Talk:Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes

According to a note in the "Glee and Chorus Book" edited by J E NeCollins in 1911 and published by the American Book Company, the music "was written by Colonel R Mellish and sung by him at the Noblemen and Gentlemen's Catch Club". As an aside the form Ne- is the rarely seen (in English) feminine form of Mc- and indicates that J E was a woman. -- Derek Ross | Talk 17:57, 29 May 2009 (UTC) [reply ]

However, according to "Grove's dictionary of music and musicians", he cannot be the author:

So far as can be gathered the history of this tune is as follows: It appeared as a glee for three voices anonymously, and was published by S. Babb, the predecessor of Dale, between 1770 and 1780. It quickly superseded the [tune] by Linley, and soon became included in most glee collections at the end of the 18th century. After this period it was frequently sung as a solo.

The tune, with no apparent authority, has been attributed to Colonel R. Mellish, a member of one of the glee clubs, but if the dates of his birth and death (1777, 1817) be correct, it is impossible for him to have been the composer, for there are many copies extant bearing Babb's imprint, who most assuredly transferred his business to Dale soon after 1780, probably about 1783. Another irresponsible attribution, given in an American standard work, is to Mozart.

So unknown it is. -- Derek Ross | Talk 18:10, 29 May 2009 (UTC) [reply ]

Wasn't this song used by the Temperance movement in the United States? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.38.13.150 (talk) 19:09, 12 June 2015 (UTC) [reply ]

• I just added an item to ‘Versions and Uses" (Tyrone Power) but am missing the proper syntax. Can you help ? — RayBirks (talk) 18:08, 21 November 2022 (UTC) [reply ]
• I almost have it ! — RayBirks (talk) 18:33, 21 November 2022 (UTC) [reply ]

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