American Old Time Song Lyrics: 56 She May Have Seen Better Days

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 56

She May Have Seen Better Days.
Copyright, 1891, by T. B. Harms & Co.
Words and Music by James Thornton.

While strolling along with the city's vast throng,
On a night that was bitter cold,
I noticed a crowd, who were laughing aloud
At something they chanced to behold:
I stopped for to see what the object could be,
And there, on a doorstep, lay
A woman in tears, from the crowd's angry jeers,
And then I heard somebody say:

Chorus.
She may have seen better days, when she was in her prime;
She may have seen better days once upon a time:
Though by the wayside she fell, she may yet mend her ways;
Some poor, old mother is waiting for her, who has seen better days.

If we could but tell why the poor creature fell,
Perhaps we'd not be so severe:
If the truth were but known of this outcast alone,
May hap we would all shed a tear.
She was once some one's joy, cast aside like a toy-
Abandoned, forsaken, unknown.
Every man standing by had a tear in his eye,
For some had a daughter at home.-Chorus.

The crowd went away, but I longer did stay,
For from her I was loath to depart;
I knew by her moan, as she sat there alone,
That something was breaking her heart.
She told me her life, she was once a good wife,
Respected and honored by all;
Her husband had fled ere they were long wed,
And tears down her cheeks sadly fall.- Chorus.