<BGSOUND SRC="aftertheball.mid" loop=infinite>
AFTER THE BALL
1892
Words and Music by Charles K. Harris (1867-1930)(Info)


 Cover/Sheet Music


 CoverPage 1 Page 2   Page 3  Page 4

(4-Bar Intro)

Verse 1

                          Bb        Bb6  Bb                      F7
                          A LIT-TLE MAID-EN CLIMBED AN OLD MAN'S KNEE,
                           F7                              Bb
                           BEGGED FOR A STO-RY, "DO UN-CLE PLEASE,"
                            Bb                   G7         C° G7 Cm
                            WHY ARE YOU SIN-GLE, WHY LIVE A-LONE?
                            Eb   E°     Bb G7    G7   F7     Eb Ebm Bb
                            HAVE YOU NO BA-BIES, HAVE YOU NO HOME?
                          Gm      E7           Eb7    F7     Eb Bb Bb7
                          I HAD A SWEET-HEART, YEARS, YEARS, A- GO,
                          Eb    Eb°    Bb   Gm   C7            Ebm  F7
                          WHERE SHE IS NOW, PET, YOU WILL SOON KNOW,
                            Bb                  G7           Cm  G7  Cm
                            LIST TO THE STO-RY, I'LL TELL IT ALL,
                        Eb Eb°           Bb    G7    C7 G7      Bb F7
                        I  BE-LIEVED HER FAITH-LESS, AF-TER THE BALL.

Verse 2

                     Bb                 Bb6   Bb               F7
                     BRIGHT LIGHTS WERE FLASH-ING IN THE GRAND BALL-ROOM,
                          F7                                 Bb
                          SOFT-LY THE MU-SIC, PLAY-ING SWEET TUNES.
                         Bb                         G7         C° G7 Cm
                         THERE CAME MY SWEET-HEART, MY LOVE MY OWN,
                           Eb E°        Bb G7   C7    F7   Eb Em Bb
                           I  WISH SOME WA-TER, LEAVE ME A-LONE!
                         Gm        E7           Eb7   F7    Eb Bb Bb7
                         WHEN I RE-TURNED DEAR, THERE STOOD A  MAN,
                           Eb   Eb°    Bb     Dm   C7         Ebm  F7
                           KISS-ING MY SWEET-HEART AS LOV-ERS CAN.
                        Bb                        G7             Cm G7 Cm
                        DOWN FELL THE GLASS, PET, BROK-EN THAT'S ALL,
                           Eb   Eb°   Bb    G7   C7 F7      Bb    F7
                           JUST AS MY HEART WAS, AF-TER THE BALL.

Verse 3

                        Bb              Bb6    Bb                   F7
                        LONG YEARS HAVE PASSED CHILD -- I'VE NEV-ER WED,
                           F7                               Bb
                           TRUE TO MY LOST LOVE, THOUGH SHE IS DEAD,
                           Bb                    G7          C° G7 Cm
                           SHE TRIED TO TELL ME, TRIED TO EX-PLAIN,
                         Eb E°        Bb  G7   C7    F7        Eb Ebm Bb
                         I  WOULD NOT LIS-TEN, PLEAD-INGS WERE VAIN,
                            Gm        E7      Eb7   F7   Eb   Bb C7
                            ONE DAY A LET-TER CAME, FROM THAT MAN,
                             Eb Eb°     Bb    Gm C7          Ebm F7
                             HE WAS HER BROTH-ER THE LET-TER RAN,
                            Bb                      G7         Cm G7 Cm
                            THAT'S WHY I'M LONE-LY, NO HOME AT ALL,
                           Eb Eb°       Bb     G7   C7 F7      Bb   F7
                           I  BROKE HER HEART, PET, AF-TER THE BALL.

Chorus

                     Bb         Eb      Bb                      Db° F7
                     AF-TER THE BALL IS O-VER, AF-TER THE BREAK OF  MORN,
                  Cm         Gm        A7   Cm   F7                   F
                  AF-TER THE DANC-ER'S LEAV-ING, AF-TER THE STARS ARE GONE;
                    Bb      Eb       Bb       G7                     C7
                    MAN-Y A HEART IS ACH-ING, IF YOU COULD READ THEM ALL;
                           F7                         Bb  G7
                           MAN-Y THE HOPES THAT HAVE VAN-ISHED,
                                     F7         Bb
                                     AF-TER THE BALL.