In the Library of Congress I fell unexpectedly into their collection of Women’s Suffrage in Sheet Music and this 1916 song by Alfred Bryan, Jerome H. Remick & Co and Herman Paley caught my ear, my eye and my imagination. “ She’s Good Enough to Be Your Baby’s Mother and She’s Good Enough to Vote With You.” What a title!
Here are the lyrics with no adjustment for 2021 political correctness.
No man is greater than his mother
No man is half so good
No man is better than the wife he loves
Her love will guide him
What ‘ere beguile him
She’s good enough to love you and adore you
She’s good enough to bear your troubles for you
And if your tears were falling today
Nobody else would kiss them away
She’s good enough to warm your heart with kisses
When your lonesome and blue
She’s good enough to be your baby’s mother
And she’s good enough to vote with you
Man plugs the world in war and sadness
She must protest in vain
Let’s hope and pray someday we’ll hear her pain
Stop all your madness, I bring you gladness
She’s good enough to love you and adore you
She’s good enough to bear your troubles for you
And if your tears were falling today
Nobody else would kiss them away
She’s good enough to warm your heart with kisses
When your lonesome and blue
She’s good enough to be your baby’s mother
And she’s good enough to vote with you
She’s good enough to give you old Abe Lincoln
She good enough to give you Brandon Sherman
Robert E. Lee and Washington too
She was so true she gave them to you
She’s good enough to give you Teddy Roosevelt
Thomas A. Edison too.
She’s good enough to give you Woodrow Wilson
And she’s good enough to vote with you.
Paley, Herman, and Alfred Bryan. She’s Good Enough to Be Your Baby’s Mother and She. Jerome H. Remick & Co., New York, 1916. Notated Music. https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.100008305/.
Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don't hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs
