Lyrics:
Round de meadows am a-ringing
De d—eys' mournful song,
While de mocking bird am singing,
Happy as de day am long.
Where de ivy am a-creeping
O'er de grassy mound,
Dare old massa am a-sleeping,
Sleeping in de cold, cold ground.
chorus:
Down in de cornfield
Hear dat mournful sound:
All de d—eys am a-weeping,
Massa's in de cold, cold ground.
When de autumn leaves were falling,
When de days were cold,
'Twas hard to hear old massa calling,
Cayse he was so weak and old.
Now de orange tree am blooming,
On de sandy shore,
Now de summer days am coming,
Massa nebber calls no more.
Massa make de d—eys love him,
Cayse he was so kind,
Now, dey sadly weep above him,
Mourning cayse he leave dem behind.
I cannot work before tomorrow,
Cayse de tear drops flow,
I try to drive away my sorrow
Pickin' on de old banjo.
A copy of the original 1852 sheet music for the song (giving the title as “Massa's in de Cold Ground“) is held in the Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at the Johns Hopkins Sheridan Libraries & University Museums and may be viewed online at levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu
