LITTLE BOY OF MINE (1918).jpg
| caption = Sheet music cover, 1923
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| type =
| artist = Ernest Ball
| album =
| released = 1918
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| genre = Ballad
| length =
| label = Columbia
| composer = Ernest R. Ball
| lyricist = J. Keirn Brennan
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Dear Little Boy of Mine is a World War I song published in 1918. Ernest R. Ball composed the music, and J. Keirn Brennan wrote the lyrics. Vocalist Charles Harrison performed the song.{{cite web |url=http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000025716/77935-Dear_little_boy_of_mine |title=Columbia matrix 7935 |author= |date=2008 |website=Discography of American Historical Recordings |access-date=7 December 2015}} The piece was written for both voice and piano. M. Witmark & Sons was the original publisher of the song.{{cite web |url=http://digital.houstonlibrary.org/cdm/ref/collection/SheetMusic/id/374 |title=Dear little boy of mine |author= |website=Houston Area Digital Archives |access-date=7 December 2015}}
In December 1918, the Charles Harrison version reached the number six spot on the US song charts.{{cite web |url=http://tsort.info/music/t28a8s.htm |title=Song artist 778 - Charles Harrison |author= |date=2007 |website=Tsort |access-date=7 December 2015}} Another version by Will Oakland was popular in 1919.{{cite book|last1=Whitburn|first1=Joel|title=Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954|date=1986|publisher=Record Research Inc|location=Wisconsin, USA|isbn=0-89820-083-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/340 340]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/340}}
Analysis
The song is written in first person from the point of view of a parent, who longs for her son. The narrator recounts moments of her son's childhood that she thinks of, often when she is lonely. It is not made clear whether the son has simply grown up and left home, gone to war, or has died. The lyrics can be interpreted various ways. Below is a sample of the lyrics:
:Boy of mine, boy of mine
:Altho' my heart was aching,
:I seemed to know you wanted to go,
:Pride in your manhood waking.
:I'll be here, waiting, dear
:Till at a glad dawn's breaking,
:I'll hear you say you're home to stay,
Other notable recordings
- 1941 Bing Crosby - recorded July 5, 1941 for Decca Records with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra.{{cite web|title=A Bing Crosby Discography|url=http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/crosby1bDecca.html|website=BING magazine|publisher=International Club Crosby|accessdate=August 20, 2017}}
- 1950 Frank Sinatra - recorded June 28, 1950 for Columbia Records with the Mitch Miller Singers.{{cite web|title=Frank Sinatra Discography|url=http://www.jazzdiscography.com/Artists/Sinatra/columbia3.php|website=jazzdiscography.com/}}
Film appearance
- 1929 Trial Marriage - a sound film with a synchronized musical score and sound effects but no audible dialog includes the song
- 1944 Irish Eyes Are Smiling - the film chronicles the life of the song's composer Ernest R. Ball. In the film, the song is performed by Dick Haymes (playing Ernest R. Ball). It is also performed by Blanche Thebom in the finale.{{cite web|title=Internet Movie Database|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036961/soundtrack?ref_=tt_trv_snd|website=imdb.com|accessdate=August 20, 2017}}
References
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