Good-bye-ee! Popular song from 1917

Sung by Bertie Yates with piano accompaniment by Lynn Meredith. Recorded in November 2015 in West Yorkshire. Words and music by R P Weston and Bert Lee.

Brother Bertie went away

To do his bit the other day

With a smile on his lips

And his Lieutenant pips

Upon his shoulder bright and gay.

As the train moved out he said,

'Remember me to all the girls!'

Then he wagg'd his paw

And went away to war

Shouting out these pathetic words:

'Goodbye-ee, goodbye-ee,

Wipe the tear, baby dear, from your eye-ee!

Tho' it's hard to part I know,

I'll be tickled to death to go.

Don't cry-ee, don't sigh-ee,

There's a silver lining in the sky-ee,

Bonsoir, old thing, cheer-i-o, chin, chin,

Nap-poo, too-dle-doo,

Goodbye-ee.'

At a concert down at Kew

Some convalescents dressed in blue

Had to hear Lady Lee

Who had turned eighty three

Sing all the old, old songs she knew.

Then she made a speech and said:

'I look upon you boys with pride.

And for what you've done

I'm going to kiss each one.'

Then they all grabb'd their sticks and cried:

Good-bye-ee, good-bye-ee,

Wipe the tear, baby dear, from your eye-ee,

Tho' it's hard to part I know,

I'll be tickled to death to go.

Don't cry-ee, don't sigh-ee,

There's a silver lining in the sky-ee,

Bonsoir, old thing, cheer-i-o, chin, chin,

Nap-poo, too-dle-doo, Good-bye-ee!