The Soldier's Sweetheart
by Jimmie Rodgers
"A pal of
Jimmie's, Sammy Williams, told his sweetheart good-bye
and went to France—to be killed in action. So before the
war was over, Jimmie found time to pick out words and
air to his first composition, a sentimental song. From
the first his railroad buddies liked the song, and the
young fellows in Meridian who were his boon companions
liked it. With banjo, guitar, uke, they hung around all
night places or strolled the streets playing and singing
Jimmie's songs along with 'Sweet Adeline' and other
sentimental ballads. But it was not until some ten years
later that the world heard—and approved of it."
—Mrs. Carrie Rodgers
The Soldier's Sweetheart
Once I had a sweetheart
A sweetheart brave and true
His hair was dark and curly
His loving eyes were blue.
He told me that he loved me
And he often proved it so
And he often came to see me
When the ev'ning sun was low.
But fate took him away
To this awful German war
And when he came to say goodbye
My heart did overflow.
He says, "Goodbye, little darling
To France I must go."
He takes the golden finger ring
And he placed it on my hand
Said, "Remember me, little darling
When I'm in no man's land."
He promised he would write to me
That promise he's kept true
And when I read this letter, friend
I pray the war is through.
The second letter I got from him
The war was just ahead
The third one, wrote by his captain
My darling dear was dead.
I'll keep all of his letters
I'll keep his gold ring, too
And I'll always live a single life
For the soldier who was so true.
