American Old Time Song Lyrics: 60 Don't Ask Me To Give Up My Mother

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 60

Don't Ask Me to Give Up My Mother.
Copyright, 1898, by Chas O. Brokaw.
Words by Raymond A. Browne. Music by Monroe H. Rosenfeld.

A wife once said unto her husband, "Don't be angry, pray.
But, Jack, your mother's getting very old;
Now don't you think it would be well if we sent her away
To some good home, there're many such, I'm told?
You see she's in the way here, and altho' I've done my share
To care for her since you and I were wed,
I think it would be better, and she'd be happy there,
What say you?" Then the husband quickly said:

Chorus.
"Don't ask me to give up my mother, for altho' she is old and gray,
My home shall be her's and welcome, as long as she wants to stay;
Come, Nell, do not be so cruel, for you know that it breaks my heart,
Don't ask me to give up my mother, for from her I shall never part!"

"Nell, dear, you know I love you." said the husband, with a sigh,
"But still I love my dear old mother, too,
For she was always good to me, in years that have gone by.
Don't ask me now to give her up for you.
Although she's bent and feeble, and although she's old and gray.
For her sake I'd lay down my very life,
And while this roof's above me, she shall not go away,
A son should ne'er give mother up for wife! "-Chorus.