Stephen Foster - My Old Kentucky Home Guitar Chord Chart printable pdf download

Stephen Foster - My Old Kentucky Home Guitar Chord Chart

My Old Kentucky Home

(a.k.a. "Poor Uncle Tom, Goodnight")

Words & Music:

Stephen Foster

This is Kentucky's state song. "Poor Uncle Tom, Goodnight" was the original 1850 title. The

publisher renamed it "My Old Kentucky Home" in 1853. I've given both the original words (in all their

antebellum "glory") and the modern lyrics, which were revised by House Resolution 159 in 1986. Jay

Buckey has arrangements of this on his site.

Original Lyrics (1853)

The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,

'Tis summer, the darkies are gay;

The corn-top's ripe and the meadow's in the bloom,

While the birds make music all the day.

The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,

All merry, all happy and bright;

By 'n' by Hard Times comes a-knocking at the door,

Then my old Kentucky home, goodnight.

CHORUS:

Weep no more, my lady.

Oh! weep no more today!

We will sing one song for the old Kentucky home,

For the Old Kentucky Home far away.

They hunt no more for the possum and the coon,

On meadow, the hill and the shore,

They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon,

On the bench by the old cabin door.

The day goes by like a shadow o'er the heart,

With sorrow, where all was delight,

The time has come when the darkies have to part,

Then my old Kentucky home, goodnight.

CHORUS:

The head must bow and the back will have to bend,

Wherever the darky may go;

A few more days, and the trouble all will end,

In the field where the sugar-canes grow;

A few more days for to tote the weary load,

No matter, 'twill never be light;

A few more days till we totter on the road,

Then my old Kentucky home, goodnight.

CHORUS:

Stephen Foster - My Old Kentucky Home Guitar Chord Chart