[Sheet music] Just Try to Picture Me Back Home in Tennessee

Sheet music for the song titled 'Just Try To Picture Me Back Home In Tennessee', composed by Walter Donaldson with lyrics written by William Jerome. This copy was published by Waterson, Berlin & Snyder Co., New York in 1915. It was made famous by the American singer Al Jonson. The lyrics of this song are written from the perspective of someone who is returning to Tennesee imagining how he will be greeted by friends and family upon his return.

It is interesting to note that this song was largely referred to as 'My Home in Tennessee', in Australian newspapers during 1917. References to the song in 1918 usually referred to it with the title "Back home in Tennessee". Offically, the song was titled 'Just try to picture me back home in Tennesee'.

Walter Donaldson was an American composer who wrote more than 600 songs with many songs produced for Broadway and Hollywood movies. During the First World War, he entertained American soldiers at Camp Upton, New York for just over 1 1/2 years before joining the publishing firm of Irving Berlin. His first Broadway hit came in 1918 with 'My Mammy', performed by Al Jonson in the show 'Sinbad'. Donaldson later established his own music publishing company in 1928. Three of his songs featured in the film adaption of the stage show 'Whoopee', released in 1930 - 'Makin' Whoopie', 'Love Me or Leave Me' and 'My Baby Just Cares for Me'. Donaldson composed songs in a variety of styles which have been recorded by pop and jazz singers including Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra. During the Second World War, he again entertained troops but this time in Southern California. He also opened his home in Santa Monica to soldiers on leave during this period.

William Jerome was an American songwriter born to Irish immigrant parents. In 1891, he composed the song 'He Never Came Back' which went on to become the hit of the musical 'Sinbad'. He collaborated with songwriter Jean Schwartz to create many popular songs during the 1900s and early 1910s with the duo reportedly becoming two of the best recognised songwriters of the first decade of the 1900's. Schwartz and Jerome also formed their own sheet music publishing company and Jerome continued to publish music after they stopped working together. He published George M Cohan's song 'Over There' in 1917 and sold the publishing rights for $25000, which was a record at the time.

Towards the bottom of this page is a sound recording of this sheet music, or a parody, that was created as part of the Music and the First World War project. More information about this recording, including names of the performers, can be found on the catalogue record for the sound recording. A link to the catalogue record for the sound recording can be found at the bottom of this page, under the heading ‘Related objects’ where it can be identified with the prefix [sound recording].