“Come In and Shut the Door”
The fiddle sang to itself, listening… Then the fiddle began to laugh and Pa’s voice laughed as he sang… — These Happy Golden Years, Chapter 25, “The Night Before Christmas”
Come In and Shut the Door was written around 1862 by “J.P.H.” (unknown) with music by J.G. Callcott, a composer of songs and dance music. In These Happy Golden Years, Pa is playing his fiddle on Christmas eve 1884, and he stops to listen before beginning this song. As Pa is singing, there is a knock at the door, and Almanzo Wilder arrives unexpectedly, just in time for Christmas. In the manuscript for These Happy Golden Years, Wilder wrote: “Then he began to play again and there was a laugh in his voice as he looked toward the door and sang…” There has been speculation that Pa knew that Almanzo was returning early from his trip and was expecting him that evening. Charles Ingalls did correspond via letter with Almanzo and Royal Wilder while they were away earlier in the winter; a letter from Pa to the brothers is on display at the Laura Ingalls Wilder / Rose Wilder Lane Home and Museum in Mansfield, Missouri. In his letter, Pa indicates that he had received at least one letter from the Wilders.
While the story in These Happy Golden Years is that Almanzo and Royal left De Smet in the fall to return to their old home in Spring Valley, Minnesota, for a visit, they left town with the intent of visiting the Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition being held in New Orleans, Louisiana. They intended to spend the winter on the road and return in time to plant crops in the spring. Apparently the Wilders were also in search of farmland “far enough south to be out of the blizzards” [letter from Charles Ingalls dated November 19, 1884]. In his letter, Pa suggests that he would consider a move south as well! Whether the Wilders made it to Louisiana is unclear, and whether both Almanzo and Royal returned to De Smet at the same time is also not known.
1. Oh do not stand so long outside
Why need you be so shy?
The people’s ears are open, John
As they are passing by!
You cannot tell what they may think
They’ve said strange things before
And if you wish to talk a while
Come in and shut the door.
[chorus] Come in, come in, come in
Come in and shut the door.
2. Nay do not say “No thank you Jane”
With such a bashful smile
You said when ladies whisper “No”
They mean “Yes” all the while
My father too will welcome you
I told you that before
It don’t look well to stand out here
Come in and shut the door.
3. You say I did not answer you
To what you said last night
I heard your question in the dark
Thought on it in the light
And no my lips shall utter
What my heart has said before
Yes dearest I will but wait a while
Come in and shut the door.
(from These Happy Golden Years)
Oh, do not stand so long outside,
Why need you be so shy?
The people’s ears are open, John,
As they are passing by!
You cannot tell what they may think
They’ve said strange things before
And if you wish to talk awhile,
Come in and shut the door!
Come in! Come in! Come in!
Come in and shut the door!
CLICK HERE to listen.
Click on the above images to view a copy of 1860s sheet music of “Come In and Shut the Door.” The copy shown indicates that the song was composed by Frederick Buckley of Buckley’s Serenaders, published by Oliver Ditson & Co., 1862. At the time, copyright laws allowed anyone with a copy of the music to take out a copyright in their name.
This music is archived in the Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music, part of Special Collections at the Milton S. Eisenhower Library of The Johns Hopkins University. The collection contains over 29,000 pieces of music and focuses on popular American music from 1780-1960.
The California Sheet Music Project archives a copy of “Come in and Shut the Door” with lyrics by “J.P.H.” To search the collection, see: http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/~mkduggan/neh.html. The California Sheet Music Project is a virtual library of over 2000 pieces of music published between 1852 and 1900.
“Come In and Shut the Door” (THGY 25)
“Oh do not stand so long outside…”