To Will S. Hays.
"I Would Like to See
Ole Massa's Face Again." (1876)
As Sung By
Milton G. Barlow.
[Song and Chorus]
Words and Music by
John T. Rutledge.
Author of "DE OLE CHURCH IN DE LANE," "KISS AND
                    BE HAPPY AGAIN," etc., etc.

San Fransicso, Cal.: BLACKMAR & DAVIS
J. M. ARMSTRONG, MUSIC TYPESETTER, N. E. COR. CHESTNUT
  & 6TH STS., PHILADELPHIA.
[Source: b0580@UNC-CH]

1. I is gittin’ ole an’ gray, an’ I soon will pass away
From dis earth to better realms beyond de sky,—
Whar my heart will find its rest in dat Eden of the blest,
’Case I know it wont be long afore I die.
Dar’s but little rest for me, I’se unhappy as can be,
An’ my heart is filled wid sadness and wid pain;
But afore I goes away to day land of perfect day,
I would like to see ole Massa’s face again.

CHORUS [sung after each VERSE]
For de ole home is so drear, dar is nuffin’ left to cheer,
I’ll be lonely in de hours dat still remain;
But afore I got to rest in dat Eden of de blest,
I would like to see ole Massa’s face again.

2. When a boy I used to roam ’round dis good ole happy home,
Here I used to hoe de cotton an’ de corn,—
Here my heart was eber light, an’ de ole home eber bright,
Here no sorrow on my path would eber dawn.
But my heart is sad today, since de white folks went away,
An’ de wind comes sighin’ froo de corn an’ cane;
But afore I lebe dis earth, an’ de ole home of my birth,
I would like to see ole Masa’s face again.

3. Ole Missus she is dead, an’ de last words dat she said,
Has grown dearer to my heart from year to year,—
She is sleepin’ on de hill, by de good ole cotton mill,
An’ upon her grave I often drops a tear.
But I aint got long to weep o’er her form dat lies asleep,
For dey soon will lay me in de shady lane;
But afore I goes to rest in dat Eden of de blest,
I would like to see ole Massa’s face again.