"Bird of the North" (Feb. 1852)
by George Frederick Root, 1820-1895

[Source: pages 132-136 of "The Academy Vocalist"]

[SOLO]
Lin-ger not, lin-get not, speed thee a-way,
Bird of the North, for the chill blast is nigh;
Fly to thy green sun-ny bow-ers so gay,
Sing while the soft words go mer-ri-ly by.
Lin-ger not, lin-ger not, why shouldst thou stay,
Na-ture no lon-ger is smil-ing for thee;
Blos-soms a-round thee are fad-ing a-way.
Hushed is thy mus-ic,  once hap-py and free.

[CHORUS]
Soon will the spring-time their beau-ty re-store,
Wood-land and val-ley now lone-ly and drear;
Then we will list to thy mu-sic once more,
Glad-ly, sweet song-ster, we'll wel-come thee home.


[SOLO and CHORUS with overlapping voices]
[SOLO]
Lin-ger not, lin-ger not, speed thee a-way,
Lin-ger not, lin-ger not, speed thee a-way, a-way,
speed thee a-way, speed thee a-way,
speed thee a-way, speed thee a-way,
speed thee a-way, a-way, a-way.
[CHORUS]
Lin-ger not, lin-ger not, speed thee a-way,
Bird of the North, for the chill blast is nigh;
Fly to the green sun-ny bow-ers so gay,
Sing while the soft winds go mer-ri-ly by.
Lin-ger not,
Lin-ger not,
Lin-ger not, lin-ger not, speed thee a-way, a-way.-g