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    Chauncey Olcott (1858-1932)
and George Graff, Jr. (1886-1973)

      When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

    There's a tear in your eye,
    And I'm wondering why,
    For it never should be there at all.
    With such pow'r in your smile,
    Sure a stone you'd beguile,
    So there's never a teardrop should fall.
    When your sweet lilting laughter's
    Like some fairy song,
    And your eyes twinkle bright as can be;
    You should laugh all the while
    And all other times smile,
    And now, smile a smile for me.

        When Irish eyes are smiling,
        Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.
        In the lilt of Irish laughter
        You can hear the angels sing.
        When Irish hearts are happy,
        All the world seems bright and gay.
        And when Irish eyes are smiling,
        Sure, they steal your heart away.

    For your smile is a part
    Of the love in your heart,
    And it makes even sunshine more bright.
    Like the linnet's sweet song,
    Crooning all the day long,
    Comes your laughter and light.
    For the springtime of life
    Is the sweetest of all
    There is ne'er a real care or regret;
    And while springtime is ours
    Throughout all of youth's hours,
    Let us smile each chance we get.

        When Irish eyes are smiling,
        Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.
        In the lilt of Irish laughter
        You can hear the angels sing.
        When Irish hearts are happy,
        All the world seems bright and gay.
        And when Irish eyes are smiling,
        Sure, they steal your heart away.

 


Chancellor Olcott and George Graff, Jr. wrote When Irish Eyes Are Smiling for the 1912 musical The Isle O'Dreams. It can be found in:
  • Klein, Patricia S., ed. Random House Treasury of Year-Round Poems. New York: Random House, 2006.