Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864), known as the "fat… Read Full Bio ↴Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864), known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century.
His songs — such as "Oh! Susanna", "Camptown Races", "Old Folks at Home" ("Swanee River"), "Hard Times Come Again No More", "My Old Kentucky Home", "Old Black Joe", "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair", and "Beautiful Dreamer" — remain popular over 150 years after their composition.

Old Folks at Home
Stephen C. Foster Lyrics

We have lyrics for 'Old Folks at Home' by these artists:

2nd South Carolina String Band Way down upon de Swanee Ribber, Far, far away, Dere's wha my…
Adelaide Hall Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Al Jolson Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
David Ball Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Deanna Durbin Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Don Byas I don't know I'm born, I'm only young I don't have…
Ed Wernov And His Orchestra Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Gene Krupa & His Orchestra Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Gene Krupa and His Orchestra Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…

Jennifer Ivester Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Julie London Way down upon the Swanee River far far away There's where…
Julie London With Jimmy Rowles And His Orchestra Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Mantovani & His Orchestra Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Mantovani and His Orchestra Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Paul Robeson Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Percy Humphrey Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…
Stephen Foster Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where…
The Mills Brothers Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away That's where m…

We have lyrics for these tracks by Stephen C. Foster:

Hard Times Come Again No More Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many…
Oh! Susanna I come from clabama With my banjo on my knee…

Susanna I come from clabama With my banjo on my knee…

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

TRACKS

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Comments from YouTube:

@evelyntsui1485

51w↑9

I love Stephen Foster’s music. Abided with me from Childhood to growing up.

@morningatsea

4y↑50

Thank you Tom Roush wherever you are for bringing American Heritage home.

@MusicOfTomRoush

4y↑7

Thank you!!!!

@anikomattison7568

3y↑1

Tom Roush you are still the best I bought 3 of your CDs!

@IdiotBoxProductionsTV

@@MusicOfTomRoush hero

@Brace67

I truly love Tom Roush’s beautifully performed traditional songs of America. It is all our loss to know that Tom died at age 66 after receiving a head injury following a fall.

@philiphowell1505

2y↑18

Many years ago when i used to play piano in our local puplic house in England , this song and many other songs from the south would have folks singinging and dancing, wonderful times and wonderful memories, always had to play shennandoah for a couple who would sing it together ,then barefoot days , thank you our cousins for great songs and happy memories.

@carolinafernandezb2245

3y↑7

I'm from Argentina and i love country, im musician and i like to play this old folk songs, thanks you for the work you make.

@alleksacha1

4y↑20

Hello from Russia! We were singing this song in the 5th grade on the music lessons. It was 10 years ago, but sometimes I feel it like it was yesterday.

@naliniismail4260

13w↑1

Si glad we can listen to these songs again. My mother always sang them to us, and I love them all.❤

@kliment4196

greetings from Florida I also love Russian music some of my favorites are Вот пуля просвистела. Чиж - Фантом. Коробейники

@myrnacox9770

2y↑2

My sweet Mom sang this song. I was born during World war 11. These songs had such meaning beyond words. Thank you.

@PooopBro420

1y↑11

i absolutely love this version!! it's so important we don't just remember our history but how people in history felt about their own history too

@patlong8240

7y↑65

I remember having a teacher many years ago, who loved the Stephen Foster music, and her little ones had to sing a lot of it. Well, it was the best thing that ever happened for me. I loved the sound of just about everything "Foster!" His songs carry so much history, and were so honest, they are not forgotten easily...especially when you sing them Tom. I really enjoy this, and played it two or three times just today! :-) Thank you Tom.

@emanuelarriola8065

That's so sweet

@josiasrodriguesdancer9702

4y↑1

Que fofo

@sagebrush7930

3y↑3

I have good old memories with the Stephen Foster music, too in South Korea.
I started elementary school in 1969 in South Korea. At that time I had learned lots of Stephen Foster music in music class, which includes Suwannee River, Oh Susanna, My old Kentucky home, etc.. Even in middle school, my music teacher tested harmonica play with Beautiful Dreamer, which I practiced a lot for good grade.
Beautiful Dreamer was the only song learned as English lyrics, and all other songs were used as Korean-translated lyrics.
After I emigrated to the U.S., I was surprised at that my children didn't learn Foster's songs in their school music classes.
Good to hear this song from YouTube algorithm, today.

@lucastheninjaed1659

Verdade nunca elas vão ser esquecidas

@sirchuggsolot2112

1y↑3

I was born and raised in Miami,when I was in elementary school in the 2nd grade our teacher would bring his keyboard and play this song, we would sing along with him but I didn't know where the Swannee was till I got older,got married and move to Lake City and was 20 mins from the Swannee and I would sing the song to my granddaughter.
It's a beautiful site to see and the springs that are adjacent from it are just as wonderful.

@aylazelanagrebiel3210

4y↑4

Puts me in mind of being a child in Florida going to stay with my grandparents. I’d give anything for that, both now have passed away, my gramma(meemaw) passed last December. Thank you for bringing back wonderful memories!

@user-jb9dn4tv7y

5y↑8

Thank you for your response by youself Mr.Tom Roush for my comment to your song 'Home on the Range ' . I met at first time with american old folks when I was a little school boy in the ocupied Japan after ＷＷⅡ, the most fevorite one are the all of the songs composed by Stephen Fsoster's. especially Olid forks at home , My old kentucky home & Gentle anny .I love your warm beautiful voice. Say koki kojima Japan.

@88Kigyo

3y↑5

No matter where you're from, this song immediately takes you back to your childhood days. Where we played in the woods, corn fields and backyards carefree and happy. Climbing trees, picking cherries, going on 'treasure' hunts in the woods or just driving around with our bikes until the sun set. Those memories make me happy, but they kind of hurt also. Everything has its time, and those times will never come back. I just hope I can make my son as happy and carefree as I was when I was young. The Korean song 고향의 봄 (spring in my hometown) also conveys this feeling.

@zuzannawisniewska4464

25w

My all time favorite instrumental, just love this song...from Fort Worth, Texas

@adriennekraft2381

6y↑24

I love the slide show. You express the emotions of the song so well. Great performance!

@guilherme1marchiori

5y↑14

This music makes me remember my good days back in South Dakota during the early 90th's. Good days. Good friends.

@simonsimons1252

6y↑7

You have some really amazing renditions of songs like this! Favorite indeed.

@grantn.9061

10w

Such a beautiful song. I had what seemed like a past life remembrance a little more than a year ago where I suddenly remembered me singing this gladly with a buddy on an old timey street with horses and carriages.

@natalya6091

3y↑1

Bless you dear Tom.What a lovely treat to make our day.

@MusicOfTomRoush

Thank you, Natalya, for your kind comments as always

@natalya6091

@@MusicOfTomRoush My pleasure.

@natalya6091

3y↑3

I am beside myself with excitement listenoing this really amazing song.Many thanks.🇷🇺

@froggiechar

2y↑2

Tom, I loved it, my friend! You are such a talented singer! God bless, Brother Charlie (Charles)

@rjwalker4153

27w↑1

Not many old time songs are so moving or get me near tears as much as this one. But this, Red Wing, Red River Valley, and Shenandoah come closest. All were great songs.

@seuradu8065

beautiful Tom Roush...! Thank you

@jozie9712

I remember studying Stephen Foster in high school, I'm glad you are willing to share his music. People need to hear these songs in order to understand the history, thank you.

@larryfukunaga9250

3y↑2

To listen to this Civil War masterpiece ushers in a rush of very warm, fond childhood memories of my time at Liholiho Elementary School in Honolulu, it was then that my Mom began teaching me to play folk songs on on my Horner Marine Band harmonica -- Golden Age of America..............

@tonysuvega

4y↑1

Lots a love from the Philippines

@thedylanshow1

16w

This was great thank you!

@1950dallas

6y↑34

Tom:
On your rendition of “Nellie was a Lady” you remarked that you seemed to be in a lose-lose situation with the lyrics, when a minor change from ‘dark Virginia bride’ to ‘dear Virginia bride.’ I like your honesty both to your listeners and to the music itself.

I’m retired college lit instructor and I introduced your music (having purchased the albums first) to my lit students on the subject of the words’ presentations. Racially and culturally mixed, my classes have almost universally preferred the original lyrics to any adjustments but approve of making the language modern. Foster’s music makes us to confront issues of race, history, politics, and love; this is what the music demands. Your beautiful arrangements remove much of the bite of the controversies, allowing us to go beyond the surface. We feel the loss of family, of home, of friends. This isn’t a song just about plantations but also of immigrants missing the old countries, of people relocating due to famine or job opportunities. My father’s family was Depressions era Okies who fled to California along Rt. 66. He told me how popular this song was with the other travelers—North and South.

Your honest treatment of the music allows us to feel these things. Keep it up!

PS: my students like your music and arrangements so much they asked to shut up and play more of your songs.

@MusicOfTomRoush

6y↑5

Thank you!

@DanielF892

4y↑2

It’s true you have good music

@adolfhonkler5532

3y↑1

Fuck modern language, everything modern is tainted and does not speak any truth.

@keen7609

2y↑1

@@MusicOfTomRoush Stop changing lyrics

@krawls

7y↑4

Great Tom!

@sebastianvella8992

Wonderful song.

@Jakielopez

6y↑7

good luck FSU's Modern Popular Music class

@Marquishimo

yo im about to take that, what happened?

@janethu9169

4y↑2

Beautiful

@MusicOfTomRoush

4y↑1

Thanks, Janet!

@velhogamer4464

A batida da musica é muito boa de ouvir chega a ser relaxante. AMEI 💖

@kennyboy8411

I miss my home state Florida

@JohnSmith-xp7qn

6y↑10

Thank you for staying true to history, Tom. I love your music!

@janethu9169

4y↑2

Thank U Tom. ❤️

@MusicOfTomRoush

You're welcome!!!

@helencampbell2248

6y↑2

Awesome song to Cheer a person up.

@lucastheninjaed1659

2y↑1

Quando eu ouço essa música eu sinto umas emoções tão bom que nem consigo expricar, eu imagino como deve ser a época que era foi feita, eu lembro de um lugar tranquilo no meio da floresta ouvindo os cantos dos pássaros mesmo sendo brasileiro

@wmcbarker4155

42w

tom you might of saved my life GOD works in mysterious ways you know

@athull08

14w

Tom died 2 and a half years ago

@user-jb9dn4tv7y

4y↑2

This song I learned when I was a middle school boy. I love this song too. Koki Kojima Japan

@MrSomebody-zh3cc

7y↑13

Finally! Thanks a lot, Tom.

@asitsaha9050

With beautiful music composition the present song is unique.

@daniellepessanha

2y↑2

Conheço a versão em português que é um hino religioso também da harpa cristã.Estou muito feliz em conhecer a versão original.

@allwinds3786

7y↑3

thanks much!

@lorenzolucchesi2876

Love this rendition!

@MusicOfTomRoush

Thanks, Lorenzo!

@lorenzolucchesi2876

@@MusicOfTomRoush Listed to your music all the time! You really have done a wonderful thing.

@MusicOfTomRoush

@@lorenzolucchesi2876 Thank you! That means a lot to me.

@jackcarter5101

2y↑2

Rest in Peace Mr Roush

@gahamhumphrey4812

This song brings emotion like no other

@jmrodas9

7y↑2

This is another nice old song. I wonder at times how people at that time actually lived as there were many things we are used to and take for granted that did not exist then. It makes me think about that. Among one of the things I wonder is what did they do to pass time when they had time on their hands. Nice to hear.

@BaronKimball

36w

You just got shared!

@henryhostetler1139

5y↑1

The first composition was written. Way down upon the pee Dee river.
My mother was a great Steven Foster fan. And passed the love to me

@janethu9169

How nice of U

@miguelaguilera2983

Thank you for this, didn't know this was the name of the song or that it was from 1851!

@DavidmGoetz

Somehow have never heard this song until now. Came across the lyrics in Peter Matthiessen's magnificent novel Shadow Country.

@hiroyasuokamura482

7y↑2

Good! From the movie, the Paddle boat reminds me of 'the old good America'. Thank you.

@mowisocram667

5y↑2

Love it. :)

@terrelll.howard8660

7y↑3

A classic

@robertbrookes2000

17w

I'm here because of a short story by John Wyndham called Pillar to Post in a book called The Seeds of Time.
Highly recommend it and all Wyndham's work, some of the deepest most poignant science fiction I've read.

@user-ky1tv7vh2y

中学校へ入って初めて習った英語の歌です。歌詞をつける前に、ミー・レ・ド・ミ・レ・ドと音符で歌ったのが新鮮でした。

@ILoveOldTWC

Suwanne River, in northern Florida.

@TheUnknownFurial

2y↑1

The single best performance of Old Folks at Home! Thank you Tom Roush! If you have a new place/site/streaming service we can purchase your version of the song on, please let me know :) (Edit: as the iTunes link doesn't seem to work for me)

@jackcarter5101

1y↑1

Tom Roush is deceased. Though another commenter tells me that his music is available on Amazon, but not iTunes.

@qing6045

@@jackcarter5101 RIP

@FidlerSongs

RIP Tom😥

@mariowoite8312

7y↑2

very wonderful Tom.
this is my music...
thank you!

@NippersLounge

6y↑2

Nice to hear these songs in there entirety, with no edits

@pgames1980

2y↑1

Music from the 19th century is seriously underrated

@helencampbell2248

SWEET !!

@ElectricalKim

6y↑2

Hello Mr. Roush, may I use a clip of this song for a tribute video for my father? Beautiful cover, thanks.

@MusicOfTomRoush

6y↑2

I would be honored! Thanks

@FrankHowell-if8pl

39w

I think he also wrote "Aura Lee." Elvis put lyrics to the melody to form "Love Me Tender."

@chipsdubbo4861

7y↑23

Will always be my State Song.

@MrBillfitz

7y↑3

I hope its the Alabama St. song just because as a boy that song painted a pic . of Alabama on my soul . If I'm wrong I'm sorry but nothing will change my boyhood impressions .

@mattbluesmantastic

6y↑2

That makes you racist as fuck...

@florida9962

@@MrBillfitz the suwanee river is not in Alabama

@sugarfree528

Florida State song.

@adaoalves5212

4y↑3

Aqui no meu país Brasil, temos uma linda versão como hino Evangélico desta música, chama se O Exilado, Lembranças da minha infância na igreja Prisbeteriana Independente do Brasil.

@typingcat

4y↑103

Came here after reading that they have changed the lyrics from "old plantation" to "childhood station". What does childhood station even mean, he lived near a train station?

@SeamHead33

4y↑21

i hate PC culture. history is too offensive for todays snowflakes

@mikebobson2768

3y↑9

It’s ridicules plantation did not always mean slaves. As far as I know it’s old Plantation. And fuck every yank from south East Florida.

@yotengoe7302

3y↑1

They did lmao

@chrisarchard2009

@@mikebobson2768 haha hell yea brother

@frankmartinez3020

3y↑5

What about the darkys lines, are they changing those too?🌚🌚🌚😂🤣😤🤫

5 More Replies...

@writerpatrick

It's funny how it's probably better known as Swannee River than it's proper title.
And the lyrics of folk music do change over time so it's acceptable to change lyrics. It's part of folk music's nature. This song just happens to come from a time when written music became readily available so there's less adaptation and change for more modern pieces.

@flanbiepinto2347

3y↑1

Any one on 2021

@GaZonk100

gee, it has a real 2/4 feel

@amandahemstreet6878

I wonder if A.j McLean, Howie dorough knows their state song of Florida

@MrBillfitz

7y↑4

I just discovered this genius and I have to admit that I'm well past my best before date so I hope Black folks don't think of me as a bigot if I use the words Mr. Stephen used when I pick .

@christinethilmany8519

4y↑9

tails of little women get me here the anime vision.

@kingebin9830

4y↑1

Mind giving a quick rundown as to how that happened?

@edmills2240

Fun fact:this is Florida’s state song!

@wullissessilva6641

6y↑1

I prefer the Brazilian version " O exilado"

@MusicOfTomRoush

6y↑3

I bet that you're from Brazil! LOL

@aj1218

10w↑1

Came here after alt history video on state anthems

@georgeswca

12w

Change "Darkeys" to "Darlin'" in the chorus and you have a respectable song.

@musictime6717

Is the Homeland Shore(also a song)'s hymn taken from this song ? Can anyone tell me?

@aannaibaho2956

Can someone please cover this song with slowly tempo😂
This song is amazing
From 21th century boy

@NemoNepersonne

3y↑2

Lovely banjo and a lovely melody. This is actually a song about a runaway slave who discovers amid mistreatment in the North that he misses his southern home on the plantation, where he lived in “one little hut among the bushes.” This song was written for Christy’s Minstrels well before the Civil War and performed in blackface. Foster was a western Pennsylvania boy who visited the South one time, briefly, but was anti-Abolition for years before changing his mind. He was raised in a prosperous home and quite well educated, but died broke, possibly gay, and probably by suicide, at 37, in New York. Today, flipped on its head and with lyrics changed, it is the theme song of retirees in Florida who long for their northern homes, so it makes a good state song.

@hikkari8088

Cool

@rayunseitig6367

5y↑1

Foster never made it to the Swanee, this is more about Virginia. Flordia was primitive; But Swanee sounds so sweet. Poetic license. Well done.

@harryzhang4660

6y↑2

Where can i find the sheet music?

@MusicOfTomRoush

6y↑2

http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/sheetmusic/id/37129

@christopherhorn5274

1y↑1

Is it really that "politically correct" to not fondly reminisce about slavery though? It's not shocking to me that minstrel shows have declined in popularity. While I sometimes secretly think the old racist minstrel songs are kind of funny in a dark way, it's more because I'm laughing at how racist people used to be (and don't get me wrong, lots of folks still are), not the black people the songs are mocking. Great banjoing, man!

@jowickson

6y↑58

Explains why a lot of old folks retire down to Florida.

@hurrikhan2347

6y↑4

Mr. Foster had the gift of precognition, indeed.

@emanuelarriola8065

Old folks at is the state song.

@Dman9fp

Also no state income tax helps xD

@nannite

@The Waco Kid the only thing you care about when you retire is taxes

@akrenwinkle

@@nannite Also Metamucil®.

@zuhairniko

45w

is this 2nd music ever recorded in the world after "Mary Had a Little Lamb"?

@guilhermehenzel2493

16w

In Brazil we have a christian version of this. Search for "o exilado"

@janethu9169

❤️

@karlstice7482

Nice rendition of this song, thank you ! In the subtitles,, however, should be "...dark is..." , not " darkeys ".....and , " banjos strummin' " ...not " tummin " ....might want to correct those typo errors, Tom..... :-)

@baileyharrison1030

3y↑2

Every old score of this song I’ve found said ‘Darkeys’

@showguntv

22w

it is darkeys - very different times

@user-vk2tv7zp7k

Люба моя!Томас!

@hazarkasem353

35w

Who knew that this song is one of Einstein's favorite songs ??

@damon6307

Totò😂❤️

@Reinaldo78

Harriet Tubman!

@petertegano4639

2y↑1

Ed Norton brought me here

@carsonjohns4146

52w

dont know 5 yrs i am stped

@j.r5159

Ralph kramden brought me here

@j.r5159

A hum a dah hum a dah

@ocala1218

2y↑1

DIXIE COUNTY SUWANNEE FLORIDA

@Zombie-lp8bx

North Florida the real Florida

@DylanLC-dc5pk

20w

Heavy traffic 1973

@jacktangent

Expected a little bit of WKUK. Was disappointed.

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