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I've travelled through life, I saw many's the strife,
Which surprised me in every way;
I've worked at the spade, I've worked with a plow
From sunset till sunrise at dawn;
And when I'd be going, my mother she'd say,
"Be home early tonight, my dear boy."
Be home early tonight, my dear boy,
Be home early tonight, my dear boy;
Don't spend all your money on gambling and drink,
For there's other things you can enjoy.
One night I left home, poor mother was ill,
In torture and fever and pain;
And when I returned, I found my mother was dead,
It was then I thought on her refrain.
Be home early tonight, my dear boy,
Be home early tonight, my dear boy;
Don't spend all your money on gambling and drink,
For there's other things you can enjoy.
Sung by Mrs. John Powers (b.ca.1916) of Tors Cove, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
A longer variant was sung by Mrs. Stamp of St. Vincent's, NL, and published as Be Home Early Tonight in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
