X:1
T:Leave Me with a Smile
C:
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:Air
B:Stephen F. Davis - Devil's Box, vol. 33, No. 3, Fall 1999 (p. 11)
N:Transcribed by Frank Maloy
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:G
D GB||"G"d3 (^c/d/)|ed ^cd|B3 (_B=B)|cB _B-B|A2G2|F2G2|
"D7"c4-|cE Ac|"D7"e3 (^d/e/)|fe ^de|c3 (B/c/)|dc Bc|B2A2|
^G2A2|"G"dB GE|DD GB|d3 (^c/d/)|ed ^cd|B3 (_B/=B/)|
cB _B=B|A2G2|B2d2|"C"e4-|eG ce|g3 (f/g/)|"Gdim"ag fe|
"G"d3 (^c/d/)|"E7"ed =cB|"A7"B2A2|"D7"E2F2|"G"G4-|GD GB|
"G"d3d|ed ^cd|B3 B|cB _B=B|A2G2|F2G2|"D7"c4-|cE Ac|
"D7"e3e|fe ^de|c3c|dc Bc|B2A2|^G2A2|"G"d4-|dD GB|
"G"d3d|ed ^cd|B3B|cB _B=B|A2G2|B2d2|"C"e4-|eG ce|"C"g3g|
"Gdim"ag fe|"G"d3d|"E7"ed cB|"A7"B2A2|"D7"E2F2|"G"GE DB,|G,||
LEAVE ME WITH A SMILE. American, Air (2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). One part. "Leave Me with a Smile" was a popular song by Earl Burtnett (1896-1936) and Charles Koehler (1894-1993) written and composed as a fox trot with words in 1921. The words go:
Leace
Just like the sunrise, you came to me it seems, Just like the sunrise, you woke me from my dreams. You were my sunshine, in days that used to be; I await the sunset, for now you're leaving me.
Chorus: Tho' it's time for parting, and my tears are starting, Leave me with a smile. Tho' your heart may cry, dear; When you say goodbye, dear, Leave me with a smile. Maybe it's forever, So while we're together, For a little while; Hold me like a flower, For one little hour, And leave me with a smile.
Your smiles are sunshine upon on a rainy day, They bring me gladness, and drive my blues away. Before you go, dear, just smile once more for me; It will always be, dear, My treasured memory.
It proved to have some longevity and became a crossover success to country music, where it was recorded by several artists in the mature 78 RPM era and beyond. Fiddler and tune transcriber Frank Maloy (Georgia) recalled it being played over the years by Merle Travis, Frazier Moss, George "Uncle Charlie" Young, Buck Allen and Slimbo Smith. The Tune Wranglers (Buster Coward [vcl/gt], Red Brown [vcl/banjo], Curley Williams [vcl/bass], Tom Dickey [fiddle], Eddie Whitley [piano]) recorded it in Sept., 1937, in San Antonio, Texas. When WSJS (Winston-Salem, N.C.) signed on for the first time on Good Friday, 1937, a minister gave an invocation, followed by a performance by the Mocksville String Band, playing "Whistling Rufus," "Bully of the Town" and "Leave Me with a Smile," among others.
Additional notes
Printed sources : - Stephen F. Davis (The Devil's Box), vol. 33, No. 3, Fall 1999; p. 11.
Recorded sources : - Bluebird 7272 (78 RPM), The Tune Wranglers (1937). Edison 50892-L (78 RPM), Club De Vignt Orchestra (1922).
See also listing at : Hear the 1922 recording by the Club De Vingt Orchestra [1]
