To Mr. Milt. G. Barlow.
"My Ole Home in Alabama 'fo' de War" (1875)
Song and Chorus
Words by John T. Rutledge
[Music] Composed by H. P. Danks

Boston, MA: G. D. Russell & Company, 126 Tremont St.
Providence, RI: Cory Bros.
San Francisco, CA: McCurrie Weber & Co.
Armstrong & Co., Lith.
[Sources: 200000754@LoC/CMW;
1875-MUM00682_093]

1.
I’s a getin old and feeble, an’ my ha’r is turning gray,
An’ my feet am weary roaming ’round de earth,
An’ if I was only able I would soon be on my way,
Back to Dixie an’ de ole home of my birth;
But dar ain’t no use in trying, for I knows I cannot go,
An’ my heart is fill’d wid sadness an’ wid pain;
For my heart is bin a sighin for de friends I used to know,
For I’d like to see de ole home once again.

CHORUS [sung after each VERSE]
Dar’s but little consolation for a darkey ole as me,
Dar’s but one good place ob rest I eber saw;
Down upon de ole plantation ’twas as happy as could be,
My ole home in Alabama, ’fo’ de war.

2.
Oh, dar ain’t no use in weeping for de happy days dat’s gone,
For de happy days when I was at my home,
When we used to hoe de cotton an’ de sugar cane an’ corn,
An’ my feet was eber ready for to come.
But I’d like to go to Dixie for to see de home again,
Just to live at home anoder happy year.
Whar my heart would be so happy in de sunshine an’ de rain,
Wid de white folks an’ de darkeys eber near.