You can get a sweetheart any day, but not another mother

AKA A boy’s best friend is his mother
Mother
I do love my mother as I love my life
First Published 1901
Writer/composer George Le Brun / JP Harrington Roud RN47824

Music Hall Performers Alec Hurley
Folk performances Collected from the singing of:
Scarce, Bob ; England , Suffolk ; 1964-5
Hancock, George ; England : Yorkshire ; 1970		 

YOU CAN GET A SWEETHEART ANY DAY
(BUT NOT ANOTHER MOTHER)
Words by JP Harrington, Music by George Le Brunn
Sung by Alec Hurley


Though I love my mother as my life. 
Once I thought I'd like to take a wife, 
When I mentioned it to Mother dear, 
In her eye I saw a rising tear. 
"Do not leave me now I'm old, she cried, 
"You have been my all since father died. 
Do not let another come between, 
Be to me the son you've always been. 

You know I love you more than words can say,
'Twould break my old heart if you went away, 
Though you and your sweetheart may fondly love each other, 
You can get a sweetheart any day but not another mother. [twice]

I said, "Mother, if I marry Lou,
There will always be a place for you."
But she shook her head, with heavy heart,
"No, lad, relatives are best apart;
Suppose we were to quarrel - then what strife
To judge between your mother and your wife!
Surely, if she really loves you true,
She can wait a little while for you -

"Boy, she can't love you as I do - no!
Mother's love is more than sweetheart's show,
I'd be jealous if she parted me
From my only son — now can't you see?"
Then I promised her I would not wed
Long as heaven spared her snow-white head_,
How could I say "No" to Mother dear,
When she whispered these words in my ear—.

One of a number of sentimental songs about mothers popular in the decades before World War One, this one was written by  John P Harrington (words) and  George Le Brunn (music). It was popularised in the Halls by Alec Hurley . Here are the covers of two slightly different imprints of the sheet music:

The early 20th Century in Britain also saw an intensification of the war between official sheet music publishers and those who sold cheap pirated copies. You can get a sweetheart any day was named in Parliament as one of a number of hit songs published by Francis, Day and Hunter that were widely pirated (The Stage, 03 Mar 1904). The official sheet music (left) includes the price, details of the publisher and a standard copyright warning: The Theatrical and Music Hall Singing Rights of this Song are Reserved. For Pantomime permissions apply to FRANCIS DAY AND HUNTER. These details have all been removed from the pirated copy on the right.

In folk circles there has been a tendency to give this song the title of an earlier American song called A Boy’s best friend is his mother (1883).

Sources:

  • Kilgarrif Sing Us
  • Lyrics and Sheet Music: You can get a sweetheart any day, Harrington and Le Brun (1901, pirated), Personal Collection
  • Sheet Music: You can get a sweetheart any day, Harrington and Le Brun (1901), Victoria and Albert Museum

FSI entries: (Scarce Bob) S139298, S315155 S324086). (George Hancock) S376510