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"My Old Kentucky Home" is the state song of Kentucky. It was written by Stephen Foster in 1853 and was adopted by the Kentucky General Assembly as the official state song on March 19, 1928.
The song was inspired by Foster's visit to Federal Hill Mansion, the home of his cousins, the Rowans, in Bardstown, Kentucky. Rowan's wife was given land by her father William Lytle, a member of the prominent Lytle family of Cincinnati, and there Rowan built his home. This house, now part of "My Old Kentucky Home" State Park, appears on the Kentucky state quarter.
The original song describes a scene of life on a slave plantation. Some view the song as a racist view of an idyllic time of slavery, while others, including abolitionist Frederick Douglass, saw the song as sympathetic to slaves. In 1986, the Kentucky General Assembly adopted a version unlikely to cause offense in which the word "darkies" was changed to "people."
"My Old Kentucky Home" is traditionally sung annually at the Kentucky Derby to music by the University of Louisville marching band. The tradition began sometime between 1921 and 1930, by which time it was established as the music played while the horses are led to the post parade. Churchill Downs, home of the Derby, has had since 1982 a race named the Stephen Foster Handicap. * The University of Kentucky band also plays the song at their college's basketball and football games. Fans consider it to be a major breach of etiquette to sing any lyrics preceding "Weep no more, my lady..."
Lyrics
The lyrics to the first verse and chorus are
The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,
Tis summer, the people* 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 my old Kentucky home
For the old Kentucky home, far away.
- * original words: "darkies"
- In 1970 Randy Newman wrote and recorded an adapted version of the song. Newman's version contains a much less sentimental view of Kentucky life.
External links
1853 songs | Blackface minstrel songs | Kentucky | Songs by Stephen Foster | Songs popular at sporting events | United States state songs
"My Old Kentucky Home"