AKA | Afraid to go home in the dark Awfully afraid Afraid of the dark Afraid to come home in the dark |
First published | 1906 |
Lyrics | Harry Williams | Music | Egbert Van Alstyne | Roud | RN15750 |
Music Hall Performers | May A Bell, Della Fox, May Irwin, Ella Retford, Elizabeth Murray, Hetty King, Maisie Scott, May Vokes |
Folk performances | Source singers WE, 1929, Washington, USA Mrs Olive Coberley, 1959, Missouri, USA Frank Bond, 1965, Hampshire, England James Goodchild, 1976, Hampshire, England |
Jonesie married Mabel, a wise owl was he He told his wife he never drank a stronger thing than tea But after honeymooning, at night he stayed away And for a week he never got home till the break of day At last poor Mabel asked the reason why Said Jones, 'I'm going to tell the truth or die, Mabel dear, (sh) listen here, I'm afraid to come home in the dark Every day the papers say, 'A robbery in the park' So I sit alone in the Y.M.C.A. singing just like a lark 'There's no place like home' but I couldn't come home in the dark.' That night after dinner, he bade his wife adieu Said she, 'Oh, no, it's dark and so I'm going to come with you.' But somehow Jonesie shook her, for he was as smooth as silk He got home just in time to meet the man that brought the milk His wife stood waiting for him on the stair While Jonesie and the milkman sang this air. She kissed him good morning, to see him she was glad And when she tucked him up in bed, says Jones, 'I guess I'm bad' Next day, the same old story - he came home just at dawn But he got sober right away when he found she was gone At noon he heard her slam the garden gate Said she to Jonesie, 'Is my hat on straight?' Hubbie dear, (sh) listen here, I'm afraid to come home in the dark Every day the papers say, 'A robbery in the park' So I sit alone in the C.A.F.E. singing just like a lark 'There's no place like home' but I couldn't come home in the dark.'
A big hit, originally written for the Broadway Musical A Knight for a Day, remembered by many in the UK for the version that the “male impersonator” Hetty King was still singing on stage in the 1960s. In fact it was a song which featured in the repertoire of many popular singers in the early 1900s, both male and female.
Sources:
- Entries in the Roud Indexes at the Vaughn Williams Memorial Library: https://archives.vwml.org/search/all:single[folksong-broadside-books]/0_50/all/score_desc/extended-roudNo_tr%3A15750
- Lyrics: monologues.co.uk
- Sheet music: University of Chicago at Illinois
An early recording from Billy Murray:
Last Updated on October 23, 2020 by John Baxter | Published: June 15, 2020