Historic Sheet Music Collection

Document Type

Score

Publication Date

1870

Comments

If Ever I Cease To Love

By George Leybourne

Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co (1870)

Some of these resources may contain offensive language or negative stereotypes. Such materials should be seen in the context of the time period and as a reflection of attitudes of the time. The items are part of the historical record, and do not represent the views of the library or the institution.

Lyrics

[Verse 1]

In a house, in a square, in a quadrant,
In a street, in a lane, in a road,
Turn to the left on the right hand,
You see there my true love’s abode.
I go there a courting and cooing,
To my love like a dove,
And swearing on my bended knee,
If ever I cease to love.
May sheeps heads grow on apple trees,
If ever I cease to love.

[Chorus]

If ever I cease to love,
I fever I cease to love,
May the moon be turn’s in to green cheese,
If ever I cease to love.

[Verse 2]

She can sing, she can play the Piano,
She can jump, she can dance, she can run,
In fact she’s as sweet as a rosebud,
And lily flow’r chang’d into one.
And who would not love such a beauty
Like an Angel dropp’d from above.
May I be stung to death with flies,
If ever I cease to love.
May I be stung to death with flies,
If ever I cease to love.

[Chorus]

If ever I cease to love,
If ever I cease to love,
May little dogs wag their tails in front,
If ever I cease to love.

[Verse 3]

For all the money that’s in Wall street,
All the stocks of a railroad line,
I wouldn’t exchange the girl I love,
She’s good as a silver mine;
To see her dance so graceful,
I could faint with radiant love,
If ever the Custum house a hornpipe dance
If ever I cease to love.
May we never have to pat the Income Tax,
If ever I cease to love.

[Chorus]

If ever I cease to love,
If ever I cease to love,
May we all turn into cats and dogs,
If ever I cease to love.

[Verse 4]

May all the seas turn into ink,
May black be turned to white
May the pumpkins grow on apple trees,
May cow lay eggs, may fowls yield milk.
May the hawk become a dove,
May beggars refuse to eat cold meat,
If ever I cease to love,
May I be frozen to death with heat,
If ever I cease to love.

[Chorus]

If ever I cease to love,
If ever I cease to love,
May all the rivers run up hill,
If ever I cease to love.

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The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author.