American Old Time Song Lyrics: 51 Sister Ria

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 51

SISTER 'RIA.
Copyright, 1898, by Speulding & Gray.
Words and Music by Harry Warner.

A pious girl named 'Ria Brown,
Who joined the goody band,
And used to go converting
All the "goodies" in the land,
The little lamb salvation had,
Which washed her sins away,
But pious sister 'Ria
Quickly changed her mind one day.

Chorus.
Sister 'Ria, sister 'Ria,
Of the Army soon began to tire;
She chucked her tambourine,
And now she's to be seen
Dancing in the ballet of the Op'ra,

When Gen'ral Booth first heard it said
That Sister 'Ria Brown
Had shook the Army for the stage,
The news near knocked him down;
In living pictures she appeared,
And danced the serpentine,
Likewise the naughty Midway, too,
Without her tambourine.-Chorus.

Then all the sisters in the ranks
They flew around the town,
They sold the War Cry,
Telling naughty things of 'Ria Brown,
But 'Ria told them that she couldn't
Live on prayers and wind,
So just to get her appetite,
She packed her box and skinned.- Chorus.