"My Old Kentucky Home," (Stephen Foster)

Center for American Music, University of Pittsburgh

"My Old Kentucky Home" (originally titled "Poor Uncle Tom, Good Night!", and sometimes also titled "My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night!"



Lyrics

The lyrics, as originally composed by Foster, are:

Verse 1

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, goodnight.

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.

Verse 2

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 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 people have to part,

Then my old Kentucky home, goodnight.

Chorus

Verse 3

The head must bow and the back will have to bend,

Wherever the people 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, goodnight.

Chorus

Revised lyrics

In 1986, the only black member of the "Kentucky General Assembly" at the time heard a performance by Japanese visitors in which they sang the word "darkies"; he said the lyrics "convey connotations of racial discrimination that are not acceptable." Soon thereafter, the Assembly made some changes to the first verse and chorus, particularly replacing "darkies" with "people."

The sun shines bright in My Old Kentucky home,

'Tis summer, and people 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 today!

We will sing one song

For My Old Kentucky Home

For My Old Kentucky Home, far away.