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The Father of American Music

by Stolie

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1.
Hard Times Come Again No More 04:22
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'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary Hard Times, Hard Times, come again no more Many days you have lingered around my cabin door Oh! Hard Times, come again no more Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears While we all sup sorrow with the poor There's a song that will linger forever in our ears Oh! Hard Times come again no more 'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary Hard Times, Hard Times, come again no more Many days you have lingered around my cabin door Oh! Hard Times, come again no more While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay There are frail forms fainting at the door Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say Oh! Hard Times, come again no more 'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary Hard Times, Hard Times, come again no more Many days you have lingered around my cabin door Oh! Hard Times, come again no more There's a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away With a worn heart whose better days are o'er Though her voice would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day Oh! Hard Times, come again no more. 'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary Hard Times, Hard Times, come again no more Many days you have lingered around my cabin door Oh! Hard Times, come again no more 'Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave 'Tis a wail that is hear upon the shore 'Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave Oh! Hard Times, come again no more 'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary Hard Times, Hard Times, come again no more Many days you have lingered around my cabin door Oh! Hard Times, come again no more
2.
Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) 04:15
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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 down de whole creation Sadly I roam Still longing for de old plantation And for de old folks at home All de world am sad and dreary Eb'ry where I roam Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary Far from de old folks at home All round de little farm I wandered When I was young Dem 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 All de world am sad and dreary Eb'ry where I roam Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary Far from de old folks at home One little hut among de bushes One dat I love Still sadly to my mem'bry 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? All de world am sad and dreary Eb'ry where I roam Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary Far from de old folks at home
3.
Gentle Annie 02:54
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Thou wilt come no more, gentle Annie Like a flower thy spirit did depart Thou art gone, alas! like the many That have bloomed in the summer of my heart Shall we never more behold thee Never hear thy winning voice again When the springtime comes, gentle Annie When the wild flowers are scattered o'er the plain? We have roamed and loved mid the bowers When thy downy cheeks were in their bloom Now I stand alone mid the flowers While they mingle their perfumes o'er thy tomb Shall we never more behold thee Never hear thy winning voice again When the springtime comes, gentle Annie When the wild flowers are scattered o'er the plain? Ah! the hours grow sad while I ponder Near the silent spot where thou art laid And my heart bows down when I wander By the streams and the meadows where we strayed Shall we never more behold thee Never hear thy winning voice again When the springtime comes, gentle Annie When the wild flowers are scattered o'er the plain?
4.
What Must a Fairy's Dream Be? 02:12
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What must a Fairy's dream be, Who drinks of the morning dew? Would she think to fly till she reached the sky And bathe in its lakes of blue Or gather bright pearls from the depths of the sea What must the dream of a Fairy be? What must a Fairy's dream be, Who sleeps when the Mermaid sings? Would she rob the night of her jewels bright To spangle her silv’ry wings? Rock’d on the wind 'bove the land and the sea, What can the dream of a Fairy be? What must a Fairy's dream be When storms in their anger cry? Would she madly chase in the winds embrace The lightning gleaming by Or seize on its flash with a child-like glee What must the dream of a Fairy be? What must a Fairy's dream be When mid-summer breezes play? Would she proudly sail on the perfum'd gale To welcome the dawn of day? I know that her visions are sportive and free What must the dream of a Fairy be? What must the dream of a Fairy be?
5.
My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night! 04:27
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The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home 'Tis summer, the people are gay The corn top's ripe and the meadows 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 to-day! We will sing one song for the old Kentucky Home For the old Kentucky Home far away They hunt no more for the possum and the coon On the meadow, the hill, and the shore They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon On the bench by the old cabin door The day goes by like a shadow o're the heart With sorrow where all was delight The time has come when the people have to part Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night! Weep no more, my lady Oh! weep no more to-day! We will sing one song for the old Kentucky Home For the old Kentucky Home far away The head must bow and the back will have to bend Wherever the people may go A few more days, and the trouble all will end In the field where the sugar-canes grow A few more days for to tote the weary load No matter, 'twill never be light A few more days till we totter on the road Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night! Weep no more, my lady Oh! weep no more to-day! We will sing one song for the old Kentucky Home For the old Kentucky Home far away
6.
Beautiful Dreamer 03:32
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Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee Sounds of the rude world heard in the day Lull'd by the moonlight have all pass'd away! Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song List while I woo thee with soft melody Gone are the cares of life's busy throng Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me! Beautiful dreamer awake unto me! Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea Mermaids are chanting the wild lorelie Over the streamlet vapors are borne Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart E'en as the morn on the streamlet and sea Then will all clouds of sorrow depart Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me! Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
7.
Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair 03:57
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I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair Borne, like a vapor on the summer air I see her tripping where the bright streams play Happy as the daisies that dance on her way Many were the wild notes her merry voice would pour Many were the blithe birds that warbled them o'er I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair Floating, like a vapor, on the soft summer air I long for Jeanie with the day-dawn smile Radiant in gladness, warm with winning guile I hear her melodies, like joys gone by Sighing round my heart o'er the fond hopes that die Sighing like the night wind and sobbing like the rain Waiting for the lost one that comes not again I long for Jeanie, and my heart bows low Never more to find her where the bright waters flow I sigh for Jeanie, but her light form strayed Far from the fond hearts round her native glade Her smiles have vanished and her sweet songs flown Flitting like the dreams that have cheered us and gone Now the nodding wild flowers may wither on the shore While her gentle fingers will cull them no more I sigh for Jeanie with the light brown hair Floating, like a vapor, on the soft summer air
8.
Oh! Susanna 02:50
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Well, I come from Alabama with my 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 was bone dry The sun so hot I froze to death, Susanna, don’t you cry Oh! Susanna, oh don’t you cry for me! I come from Alabama with my Banjo on my knee. I had a dream the other night when everything was still I thought I saw Susanna dear coming down the hill A buckwheat cake was in her mouth, a tear was in her eye I said I’m coming from the South, Susanna, don’t you cry Oh! Susanna, oh don’t you cry for me! I come from Alabama with my Banjo on my knee. When I get to New Orleans I'll look all round and round And when I find Susanna I'll fall right on the ground But if I do not find her, I will surely die And when I'm dead and buried, Susanna, don't you cry Oh! Susanna, oh don’t you cry for me! I come from Alabama with my Banjo on my knee.
9.
Camptown Races 02:48
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The Camptown ladies sing this song -- Doo-da, Doo-da The Camptown racetrack five miles long -- Oh, doo-da day I come down there with my hat caved in -- Doo-da, doo-da
I go back home with a pocket full of tin -- Oh, doo-da day Goin' to run all night, goin' to run all day
And I’ll bet my money on the bob-tailed nag
Somebody bet on the bay The long-tailed filly and the big black horse -- Doo-da, doo-da They fly the track and they both cut across -- Oh, doo-da day The blind horse stricken in a big mud hole -- Doo-da, doo-da Can’t touch bottom with a ten foot pole -- Oh, doo-da day Goin' to run all night, goin' to run all day
And I’ll bet my money on the bob-tailed nag
Somebody bet on the bay Old muley cow come onto the track -- Doo-da, doo-da The bob-tail fling her over his back -- Oh, doo-da day
Then fly along like a rail-road car -- Doo-da, doo-da
Runnin’ a race with a shootin’ star -- Oh, doo-da day
 Goin' to run all night, goin' to run all day
And I’ll bet my money on the bob-tailed nag
Somebody bet on the bay See them flyin’ on a ten mile heat -- Doo-da, doo-da
Round the race track, then repeat -- Oh, doo-da day
I win my money on the bob-tail nag -- Doo-da, doo-da
I keep my money in an old tow-bag -- Oh, doo-da day
 Goin' to run all night, goin' to run all day
And I’ll bet my money on the bob-tailed nag
Somebody bet on the bay

about

In 2010, I was commissioned to record an album of songs by Stephen Foster as a gift for the father of a friend. I quickly learned from the reaction of the elders around me that these songs were staples in the American song catalog. It was an honor to bring them to life for this generation in a style all my own.

Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864), known as "the father of American music", was an American songwriter known primarily for his parlor and minstrel music. He wrote more than 200 songs, and many of his compositions remain popular today. He has been identified as "the most famous songwriter of the nineteenth century" and may be the most recognizable American composer in other countries.

Because he did not perform music professionally, as most songwriters did to support themselves, Foster himself was not well known to the public. Even during his lifetime, his songs were often referred to as folk songs. For example, during the Gold Rush "Oh! Susanna" became a kind of theme songs for the Forty-niners, who improvised countless new lyrics for the jaunty tune as they made their way to California. Today, most school children (as well as adults) still know the tune, but comparatively few can identify Stephen Foster as the composer.

Foster's only real income was the royalty he earned on sheet-music sales. Altogether he made $15,091.08 in royalties during his lifetime and almost nothing in performing rights (yearly average was $1,371 for his 11 most productive years). His heirs, Jane and Marion equally, later earned $4,199 in royalties, so that the total known royalties on his songs amounted to $19,290. Today, it would be worth millions.

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released December 23, 2010

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Stolie Chicago, Illinois

Stolie has been releasing original music since 1996, has toured the US, Canada, England and Mexico, learned the biz working for a record label and PR firms and also plays music for kids as Super Stolie (www.superstolie.com).

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