Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me

Sadly I roam, Still longing for de old plantation, And for de old folks at home.

All up and down the whole creation, Sadly I roam, Still longing for the old plantation, And for the old folks at home.

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, good night!

Gone are the days when my heart was young and gay, Gone are my friends from the cotton fields away, Gone from the earth to a better land I know, I hear their gentle voices calling "Old Black Joe."

Oh I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee, I'm going to Louisiana, my true love for to see It rained all night the day I left, the weather it was dry The sun so hot I froze to death; Susanna, don't you cry. Oh, Susanna, don't you cry …

Her neck is bared—the blow is struck—the soul has pass'd away; The bright—the beautiful—is now a bleeding piece of clay!— A solemn text! Go, think of it, in silence and alone, Then weigh against a grain of sand the glories of a throne!