American Old Time Song Lyrics: 19 Dear Italian Girl

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 19

DEAR ITALIAN GIRL.
Copyright, 1880, by White, Smith & Co.

There's a pretty little maiden, that I ever shall adore.
In Italy that bright and sunny land;
My life would be a pleasure, I would wish for nothing more,
If she would only share my heart and hand.
Her father is a brigand on a lonely mountain pass,
And with him on the mountain she does dwell;
There is no titled lady in all Europe can surpass
That dear Italian girl I love so well.

Chorus.
Though her father is a brigand on the mountain,
She's as gentle as the daughter of an earl;
And although she set me free, my heart will ever be
A captive to that dear Italian girl.

While roaming lovely valleys, 'neath the blue and sunny skies,
A band of sturdy brigands, bold and strong,
Did capture me, and helpless, with a bandage o'er my eyes,
A victim, I was quickly led along.
Five thousand pounds as ransom they said that I should pay,
But that I was not rich enough to give,
And only for the pleadings of that little mountain maid,
They would not have permitted me to live.-Chorus.

They put me in a dungeon, where I thought that I should die,
And while the brigand chief, with all his band,
Were plundering poor travelers, this lovely girl came nigh
In gloomy night, and by my side did stand.
She tore my bands asunder, bade me rise and quickly fly,
And from her father's coffers gave me gold,
And while the tears of love and pity glistened in her eye,
The secrets of our hearts were plainly told.-Chorus.

I bid her then fly with me, and be my darling bride,
Although her love for me was plainly shown,
Her duly, she declared, was by her outlawed father's side,
And so to America I returned alone.
But I cannot live forever in this free And happy land,
To Italy I'm going to return,
To seek with love, and try to win, if only for a while,
That girl for whom my heart will ever yearn.-Chorus.