Soldier Boy (1915 song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Soldier Boy

| cover = Soldier Boy (1915 song) cover.jpg

| alt =

| caption = sheet music cover for "Soldier Boy"

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| released = {{Start date|1915|01|01}}

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| label = Leo Feist, Inc.

| composer = Theodore Morse

| lyricist = D.A. Esrom

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}}

Soldier Boy is a World War I era song released in 1915. D.A. Esrom wrote the lyrics. Theodore Morse composed the music.{{cite book |last1=Vogel |first1=Frederick G. |date=1995 |title=World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics |location=Jefferson |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. |pages=236, 363 |isbn=0-89950-952-5}} Leo Feist, Inc. of New York, New York published the song. Artist Harry Lewis designed the cover art for the sheet music. On the cover, there are three cartoon soldiers. One has his head turned to kiss a woman behind him.{{cite book |last1=Parker |first1=Bernard S. |date=2007 |volume=2 |title=World War I Sheet Music |location=Jefferson |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. |page=593 |isbn=978-0-7864-2798-7}} The song was written for both voice and piano.{{cite web |url=https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:95700/ |title=Soldier boy |author= |website=Brown University Library: Brown Digital Repository |publisher=Brown University Library |access-date=12 January 2016}} It is told from the point of view of a woman who is proud of her soldier boy. She addresses the soldier directly in the chorus:

:Soldier boy,

:One kiss before you go, soldier boy

:I'll miss you, that you know,

:Ev'ry night I'll pray for you far away,

:And trust to Him above

:To send you back some day

:In my heart

:A love will always yearn,

:And I'll wait for your return.

:So go and fight for the cause you know is right,

:God bless you, my soldier boy.

The sheet music can be found at Pritzker Military Museum & Library{{cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/26005168 |title=Soldier boy |author= |via=OCLC WorldCat |oclc=26005168 |access-date=12 January 2016}}