Be Home Early Tonight, My Dear Boy

DESCRIPTION: The singer's has worked hard all his life, and occasionally goes to town for fun. But his mother regularly tells him, "Be home early tonight." Once, when she is sick, he goes out partying and returns to find her dead. He warns against ignoring mother
AUTHOR: John Gibbons ?
EARLIEST DATE: 1914 (Wehman Brothers' Good Old Time Songs #3); reportedly first published 1882
KEYWORDS: work mother death warning
FOUND IN: US(Ro,SE,So) Canada(Newf)
REFERENCES (6 citations):
Randolph 851, "Be Home Early Tonight, My Dear Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
Randolph/Cohen-OzarkFolksongs-Abridged, pp. 534-536, "Be Home Early Tonight, My Dear Boy" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 851)
Brown/Belden/Hudson-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore3 27, "Be Home Early" (1 text)
Brown/Schinhan-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore5 27, "Be Home Early" (1 tune plus an excerpt of text)
Cheney-MormonSongs, pp. 150-152, "Be Home Early Tonight, My Dear Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
Spaeth-WeepSomeMoreMyLady, pp. 174-175, "Be Home Early Tonight, My Dear Boy" (1 text)
Roud #7451
RECORDINGS:
Kelly Harrell, "Be at Home Soon Tonight, My Dear Boy" (OKeh 40505, 1925; on KHarrell01)
Mrs. John Powers, "Be Home Early Tonight" (on MUNFLA/Leach)
Mrs. Stamp, "Be Home Early Tonight" (on MUNFLA/Leach)
File: R851

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