I have always tried to imagine what a young girl listening to this song would have gleaned from its "wisdom." Basically, it says women are not to be trusted and may fall victim to their emotional shortcomings. There are many songs of this ilk, despite the fact that it was far more common for a man to abandon his family than for a woman to do so.

I have always tried to imagine what a young girl listening to this song would have gleaned from its "wisdom." Basically, it says women are not to be trusted and may fall victim to their emotional shortcomings. There are many songs of this ilk, despite the fact that it was far more common for a man to abandon his family than for a woman to do so. There'll Come a Time was written by Charles K. Harris, the author of "After the Ball," the nation's first million-seller (of sheet music!). It was later taken up, as many parlor songs were, by old time and country musicians, who smoothed out the melody and shortened the verses, but kept the message. My version retains the original melody but gives it a little old-timey treatment.