Old Folks at Home

"Old Folks at Home," also known by the words of its first line, "(Way Down Upon the) Swanee River," is a song originally written in 1851 by composer Stephen Foster, to be performed by the New York performing troupe Christy's Minstrels. The name of E.P. Christy, the troupe's leader, appears on early printings of the music as the song's creator, as shown in the illustration; Christy had paid Foster to be credited, something Foster himself had suggested. Though Foster later regretted this, the deal stood. It has been the official state song of Florida since 1935.

According to legend, Foster had most of the lyrics in place but was casting about to give a name to the river of the opening line and asked his brother to suggest one. The first suggestion was "the Yazoo" of Mississippi, which, despite fitting the melody perfectly, Foster rejected. The second suggestion was "the Pee Dee" of the Carolinas, to which Foster said, "Oh pshaw! I won't have that.". His brother then consulted an atlas and called out "Suwannee!". Foster immediately wrote it in (misspelling it "Swannee"), saying "That's it exactly!". Foster himself never saw the Suwanee or even visited Florida, but the popularity of the song singlehandedly started a major tourist movement to Florida to see the river, as travelers, especially from the Northeastoast states flocked to the region.

Criticism

This song is seen by some as offensive to black Americans for its imitation of Black English Vernacular (the song is sung from the perspective of a black man), with its original lyrics referring to "darkies" and "a-longin' for the old plantation." Foster himself supported the North in the American civil war and sympathised with the plight of the black Americans in his day. W.E.B. DuBois considered it "an authentic song of the Negro race." In 1997, former state representative Willy Logan presented an unsuccesful motion to have the song replaced, on the grounds that it was racist. Florida now substitutes words like "darling," "brothers," or "dear ones" for "darkies."

Most authorities trace the success of the song to the same qualities shared by most of Foster's other well-known compositions: a bright, memorable melody joined to rather melancholic lyrics—a combination which, in Foster's day and even now, seems to soothe and encourage Americans, as if the jauntiness of the tune ultimately trumps the despair of the words, just as the good in life should outmeasure the bad.

The song is mentioned in Irving Berlin's "Alexander's Ragtime Band" in the line, "If you want to hear the 'Swanee River' played in ragtime". The song was recorded by boogie woogie pianist Albert Ammons as "Swanee River Boogie" and by Ray Charles as "Swanee River Rock." Under the title "Swanee River," the song was recorded by Tony Sheridan in the early 1960s and is sometimes erroneously listed as an early recording by The Beatles due to their association with Sheridan at that time.

Al Jolson's "Swanee" was clearly influenced by the popularity of "Old Folks at Home".

Modern lyrics

Way down upon the Swanee River,

Far, far away

That's where my heart is turning ever

That's where the old folks stay

All up and down the whole creation,

Sadly I roam

Still longing for the old plantation

And for the old folks at home

Chorus:

All the world is sad and dreary everywhere I roam

Oh darkies, how my heart grows weary

Far from the old folks at home

All 'round the little farm I wandered,

When I was young

Then many happy days I squandered,

Many the songs I sung

When I was playing with my brother,

Happy was I

Oh, take me to my kind old mother,

There let me live and die

Chorus

One little hut among the bushes,

One that I love

Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes,

No matter where I rove

When shall I see the bees a humming,

All 'round the comb

When shall I hear the banjo strumming,

Down by my good old home

Chorus

Original lyrics

^[1]

1st verse

Way down upon de Swanee ribber,

Far, far away,

Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber,

Dere's wha de old folks stay.

All up and down de whole creation

Sadly I roam,

Still longing for de old plantation

And for de old folks at home.

Chorus

All de world am sad and dreary,

Ebry where I roam,

Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,

Far from de old folks at home.

2nd verse

All round de little farm I wandered

When I was young,

Den many happy days I squandered,

Many de songs I sung.

When I was playing wid my brudder

Happy was I

Oh! take me to my kind old mudder,

Dere let me live and die.

Chorus

3rd verse

One little hut amond de bushes,

One dat I love,

Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes,

No matter where I rove

When will I see de bees a humming

All round de comb?

When will I hear de banjo tumming

Down in my good old home?

Chorus

External links

References

^ source: Christy, E. P. [sic]. Old folks at home : Ethiopian melody as sung by Christy's Minstrels. New York : Firth, Pond & Co., [date obscured].