Baby Bye, here’s a Fly (George Brace Loomis)

Music files

L E G E N D

Disclaimer

How to download

ICON	SOURCE
	Pdf
	Mp3
	File details
	Help

• (Posted 2023-11-10)  CPDL #77171:     

Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2023-11-10).   Score information: Letter, 12 pages, 547 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Baby Bye, here’s a Fly
Composer: George Brace Loomis
Lyricist: Theodore Tilton
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1881 Harper & Bros.
Description: 

Original text and translations

English text

Baby bye here’s a fly,
We will watch him, you and I.
How he crawls up the walls,
Yet he never falls!

I believe, with those six legs,
You and I could walk on eggs!
There he goes, on his toes,
Tickling baby’s nose.

Spots of red dot his head;
Rainbows on his wings are spread!
That small speck is his neck,
See him nod and beck!

I can show you, if you choose,
Where to look to find his shoes;
Three small pairs, made of hairs,
These he always wears.

Black and brown is his gown,
He can wear it upside down!
It is laced round his waist,
I admire his taste!

Pretty as his clothes are made,
He will spoil them, I’m afraid,
If tonight he gets sight
Of the candlelight.

In the sun webs are spun,
What if he gets into one?
When it rains he complains
On the window panes.

Tongues to talk have you and I,
God has given the little fly
No such things; so he sings
With his buzzing wings.

He can eat bread and meat,
See his mouth between his feet!
On his back is a sack
Like a peddler’s pack.

Does the baby understand?
Then the fly shall kiss her hand;
Put a crumb on her thumb,
May be he will come.

Round and round on the ground,
On the ceiling he is found;
Catch him? No. Let him go.
Never hurt him so!

Now you see his wings of silk
Drabbled in the Baby’s milk,
Fie! oh fie! foolish fly!
How will you get dry?

All wet flies twist their thighs;
So they wipe their head and eyes,
Cats, you know, wash just so;
Then their whiskers grow!

Flies have hair too small to comb;
Flies go all bareheaded home;
But the gnat wears a hat:
Do you laugh at that?

Flies can see more than we,
So how bright their eyes must be!
Little fly, mind your eye,
Spiders are near by.

For a secret I can tell,
Spiders will not treat you well;
Haste away, do not stay,
Little fly, good day!