Lyrics:
The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,
'Tis summer, the d—ies 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, good night!
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 the 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 d—ies have to part,
Then my old Kentucky Home, good night!
The head must bow and the back will have to bend,
Wherever the d—ey may go:
A few more days, and the trouble all will end,
In the field where the sugar-canes may 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, good night!
A copy of the 1853 sheet music for the song giving its title as “My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night” is held in the United States Library of Congress collection “Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, 1820-1860” and a digitized version may be viewed online at loc.gov
