"Goodnight, Ladies" is afolk song attributed toEdwin Pearce Christy, originally intended to be sung during aminstrel show. Drawing from an 1847 song by Christy entitled "Farewell, Ladies", the song as known today was first published on May 16, 1867.[1]
VERSE I: Goodnight, ladies! Goodnight, ladies! Goodnight, ladies! We're going to leave you now!
CHORUS: Merrily we roll along, roll along, roll along. Merrily we roll along, o'er the dark blue sea.
VERSE II: Farewell, ladies! Farewell, ladies! Farewell, ladies! We're going to leave you now!
CHORUS
VERSE III: Sweet dreams, ladies! Sweet dreams, ladies! Sweet dreams, ladies! We're going to leave you now!
CHORUS
Note: the "Merrily We Roll Along" chorus has the same melody as "Mary Had A Little Lamb".
Charles Ives quoted the song inA Symphony: New England Holidays (1897–1913): I. Washington's Birthday, towards the end of the movement.
Meredith Willson features the piece as the tenth number inThe Music Man (1957).
Bing Crosby included the song in a medley on his album101 Gang Songs (1961).
Lou Reed included a version of the song at the end of side two of his album TransformerTransformer (Lou Reed album) (1972).
