"How Can I Leave Thee, Land of the Vine" (1877)
Duett for Soprano and Tenor
Words and Music by
John Hill Hewitt, 1801-1890

[Source: manuscript photocopy from
John H. Hewitt papers #31 (OP3 9)
Special Collections,
The Robert W. Woodruff Library,
Emory University,
Atlanta, GA  30322-2870]

1. 
[SOPRANO]
How can I leave thee, land of the vine, 
In a strange land to weep and to pine? 
[TENOR]
Come fly with me, love, joy waits for thee 
In the rich bowers over the sea. 

[DUETT]
[SOPRANO]
Oh, how can I leave the land of me birth 
Where the heart rests­­ the heaven on earth 
Home ever dear to me­­ can I leave thee? no! 
[TENOR]
Nay, tarry not love; Come, come  with me! 
Land of the brave! the home of the free. 
Will you dearest­­ will you, darling go? 

[SOPRANO]
Beautiful flowers have we, 
[TENOR]
But none like those o’er the sea. 
[SOPRANO
Stars twinkle in our skies 
[TENOR]
None like thy deep blue eyes. 

[DUETT]
[SOPRANO]
No, no, no, no, I can’t leave me home, 
Even with you to roam. 
No, no, no, no, I can not leave 
My sweet native hills, my lov’d home. 
[TENOR]
Dearest come, come with me 
To my sweet home o’er the sea. 
Dearest, come come with me 
To my sweet home o’er the sea.

2.
[SOPRANO] 
But then, I love thee­­ how can we part? 
If I should loose thee, love ’twould break my heart. 
[TENOR]
Am I not thine, love, through weal and woe? 
Then shoudst be mine love, where e’er I go. 

[DUET]
[SOPRANO]
Oh, tempt me not, dearest, my heart clings  to home; 
Ne’er did I dream that from it I’d roam. 
Ah, can I part with thee, lov’d from childhood? no. 
[TENOR]
Come, come o’er the sea, And dwell with me. 
Beautiful birds sing welcome to thee. 
Ne’er must we part, love­­ will you, darling go? 

[SOPRANO]
Yes, I will go with thee 
[TENOR]
Happy and loving we’ll be. 
[SOPRANO]
Will you ne’er from me rove? 
[TENOR]
Not while I own your love. 

[DUETT]
[SOPRANO]
Yes, yes, yes, yes! I’ll leave my dear home, 
In a strange land to roam. 
Yes, yes, yes, yes, I’ll leave my home, 
My seet native hills, my lov’d home. 
[TENOR]
Dearest, come Come with me 
To my sweet home o’er the sea. 
Dearest, come come with me 
To my sweet home o’er the sea.