“When You and I Were Young, Maggie”

Description

The singer recalls the days when he and Maggie were young -- the creek and the mill they wandered by, the meadows they wandered, the birds they heard. Now the mill is still, and the flowers are gone, but she is still just as beautiful in his eyes

Supplemental text

When You and I Were Young, Maggie
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

From sheet music published 1866 by J A Butterfield.
Title page inscribed
Inscribed to Mrs. S. L. Atwell
            --
    When You and I were
       Young, Maggie;
      SONG AND CHORUS
        WORDS BY
   GEORGE W. JOHNSON,
        MUSIC BY
   J. A. BUTTERFIELD

1. I wandered today to the hill, Maggie,
   To watch the scene below;
   The creek and the creaking old mill, Maggie,
   As we used to long, long ago.
   The green grove is gone from the hill, Maggie,
   Where first the daisies sprung;
   The creaking old mill is still, Maggie,
   Since you and I were young.

CHORUS.
And now we are aged and gray, Maggie,
And the trials of life nearly done;
Let us sing of the days that are gone, Maggie,
When you and I were young.

2. A city so silent and lone, Maggie,
   Where the young and the gay and the best,
   In polished white mansions of stone, Maggie,
   Have each found a place of rest,
   Is built where the birds used to play, Maggie,
   And join in the songs that were sung:
   For we sang as gay as they, Maggie,
   When you and I were young.

3. They say I am feeble with age, Maggie,
   My steps are less sprightly than then,
   My face is a well-written page, Maggie,
   But time alone was the pen.
   They say we are aged and gray, Maggie,
   As sprays by the white breakers flung;
   But to me you're as fair as you were, Maggie,
   When you and I were young.

Cross references

• cf. "Sweet Genevieve" (theme)
• cf. "Silver Threads among the Gold" (theme)
• cf. "The Old Rustic Bridge by the Mill" (theme)

Recordings

• Archie Anderson, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (Columbia A-1447, 1913)
• Fiddlin' John Carson, "When You And I Were Young, Maggie" (Okeh 40020, 1924; rec. 1923)
• Frank & James McCravy, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (Brunswick 197, 1928; rec. 1927)
• McMichen's Melody Men, "When You and I Were Young" (Columbia 15247-D, 1928; rec. 1927)
• [?] Morgan & [Frank] Stanley, "When You and I Were Young Maggie" (Victor 4428, 1905)
• Roy Newman's Boys, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (Vocalion 03598, 1937)
• Will Oakland, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (CYL: Edison 9980, 1908) (CYL: Edison [BA] 1873 [as Will Oakland & chorus], n.d.)
• Riley Puckett, "When You And I Were Young, Maggie" (Columbia 15005-D, c. 1924)
• George Reneau, "When You And I Were Young, Maggie" (Vocalion 14814, 1924)
• Howard Shelley, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (Bell 1117, c. 1923)
• Walter Van Brunt, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (CYL: Edison [BA] 3130, n.d.)

References

1. RJackson-19CPop, pp. 237-240, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Ord, p. 159, "When You And I Were Young" (1 text)
3. Dean, pp. 93-94, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (1 text)
4. BrownII 137, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (1 text plus mention of 1 more)
5. Silber-FSWB, p. 248, "When You And I Were Young, Maggie" (1 text)
6. Gilbert, p. 22, "When You and I Were Young Maggie" (1 text)
7. Fuld-WFM, p. 643, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie"
8. DT, YOUNGMAG*
9. ST RJ19237 (Full)
10. Roud #3782
11. BI, RJ19237