| Goodbye, Ma! Goodbye, Pa! Goodbye, Mule, with Yer Old Hee-Haw!: Long Boy | |
| Cover: | Long boy Goodbye, Ma! Goodbye, Pa! Goodbye, Mule, with Yer Old Hee-Haw.jpg |
| Caption: | Sheet music cover at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library |
| Released: | 1917 |
| Label: | Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. |
"Goodbye, Ma! Goodbye, Pa! Goodbye, Mule, with Yer Old Hee-Haw!", also known as "Long Boy", is a World War I era song released in 1917. William Herschel wrote the lyrics. Barclay Walker composed the music.[1] [2] It was published by Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. of New York, New York. Garr Williams designed the sheet music cover. It features a morose-looking cartoon soldier leaving his farm. Farm animals, the soldier's parents, and his girlfriend look on and wave flags.[3] It was written for both voice and piano.[4]
The lyrics take on a humorous tone. It tells the story of a very thin "country gink," who leaves his farm duties behind to enlist in the army. The chorus is his farewell to his parents and "sweetheart":
Good-by, Ma!
Good-by, Pa!
Goody-by Mule, with yer old hee haw!
I may not know what the war's about
But you bet, by gosh, I'll soon find out
An' o' Sweetheart, don't fear
I'll bring you a King fer a souvenir
I'll git you a Turk an' a Kaiser too
An' that's about all one feller could do!
The sheet music can be found at Pritzker Military Museum & Library.[5]