Daisy Bell

AKA	Daisy Daisy
First published	1892

Lyrics

Harry Dacre

Music

Harry Dacre

Roud Index

RN29754

There is a flower within my heart
Daisy, Daisy
Planted one day by a glancing dart
Planted by Daisy Bell
Whether she loves me or loves me not
Sometimes it's hard to tell
Yet I am longing to share the lot
Of beautiful Daisy Bell.

Daisy, Daisy
Give me your answer do
I'm half crazy
All for the love of you
It won't be a stylish marriage
I can't afford a carriage
But you'll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle built for two.

We will go “tandem” as man and wife
Daisy, Daisy
Peddling away down the road of life
I and my Daisy Bell
When the road's dark we can despise
Policemen and lamps as well
There are bright lights in the dazzling eyes
Of beautiful Daisy Bell.

I will stand by you in “wheel” or woe
Daisy, Daisy
You'll be the bell (e) which I'll ring you know
Sweet little Daisy Bell
You'll take the lead in each trip we take
Then if I don't do well
I will permit you to use the brake
My beautiful Daisy Bell.

The song was originally written with a chorus about a donkey-cart built for two, and enjoyed some limited success in the UK in that form. When Harry Dacre arrived in the USA he found that a donkey-cart was referred to as a mule and wagon, so he changed the chorus. He sold the song to Kate Lawrence who had great success with it in the 1890s, it later became part of Florrie Forde’s repertoire.

It was collected from the singing of Harold Wirdman (1998) and Stan Seaman (2000) in England but it is such a well-known music hall song that is difficult for me to classify it on that basis as “folk”

Sources:

• Sheet Music: 60 Old-Time Variety Songs
• Music Hall, an illustrated history
• Lyrics: monologues.co.uk