Songs Every Child Should Know - online book

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	Songs That Every Child Should Know 35 Dearest, farewell! Dearest, farewell! Dry thy dear eyes again, Death cannot part us twain: Farewell again! Parting is pain!
	The Girl I Left Behind Me This air is of Irish origin, and probably as early as the seventeenth century. It became popularized by an Irish bandmaster of the English army. The bandmaster was notoriously fickle, and at each post he left behind him a new sweetheart. In an effort to pay impartial and musical tribute to them all he found it convenient to have this piece played whenever the regiment broke camp. As the sentiment seemed one eminently suited to the affectional conditions of most of the army, The Girl I Left Behind Me became the musical militant fashion. This song was ordered to be played by our own Custer whenever the Seventh U. S. Cavalry went out. This was played, according to custom, on the morning when Custer went to his death.