American Old Time Song Lyrics: 28 That Is Love
Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 28
THAT IS LOVE.
Copyright, 1890, by Spaulding & Kornder.
Words and Music by P. S. Wilcox.
Love, sweet love is the poet's theme,
Love, sweet love is the poet's dream;
"What is the love of which they sing?
Only a phantom, unreal thing;
'Tis but the dalliance, the dalliance of youth and maid;
'Tis but the passion, the passion and vows that fade;
Tis not the heaven, the heaven implanted glow
That true hearts call love-ah, no! ah, no!
Refrain.
See a mother gazing on her baby boy
With ecstatic eyes and heart that fills with joy;
He to her is purest gold without alloy;
For him how she prays to heaven above;
How she guides his footsteps through the vale of strife,
Watches o'er his bedside when infection rife,
Risking for her baby boy her health, her life,
That is love! that is love.
Love, sweet love, how the word's misplaced;
Love, sweet love, how the theme's disgraced;
What is a fond lover's ardent glance?
What is a maiden's shy advance?
What is the pressure, the pressure of amorous lips?
What is the pressure of finger tips?
Only the pleasure, the joys of a passing day;
'Tis not the love that will live for aye.
Refrain.
See a father standing at his cottage-door,
Watching baby in the gutter rolling o'er,
Laughing at his merry pranks-but, hark! a roar!
Help! oh, help him, gracious heaven above!
Dashing down the road there comes a maddened horse,
Out the father rushes with resistless force,
Saves the child, but he lies there a mangled corpse,
That is love! that is love!
Oh, the love of a faithful friend,
True, true love that will never end-
Where can such friendship be found on earth?
In true hearts above it findeth birth;
Friends meet friends and they vow, they vow to cling;
Often, alas! does their love, their love take wing;
Seldom, alas! can such a faithful friendship be
As that of two comrades who went to sea:
Refrain.
When a squall had struck the ship and she was lost,
Clinging to a plank, the chums were tempest tossed,
But the plank was water-logged and sunk almost-
One of them must meet his God above-
One of them said: Jack, this plank will not hold two;
You've a wife and children, so I'll die for youÂGood-bye, Jack, he leaves the plank and sinks from view,
That is love! that is love!
