Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?

Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home? Music by: Hughie Cannon
Arranged for flute choir by Ricky Lombardo
Published by Lombardo Music Publications
Includes score and parts

Instrumentation:

Part 1: C Flute
Part 2: C Flute
Part 3: C Flute
Part 4: C Flute
Part 5: Alto flute OR C Flute
Part 6: Bass Flute OR C Flute
Part 7: Contrabass Flute

American born composer Hughie Cannon wrote this piece at the age of 16, and it was published in 1902.  The song tells the story of Bailey, a railroad worker, whose wife kicks him out for his drinking and philandering.  Bailey comes into a fortune, and his former wife sees him drive past in a new car.  The song's famous chorus is her crying out to him.  This piece is still a favorite with Dixieland bands, and has been covered by many jazz artists including Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Durante, Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Darin and Della Reese.  It is wrtten in the ragtime genre, and has a spirited, syncopated style that is suitable for a wide variety of performances.