"'Twill Be Summer Time By and By" (1865)
Words by L. J. Bates
Music by Joseph Philbrick Webster, 1819-1875

1.
Under the snow are the rovers of June;
Cold in our bosoms the hops of our youth;
Gone are the wildbirds that warbled in tune;
Mute are the lips that have pledg'd us their truth.

CHORUS
Wind of the winter night, lonely as I,
Wait we the dawn of the bright by-and-by.

Roses shall bloom again;
Sweet love will come again;
It will be summer-time, by-and-by.

REFRAIN 2 times
By-and-by by-and-by,
It will be summer-time, by-and-by.

2.
Patience and toil are the meed of today --
Toil without recompense patience in vain;
Darkness and terror lie thick on our way;
Our footsteps keep time with the angel of pain.

CHORUS
Wind of the winter night far in the sky,
Watch for the day of dear by-and-by.

Parch'd lips shall quaff again;
Sad souls shall laugh again;
Earth will be happier, by-and-by.

(REFRAIN 2 times)

3.
Cruel and cold is the judgement of man --
Cruel as winter and cold as the snow;
But by-and-by will the deed and the plan
Be judged by the motive that lieth below.

CHORUS
Wail of the winter wind, echo our cry,
Pray for the dawn of the sweet by-and-by.

When hope shall spring again;
When joy shall sing again;
Truth will be verified, by-and-by.

(REFRAIN 2 times)

4.
Weary and heartsick we totter along;
Feeble the back, though the burden be large;
Broken the purpose, and hushed is the song;
Why should we linger on life's little barge?

CHORUS
Wind of the winter night, hush! and reply
Is there, oh! is there a glad by-and-by?

Will dark grow bright again;
Burdens grow light again,
And faith be justified, by-and-by.

(REFRAIN 2 times)

5.
Dreary and dark is the midnight of war;
Distant and dreamy the triumph of right;
Homes that are desolate, hearts that are sore,
Soon shall the morningstar gladden our sight.

CHORUS
Wail of the winter wind, so like a sigh,
Herald the dawn of the blest by-and-by.

Freedom shall reign again,
Peace banish pain again;
Right will be glorified, by-and-by.

(REFRAIN 2 times)