"Old Folks at Home" (1851)
Ethiopian Melody
As Sung by
Christy's Minstrels
Written and Composed
(Words and Music) by
Stephen Collins Foster, 1826-1864

1.
Way down upon de Swanee ribber,
Far, far away,
Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber,
Dere's wha de old folks stay.
All up down de whole creation,
Sadly I roam,
Still longing for de old plantation,
And for de old folks at home.

CHORUS 2 times
All de world am sad and dreary,
Eb'ry where I roam,
Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,
Far from de old folks at home.

2.
All round de little farm I wandered
When I was young,
Dem many happy days I squandered,
Many de songs I sung.
When I was playing wid my brudder
Happy was I.
Oh! take me to my kind old mudder,
Dere let me live and die.

(CHORUS 2 times)

3.
One little hut among de bushes,
One dat I love,
Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes,
No matter where I rove
When will I see de bees a humming
All round de comb?
When will I hear de banjo tumming
Down in my good old home?

(CHORUS 2 times)