"A Jolly Good Laugh" ([c1872;] 1873)
The Celebrated
Laughing Song
from the cantata of the
PICNIC [1869]
[Words by George Cooper, 1840-1927]
Composed by
John Rogers Thomas, 1830-1896

New York: C. H. Ditson & Co., 711 Broadway
Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co.
Chicago: Lyon & Healy
Cincinnati: John Church & Co.
Boston: J. C. Haynes & Co.
Philadelphia: Lee & Walker
Plate No. 27292
[Source: 1873-01240@LoC]

1. O, I love, O, I love a good laugh, ha! ha! 
For a wonderful thing is a laugh, ha! ha! 
Why, it’s better than all the tears. 
That a body could shed for years 
And there’s nothing so good as a laugh 
It’s a charm for the darkest ills, ha! ha! 
And it lightens the doctor’s bills, ha! ha! 
Why it’s food and, it’s sun, and it’s air, ha! ha! 
And it drives to the wall old care, ha! ha! 
O, there’s nothing so good by half, 
As a jolly good hearty laugh. 
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, 
As a jolly good hearty laugh! 
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, 
As a jolly good hearty laugh.

2. So I love, so I love a good laugh, ha! ha!
For a wonderful thing is a laugh, ha! ha! 
Why, there’s laughter in ev’ry thing, 
In the rivers, and birds that sing; 
And there’s nothing so good as a laugh! 
Don’t be moody, and grow so thin, ha! ha! 
If you ne’er tried a laugh, begin, ha! ha! 
So laugh, and you’ll soon confess, ha! ha! 
That your shadow will not grow less, ha! ha! 
O, there’s nothing as good by half, 
As a jolly good hearty laugh. 
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, 
As a jolly good hearty laugh! 
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, 
As a joly good hearty laugh.