“Just Before the Battle, Mother”

Description

"Just before the battle, Mother, I am thinking most of you.... Farewell, mother, you may never Press me to your heart again But O, you'll not forget me, Mother, If I'm numbered with the slain." The singer will be true to the cause despite missing Mother

Supplemental text

Just Before the Battle, Mother
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

From sheet music published 1862 by Root & Cady.
Title page inscribed
Just before the battle
           MOTHER
   Song & Chorus
        by
     GEO.F.ROOT

1. Just before the battle, Mother,
   I am thinking most of you;
   While upon the field we're watching,
   With the enemy in view.
   Comrades brave are round me lying,
   Fill'd with tho'ts of home and God;
   For well they know, that on the morrow,
   Some will sleep beneath the sod.

CHORUS
Farewell Mother, you may never
Press me to your heart again;
But, O, you'll not forget me, Mother,
If I'm numbered with the slain.

2. Oh, I long to see you, Mother;
   And the loving ones at home;
   But, I'll never leave our banner,
   Till in honor I can come.
   Tell the traitors, all around you,
   That their cruel words, we know,
   In ev'ry battle kill our soldiers
   By the help they give the foe.

3. Hark! I hear the bugles sounding,
   Tis the signal for the fight,
   Now may God protect us, Mother,
   As He ever does the right.
   Hear "The Battle Cry of Freedom,"
   How it swells upon the air;
   Oh, yes, we'll rally round the standard
   Or we'll perish nobly there.

Cross references

• cf. "Farewell, Mother" (tune)

Recordings

• James Doherty, "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (Edison 51109, 1923)
• Liberty Quartet, "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (Emerson 943, 1912)
• Monroe Quartet, "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (OKeh 45133, 1927)
• J. W. Myers, "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (CYL: Columbia 32433, c. 1904)
• Will Oakland, "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (CYL: Edison 297, c. 1897) (CYL: Edison [BA] 1516, 1912)
• Charlie Oaks, "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (Vocalion 15345, 1926) (Vocalion 5112, 1927)
• Unidentified tenor, "Just Before the Battle Mother" (Busy Bee A-55, c. 1906)
• Wheeler & Ballard "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (Resona 75074, 1920)

References

1. RJackson-19CPop, pp. 102-105, "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Silber-CivWar, pp. 12-13, "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Hill-CivWar, pp. 230-231, "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (1 text)
4. JHCox 74, "Just Before the Battle, Mother" (1 text)
5. JHJohnson, p. 118, "Just Behind the Battle, Mother" (1 text, a parody)
6. Silber-FSWB, p. 280, "Just Before The Battle, Mother" (1 text)
7. DT, JSTBATTL* (JSTBATT2)
8. ST RJ19102 (Full)
9. Roud #4263
10. BI, RJ19102