I Love You Truly

Carrie Jacobs Bond (1862–1946)

Along with all the teachers and students of Luther Burbank School, I sang this song during our Wisconsin Centennial celebration in 1948, the composer, Carrie Jacobs Bond, being a Wisconsinite. We also sang two of her other hits, “Silver Threads Among The Gold,” and “When You Come to the End of a Perfect Day.” I had assumed, back then, that the songs were much older than they actually are, all having a very mid-19th century feel—which actually makes this song perfect to represent the beginning of the 20th century. In an effort to support her children, Ms. Bond took up songwriting after her husband’s death. Thankfully, she was successful.