Side by side

AKA
First Published1927

Writer/composerHarry WoodsRoudRN27087

Music Hall PerformersFlorrie Forde
Folk performancesSource Singers
McCormack, Mary; Canada: Newfoundland; 1978
See that sun in the morning,
Peeking over the hill?
I'll bet you're sure it always has 
And sure it always will.
That's how I feel about someone,
How somebody feels about me.
We're sure we love each other
That's the way we'll always be.

Oh, we ain't got a barrel of money,
Maybe we're ragged and funny
But we'll travel along
Singing a song
Side by side.
Don't know what's comin' tomorrow
Maybe it's trouble and sorrow
But we'll travel the road
Sharing our load
Side by side.

Through all kinds of weather
What if the sky should fall?
Just as long as we're together,
It doesn't matter at all.
When they've all had their quarrels and parted
We'll be the same as we started
Just a-traveling along
Singing a song
Side by side.

We're all hunting for something
Something we don't know what
'Cause none of us are satisfied
With things we know we've got.
We all forget about moonlight,
As soon as we've given our vow
But we'd all be so happy if we'd start and sing right now:

The links between this song and the halls may seem tenuous, but in the UK some element of its popularity will have been due to it being sung by performers and audience in the halls. It gave rise to at least two popular parodies sung widely in the folk world.

A standard from the Great American Song book, from the pen of Tin Pan Alley songwriter Harry Woods who also wrote When the red red robin (goes bob, bob, bobbing) and Try a Little tenderness. On the British Music Hall stage it was most associated with the singing of Florrie Forde (1876-1940).

It has been found once in the singing of a traditional singer – collected by Yvonne Courtney from the singing of Mary McCormack.

Not to be confused with an earlier Side-by-side from 1891, written/composed by Harry Adams / JM Harrison, with first line: On English soil fair blooms the rose, sung in the Halls by Rose Sullivan

The song been parodied many many times, in particular there are two which might be considered traditional, see Side by side (dismantled bride version) and Side by side (Danny Brazil version)

An American Standard, by Bing Crosby with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra:

Sources:

Last Updated on January 27, 2021 by John Baxter | Published: January 27, 2021

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