American Old Time Song Lyrics: 32 Sweethearts Were We

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 32

SWEETHEARTS WERE WE.
Copyright, 1891, by Willis Woodward & Co.
Words and Music by Webster C. Fulton.

Lot me tell you of the changes that the year has brought to me,
Though the time has passed so quickly, 'tis not long, at most, you see,
But how different the world seems since those happy days of old,
When the time was endless summer, and all 'round me rose and gold.
There was Jack, my little playmate, fondest memory of my life,
Used to put his arms around me and declare I was his wife;
In our nook down by the river we would always be at play,
As I look back to those moments, I can only sigh and say:

Chorus.
Sweethearts were we, little we thought how life
Would find us changed When we were man and wife;
Sweethearts were we, happy and careless then,
Oh, bliss! love's kiss! oh, to be sweethearts again.

When we grew a little older, we were started oft to school,
Loitering along the roadway, sailing ships in every pool.
Chased the butterfly and song-bird, plucked the daisies in the grass,
Happy little lad and lassie, watching not the moments pass;
When at eve our lessons ended, we would slowly homeward stroll.
Jack would cry, "Let's play at soldiers! "oh, to have a drum to roll;
I will go to be a warrior, each wife cries when husband starts.
Innocent, I played in earnest, thinking grown up folks had hearts.-Chorus.

Years pass on, Jack grew to manhood, I a winsome maiden, too.
And one night he came to woo me, quite the way he used to do;
I said "yes," while blushing rosy, and in summer time we wed,
Lived serenely in a cottage, till at last a year had fled!
What at first was joy unending grew to be most commonplace.
And at last our first real quarrel found us scolding face to face;
Jack wished he had died-and I did, next he'd leave me, quickly swore;
I replied, I wished that something would bring back those days of yore!-Cho.