Round de meadows am a ringing de peoples' mournful song
While de mockingbird am singing happy as de day am long.
Where de ivy am a creeping o'er de grassy mound,
Dare old massa am a sleeping, sleeping in de cold, cold ground.

Down in de cornfield hear dat mournful sound
All de people am a weeping mass's in de cold, cold ground.

When de autumn leaves were falling
When de days were cold
Twas hard to hear old massa calling
Cause he was so weak and old.
Now de orange tree am blooming on de sandy shore
Now de summer days am coming
Massa nebber calls no more.

Massa made de people love him,
Cause he was so kind,
Now dey sadly weep above him,
Mourning cause he leave dem behind.
I cannot work before tomorrow,
Cause de tear drops flow,
I try to drive away my sorrow
Pickin on de old banjo.