Cat. #0979 (MFH #158) - As sung by Ollie Gilbert, Mountain View, Arkansas on March 11, 1970
VERSE 1
A laughin' baby boy
One evenin' at his play
Disturbed th house with noisy glee
I told 'im to be good
But he soon disobeyed
Soon he had forgot a word
That I had ever said
Call 'im to my side
Said, Son you must go t' bed
You have been very, very rude
He went to bed with tremblin' lips
N' tears in his eyes
Say, don't make me go to bed
An' I'll be good
VERSE 2
Our lives has been happy
Our boy in our hearts
Was so very, very, dear, you see
I hasten to his side
Heerd him takin' in his sleep
He didn't seem to know
That we were there
Took 'im in my arms
His body raked with pain
To ease th pain we did the best we could
It broke my heart to hear
Crying in his sleep
Don't make me go t' bed
An' I'll be good
VERSE 3
How sorrow filled our hearts
An' fear on our mind
When danger gather 'round
Th one we love
All night an' day we knelt, left his side
To give 'im up, it seemed we never could
It broke my heart to hear 'im say
Just before he died
Don't make me go t' bed
An' I'll be good