| "Two Little Boys" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Songwriter(s) | Edward Madden |
| Composer(s) | Theodore F. Morse |
"Two Little Boys" is a sentimental song about two friends who grow up to be soldiers. Recorded as early as 1903 in the United States, it became an international hit for Australian Rolf Harris 66 years later. It was published in 1903[1] by American composer Theodore F. Morse and lyricist Edward Madden.
The first of numerous recordings was by American singer Billy Murray who released it in the United States in 1903 with the title "When We Were Two Little Boys".[2][3] It became a popular music hall song of the time. Sheet music published in the United States in 1903 has a photograph of vaudeville singer and recording artist Dan W. Quinn, with the words "Successfully sung by Dan W. Quinn".[4]
The song parallels a childhood incident, the two boys playing soldier with wooden horses, and a dramatic battlefield rescue when they have grown up to be soldiers. The war referred to in the song is not identified.
The song may have inspired others, such as "Two Little Sailor Boys", also by Madden, 1906,[5] and The Four Virginians' "Two Little Lads", which used the same melody to tell a different story, as well as lesser lyric changes, such as the bluegrass band The Country Gentlemen referring to the fallen soldier as the other's "brother" instead of "comrade" in their 1962 version.
In 1969, the song became a No. 1 single in the United Kingdom for Australian entertainer Rolf Harris, and some believed the song had Crimean War or Boer War origins.