My old Kentucky home (Stephen Collins Foster)

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• CPDL #21463:          (Sibelius 4)

Editor: Ashley Etzkorn (submitted 2010-04-18).   Score information: 18.6 x 26.4, 1 page, 124 kB   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes: MusicXML source file(s) in compressed .mxl format.

General Information

Title: My Old Kentucky Home
Composer: Stephen Collins Foster

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB

Genre: Secular, Partsong

Language: English
Instruments: Optional piano

{{Published}} is obsolete (code commented out), replaced with {{Pub}} for works and {{PubDatePlace}} for publications.

Description: This song embodies some of the best characteristics of American negro music and is, in truth, fitted to rank with the best legendary folk-songs of any land.

External websites:

Original text and translations

English text

1. The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,
'Tis summer. The darkies are gay;
The corntop'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 aknocking at the door,
Then my old Kentucky home, good night!

Chorus:
Weep no more, my lady,
O weep no more today!
We will sing one song for the old Kentucky home,
For the old Kentucky home far away.

2. 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!
Chorus

3. The head must bow and the back will have to bend,
Wherever the darky may go;
A few more days, and the trouble all will end,
In the field where the sugarcanes 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!
Chorus