Stephen Collins Foster: Verses about Music

De time is nebber dreary if de darkey nebber groans;
De ladies nebber weary wid de rattle of de bones:
Den come again Susanna by de gaslight ob de moon;
We'll tum de old Piano when de banjo's out ob tune.

Chorus:

Ring, ring de banjo! I like dat good old song,
Come again my true lub, Oh! wha you been so long?

The village bells are ringing,
And merrily they chime;
The village choir is singing,
For 'tis a happy time;
The chapel walls are laden
With garlands rich and gay,
To greet the village maiden
Upon her wedding day.
But summer joys have faded
And summer hopes have flown;
Her brow with grief is shaded,
Her happy smiles are gone;
Yet why her heart is laden,
Not one, alas! can say,
Who saw the village maiden
Upon her wedding day.
The village bells are ringing,
But hark, how sad and slow;
The village choir is singing
A requiem soft and low;
And all with sorrow laden
Their tearful tribute pay
Who saw the village maiden
Upon her wedding day.

1 Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me,
2 Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;
3 Sounds of the rude world heard in the day,
4 Lull'd by the moonlight have all pass'd a way!

5 Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,
6 List while I woo thee with soft melody;
7 Gone are the cares of life's busy throng, -
8 Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
9 Beautiful dreamer awake unto me!

10 Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea
11 Mermaids are chaunting the wild lorelie;
12 Over the streamlet vapors are borne,
13 Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn.

14 Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart,
15 E'en as the morn on the streamlet and sea;
16 Then will all clouds of sorrow depart, -
17 Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
18 Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!

ROUND de meadows am a-ringing
De darkeys' mournful song,
While de mocking-bird am singing,
Happy as de day am long.
Where de ivy am a-creeping,
O'er de grassy mound,
Dere old massa am a-sleeping,
Sleeping in de cold, cold ground.


Chorus:

Down in de corn-field
Hear dat mournful sound:
All de darkeys am a-weeping,—
Massa's in de cold, cold ground.


When de autumn leaves were falling,
When de days were cold,
'T was hard to hear old massa calling,
Cayse he was so weak and old.
Now de orange tree am blooming
On de sandy shore,
Now de summer days am coming,—
Massa nebber calls no more. (Chorus)

Massa make de darkeys love him,
Cayse he was so kind;
Now dey sadly weep above him,
Mourning cayse he leave dem behind.
I cannot work before to-morrow,
Cayse de tear-drop flow;
I try to drive away my sorrow,
Pickin' on de old banjo. (Chorus)

ROUND de meadows am a-ringing
De darkeys? mournful song,
While de mocking-bird am singing,
Happy as de day am long.
Where de ivy am a-creeping,
O?er de grassy mound,
Dere old massa am a-sleeping,
Sleeping in de cold, cold ground.


Chorus:

Down in de corn-field
Hear dat mournful sound:
All de darkeys am a-weeping,?
Massa?s in de cold, cold ground.


When de autumn leaves were falling,
When de days were cold,
?T was hard to hear old massa calling,
Cayse he was so weak and old.
Now de orange tree am blooming
On de sandy shore,
Now de summer days am coming,?
Massa nebber calls no more. (Chorus)

Massa make de darkeys love him,
Cayse he was so kind;
Now dey sadly weep above him,
Mourning cayse he leave dem behind.
I cannot work before to-morrow,
Cayse de tear-drop flow;
I try to drive away my sorrow,
Pickin? on de old banjo. (Chorus

I long for thee; must I long and long in vain?
I sigh for thee; will thou come not back again?
Though cold forms surround us
To sever all that bound us,
Gentle queen of my song.
The fields and the fair flowers shall welcome thee,
And all to thy pleasures shall belong;
Pride of my early years,
Thou art the queen of my song.

The days are gone, days of summer bright and gay,
The days of love we so fondly whiled away;
But still while I'm dreaming
Thy smiles are o'er me beaming,
Gentle queen of my song.
The wind o'er the lone meadow wails for thee,
The birds sing thy beauties all day long;
Pride of my early years,
Thou art the queen of my song.

I turn to thee; though our happy hours have flown?
I turn to thee; and my saddest thoughts are gone,
For love will be burning
And memory still returning,
Gentle queen of my song.
Come let thy warm heart rejoice with me,
Come from the bright and luring throng;
Pride of my early years,
Thou art the queen of my song.

Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor;
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears;
Oh, hard times come again no more.


Chorus:

'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,
Hard times, hard times, come again no more,
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door,
Oh, hard times, come again no more.


While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay,
There are frail forms fainting at the door;
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say
Oh, hard times come again no more.

Chorus

There's a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away,
With a worn heart whose better days are o'er:
Though her voice would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,
Oh, hard times come again no more.

Chorus

'Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,
'Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore,
'Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave,
Oh, hard times come again no more.

Chorus

Nelly Bly! Nelly Bly! bring de broom along,
We'll sweep de kitchen clean, my dear, and hab a little song.
Poke de wood, my lady lub,
And make de fire burn,
And while I take de banjo down,
Just gib de mush a turn.

Heigh! Nelly Ho! Nelly, listen lub to me,
I'll sing for you play for you, a dulcem melody.
Heigh! Nelly, Ho! Nelly, listen lub to me,
I'll sing for you, play for you a dulcem melody.

Nelly Bly hab a voice like de turtledove,
I hears it in de meadow and I hears it in de grove
Nelly Bly hab a heart warm as cup ob tea,
And bigger dan de sweet potato down in Tennessee.

Nelly Bly shuts her eye when she goes to sleep,
When she wakens up again her eyeballs gin to peep
De way she walks, she lifts her foot, and den she brings it down,
And when it lights der's music dah in dat part ob de town.

Nelly Bly! Nelly Bly! nebber, nebber sigh,
Nebber bring de tear drop to de corner ob your eye,
For de pie is made ob punkins and de mush is made ob corn,
And der's corn and punkins plenty lub a lyin in de barn.

De Camptown ladies sing dis song - Doo-dah! doo-dah!
De Camptown racetrack five miles long - Oh! doo-dah day!
I come down dah wid my hat caved in - Doo-dah! doo-dah!
I go back home wid a pocket full of tin - Oh! doo-dah day!


Chorus

Gwine to run all night! Gwine to run all day!
I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag - Somebody bet on de bay!


De long tail filly and de big black hoss - Doo-dah! doo-dah!
Dey fly de track and dey both cut across - Oh! doo-dah day!
De blind hoss sticken in a big mud hole - Doo-dah! doo-dah!
Can't touch bottom wid a ten foot pole - Oh! doo-dah day!

Chorus

Old muley cow come on to de track - Doo-dah! doo-dah!
De bob-tail fling her ober his back - Oh! doo-dah day!
Den fly along like a rail-road car - Doo-dah! doo-dah!
Runnin' a race with a shootin' star - Oh! doo-dah day!

Chorus

Seen dem flyin' on a ten mile heat - Doo-dah! doo-dah!
Round de race track, den repeat - Oh! doo-dah day!
I win my money on de bob-tail nag - Doo-dah! doo-dah!
I keep my money in an old tow-bag - Oh! doo-dah day!

Chorus

While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay
There are frail forms fainting at the door:
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say —
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.
Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears
While we all sup sorrow with the poor:
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears; —
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary; —
Hard Times, Hard Times, come again no more:
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.
3
There's a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away
— — With a worn heart whose better days are o'er:
Though her voice would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day —
— — Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.
Tis the song &c.
4
'Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,
— — 'Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore,
'Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave, —
— — Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.
Tis the song &c.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary;
Hard Times, Hard Times, come again no more;
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door,
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary;
Hard Times, Hard Times, come again no more;
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door,
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.

A NEGRO MELODY.

The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky Home;
'Tis summer, the darkies are gay;
The corn-top's ripe, and the meadow's in the bloom,
While the birds make music all the day.
The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,
All merry, all happy and bright;
By-'n'-by hard times comes a-knocking at the door,-
Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night!

Weep no more, my lady,
Oh, weep no more to-day!
We will sing one song for the old Kentucky Home,
For the old Kentucky Home, far away.

They hunt no more for the possum and the coon,
On the meadow, the hill, and the shore;
They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon,
On the bench by the old cabin door.
The day goes by like a shadow o'er the heart,
With sorrow, where all was delight;
The time has come when the darkies have to part,-
Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night!

The head must bow, and the back will have to bend,
Wherever the darkey may go;
A few more days, and the trouble all will end,
In the field where the sugar-canes grow.
A few more days for to tote the weary load,-
No matter, 'twill never be light;
A few more days till we totter on the road,-
Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night!

Weep no more, my lady,
Oh, weep no more to-day!
We will sing one song for the old Kentucky Home,
For the old Kentucky Home, far away.

De time is nebber dreary
If de darkey nebber groans;
De ladies nebber weary
Wid de rattle ob de bones:
Den come again Susanna
By de gaslight ob de moon;
We'll tum de old Piano
When de banjo's out ob tune.
2
Oh! nebber count de bubbles
While der's water in de spring:
De darkey hab no troubles
While he's got dis song to sing.
De beauties ob creation
Will nebber lose der charm
While I roam de old plantation
Wid my true lub on my arm.
Ring, ring de banjo!
I like dat good old song,
Come again my true lub,
Oh! wha you been so long.
3
Once I was so lucky,
— My massa set me free,
I went to old Kentucky
— To see what I could see:
I could not go no farder,
— I turn to massa's door,
I lub him all de harder,
— I'll go away no more.
— — Ring, ring de banjo! &c.
4
Early in de morning
— Oh a lubly summer day,
My massa send me warning
— He'd like to hear me play.
On de banjo tapping,
— I come wid duleem strain;
Massa fall a napping —
— He'll nebber wake again.
— — Ring, ring de banjo! &c.
5
My lub, I'll hab to leabe you
— While de ribber's running high:
But I nebber can deceibe you —
— So dont you wipe your eye.
I's guine to make some money;
— But I'll come anodder day —
I'll come again my honey,
— If I hab to work my way.
— — Ring, ring de banjo! &c.

1 The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,
2 'Tis summer, the darkies are gay,
3 The corn top's ripe and the meadow's in the bloom
4 While the birds make music all the day.
5 The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,
6 All merry, all happy and bright:
7 By'n by Hard Times comes a knocking at the door,
8 Then my old Kentucky Home, good night!

9 [Chorus] Weep no more, my lady, oh! weep no more to-day!
10 We will sing one song
11 For the old Kentucky Home,
12 For the old Kentucky Home, far away.

13 [Solo] They hunt no more for the possum and the coon
14 On the meadow, the hill and the shore,
15 They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon,
16 On the bench by the old cabin door.
17 The day goes by like a shadow o'er the heart,
18 With sorrow where all was delight:
19 The time has come when the darkies have to part,
20 Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night!

21 [Chorus] Weep no more, my lady, oh! weep no more to-day!
22 We will sing one song
23 For the old Kentucky Home,
24 For the old Kentucky Home, far away.

25 [Solo] The head must bow and the back will have to bend,
26 Wherever the darkey may go:
27 A few more days, and the trouble all will end
28 In the field where the sugar-canes grow.
29 A few more days for to tote the weary load,
30 No matter 'twill never be light,
31 A few more days till we totter on the road,
32 Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night!

33 [Chorus] Weep no more, my lady, oh! weep no more to-day!
34 We will sing one song
35 For the old Kentucky Home,
36 For the old Kentucky Home, far away.

As you've walked through the town on a fine summer's day,
The subject I've got, you have seen, I dare say;
Upon fences and railings, where ever you go,
You'll see the penny ballads sticking up, in a row;
The titles to read you may stand for a while,
And some are so odd, they will cause you to smile;
I noted them down as I read them along,
And I've put them together to make up my song.
Old songs! New songs! Ev'ry kind of song,
I noted them down as I read them along.
2
There was ' Abraham's Daughter ' ' Going out upon a spree, '
With ' Old Uncle Snow ' ' In the Cottage by the sea; '
' If your foot is pretty, show it ' ' At Lanigan's Ball; '
And ' Why did she leave him ' ' On the raging Canawl? '
There was ' Bonnie Annie ' with ' A jockey hat and feather; '
' I don't think much of you ' ' We were boys and girls together. '
' Do they think of me at home? ' ' I'll be free and easy still; '
' Give us now a good Commander ' with ' The Sword of Bunker Hill. '
3
' When this Cruel War is over, ' ' No Irish need apply, '
' For, every thing is lovely, and the Goose hangs high; '
' The Young Gal from New Jersey, ' ' Oh, wilt thou be my bride? '
And ' Oft in the Stilly Night ' ' We'll all take a ride. '
' Let me kiss him for his Mother, ' ' He's a Gay Young Gambolier; '
' I'm going to fight mit Sigel ' and ' De bully Lager-bier. '
' Hunkey Boy is Yankee Doodle ' ' When the Cannons loudly roar, '
' We are coming, Father Abraham, six hundred thousand more! '
4
' In the days when I was hard up ' with ' My Mary Ann, '
' My Johnny was a Shoemaker, ' or ' Any other Man! '
' The Captain with his whiskers ' and ' Annie of the Vale, '
Along with ' Old Bob Ridley ' ' A riding on a rail! '
' Rock me to sleep, Mother, ' ' Going round the Horn; '
' I'm not myself at all, ' ' I'm a Bachelor forlorn. '
' Mother, is the Battle over? ' ' What are the men about? '
' How are you, Horace Greeley, ' ' Does your Mother know you're out? '
5
' We won't go home till morning, ' with ' The Bold Privateer, '
' Annie Lisle ' and ' Zouave Johnny ' ' Riding in a Railroad Kerr; '
' We are coming, Sister Mary, ' with ' The Folks that put on airs. '
' We are marching along ' with ' The Four-and-Thirty Stars; '
' On the other side of Jordan ' ' Don't fly your Kite too high! '
' Jenny's coming o'er the Green, ' to ' Root Hog or die! '
' Our Union's Starry Banner, ' ' The Flag of Washington. '
Shall float victorious o'er the land from Maine to Oregon!