My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night

Words & Music: Stephen Foster

Source:Sheet music

Publisher: Firth and Pond, NY

Year: 1853
Source location: Sibley Library, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester

 

This song is the last in the Jack Morgan Songster ("Collected by a Captain in Lee's Army"). It has also become my customary closing number. As such it is the most requsted song I have never recorded, but that may be soom remedied.

While 'Old Folks at Home' is mentioned more often in period literature, this song, to me, captures a sort of homey meloncholy that describes the period so well.

I have seen period versions where folks is replaced with darkies in the first verse, but not in the second. This version is also from a period source. I have taken the liberty therefore of doing the same swap in my recording; no sense loosing the effect of the song due to changing attitudes and meanings of words. I seldom take such liberties, in fact this may be a first for me. Bu here is the original of the version I have:

 

 

 

My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night
(Stephen Foster Pub: Firth & Pond, NY. 1853)

The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home
'Tis summer, the folks there are gay
The corn top's ripe and the meadow's in 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 come a-knocking at the door
Then my old Kentucky home good night

(chorus)
Weep no more, my lady
Oh, weep no more, today
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 meadow, the hill and the shore,
They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon,
On the bench by that 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 poor folks may go
A few more days and the trouble will end,
In the field where sugar-canes may 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.

 

 

 


Click here to download the MID file.