When I Was Twenty One And You Were Sweet Sixteen
Music by Egbert Van Alstyne
Words by Harry H. Williams
Published 1911

[Verse 1]
Old Hi-ram and Ma-lin-da a-woke one sun-ny morn,
Ma-lin-da whis-pered, "Hi-ram, be-fore you plow the corn,
Have you for-got-ten, dear-ie, the twen-ty-ninth of May,"

Said Hi-ram, "Why Ma-lin-da, it's our gold-en wed-ding day."
I'll hitch old Yan-kee Doo-dle to the wag-on right a-way."

[Chorus]
Put on your ging-ham gown, dear,
Come on to town with me.
Let's make be-lieve we're young a-gain,
Just as we used to be.

I'll be your bash-ful beau, dear,
You'll be my vil-lage queen
As in days when I was twen-ty one,
and you were sweet six-teen.

[Verse 2]
The whip-poor-will was sing-ing as home-ward they were bound,
The moun-tain brook was bring-ing an-oth-er wel-come sound.
Then soft-ly on his shoul-der, she laid her head of grey.

And whis-pered, "Bless you Hi-ram, for this hap-py wed-ding day."
And Yan-kee Doo-dle jogged a-long in time with Hi-ram's lay.

[Repeat Chorus]