The Four Lads were a Canadian singing group. They grew up together in Toron… Read Full Bio ↴The Four Lads were a Canadian singing group. They grew up together in Toronto, Ontario, and were members of St. Michael's Choir School, where they learned to sing. The founding members were Corrado "Connie" Codarini, bass; John Bernard "Bernie" Toorish (born 2 March 1931), lead; James F. "Jimmy" Arnold, (4 January 1932-15 June 2004) first tenor; and Frank Busseri, baritone and group manager. Codarini and Toorish had formed a group with two other St. Michael's students, Rudi Maugeri and John Perkins, who were later to become founding members of another group, The Crew-Cuts.

Swanee River
The Four Lads Lyrics

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Way down upon the Swanee River,
Far, far away

There's where my heart is turning ever,
There's where the old folks stay.

All up and down the whole creation,
Sadly I roam. (feeling blue)

Still a-longin' for the old plantation,
And for the old folks at home.

All the world is sad and dreary,
Ev'rywhere I roam.

Oh, how my heart heavy grows weary,
Far from the old folks at home

(oh I remember when)
All around the little farm I wander
When I was young
Then many happy days I sqaundered
Many songs I song

All the world is sad and dreary,
Ev'rywhere I roam.

Oh, how my heavy heart is weary,
All the world is sad and dready

Far from the old folks at home
The Swanee River is calling me home

Overall Meaning

The Four Lads's song Swanee River is a poignant ode to a time long gone. The lyrics tell the story of a person who has left their home and is feeling homesick and out of place in the world. The opening lines, "Way down upon the Swanee River, far, far away, there's where my heart is turning ever, there's where the old folks stay," set the stage for the rest of the song. The singer is far from home, yearning for the familiar people and places that he left behind. The repetition of the phrase "old folks" throughout the song emphasizes the importance of family and tradition as the foundation of one's sense of belonging.

The second verse expands on the singer's feelings of displacement and loneliness: "All up and down the whole creation, sadly I roam. Still a-longin' for the old plantation, and for the old folks at home." The use of the word "roam" paints a picture of a person adrift in the world, with no real sense of purpose or direction. The mention of the plantation harkens back to a time before the Civil War, when the South was a stronghold of the institution of slavery. This reference adds depth to the singer's longing for the past, as it speaks to a complicated and painful history.

Line by Line Meaning

Way down upon the Swanee River,
I am yearning to be back to my old home on the Swanee River

Far, far away
It feels like home is very far away and I am missing it

There's where my heart is turning ever,
My heart is always longing for the old plantation where I spent my early days

There's where the old folks stay.
I miss the old folks who are still staying at the plantation while I'm away

All up and down the whole creation,
I have been traveling everywhere feeling sad and lost

Sadly I roam.
I am wandering around with a heavy heart, feeling blue

Still a-longin' for the old plantation,
I am still nostalgic about my old plantation and longing to go back

And for the old folks at home.
I miss the old folks at home more than anything

All the world is sad and dreary,
Everywhere I go, everything seems dull and gloomy

Ev'rywhere I roam.
No matter where I go, I can't seem to shake off this melancholy feeling

Oh, how my heart heavy grows weary,
My heart feels heavy and tired of being away from home

Far from the old folks at home
Being far away from the old folks at home is what's making me so sad

All around the little farm I wander
I used to wander around my family's little farm when I was young

When I was young
This was a long time ago, when I was still a child

Then many happy days I sqaundered
I spent many joyful days at the farm, not realizing how fleeting they were

Many songs I song
I used to sing many songs there, which bring back fond memories

The Swanee River is calling me home
The Swanee River, my old home, is beckoning me to come back

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEPHEN COLLINS FOSTER, DAVID BUTTOLPH, CHARLES MAXWELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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