 (New York: Firth, Pond and Co., 1853) Below, left: This is one of Foster's best-known songs, and still the state song of Kentucky. The recorded version of it you can play is performed by The 97th Regitmental String Band (see below). Below, right: Foster originally wrote the song in response to Stowe's novel as Poor Uncle Tom, Good Night, and the idiom he used indicates that the voice is that of a slave. The words to this draft are from the sketchbook of songs Foster kept during the 1850s. Foster never published the original song, but when Uncle Tom's Cabin was dramatized onstage, My Old Kentucky Home was often one of the songs. According to playbills in the archive, however, it was sung either by George Harris or by Topsy, not by Tom. | |
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As Sung by Christy's Minstrels '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! 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 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! |
University of Pittsburgh Library System 
 CLICK TO ENLARGE 'Tis summer, de darkeys am gay De corn top's ripe and de meadows in de bloom De birds make music all de day De young folks roll on de little cabin floor All merry all happy and bright By'm by Hard Times comes a knockin at de door Den poor Uncle Tom good night CHORUS: Oh good night, good night, good night Poor uncle Tom Grieve not for your old Kentucky home You'r bound for a better land Old Uncle Tom A few more days for to tote de weary load No matter it soon will be light A few more days for to totter on de road Den poor Uncle Tom Good night Dey hunt no more for de possum and de coon On de meadow, de hill and de shore Dey sing no more by de glimmer ob de moon On de bench by de old Cabin door De day goes by like a shadow on de heart Wid sorrow where all was delight De time has come when de darkeys hab to part Den poor uncle Tom good night. De head must bow and de back will hab to bend Whereber de darkey may go A few more days and de troubles all will end In de field wha de cotton had grow A few more days for to tote de weary load No matter it soon will be light A few more days for to totter on de road Den poor uncle Tom good night. |
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ARTISTS: The 97th Regimental String Band GUITAR & LEAD VOCALS: Mark "Mad Dog" Luce; BASS, HARMONICAS & VOCALS: Rick Moock; ALL OTHER STRINGS & VOCALS: VGO. Raise a Ruckus ℗ © 1991 Licensed for use by Smoothbore Music, Inc. Unauthorized duplication or downloading is prohibited. Audio encoding by Jama Coartney at the Digital Media Lab, Clemons Library, Univ. of Virginia |
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