Kentucky's State Song

By: Chris and Nick

CLAYS MILL ELEMENTARY

The State Song: "My Old Kentucky Home" was written by Stephen Foster.

 

"My Old Kentucky Home": reflects his sensitivity to human values, family friends, and old ones. The beautiful words of the song tell of the both the happy and hard times here. This song in 1850 fanned the flames for people to fight against slavery.

The composer: Stephen Foster was born in July 4, 1826. He wrote 286 songs in less than 20 years! A lot of his songs caused trouble but people still loved it. He lived in Pennsylvania but thought Kentucky was pretty enough to write a song about it. He was visiting Federal Hill in Bardstown when he wrote the song. The song describes a typical Kentucky home at that time. He died in 1864 at the age of 38.

There is a building: "My Old Kentucky Home" located in Bardstown. It’s the home inspired Stephen foster to write the famous song. "My Old Kentucky Home" is the state song. This Georgian- style home was completed in 1818. It was furnished in the style of the early 1800’s. Nowadays hostesses dress up as woman did in that time period.

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"My Old Kentucky Home"

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"MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME"

The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home,
‘Tis summer, the people are gay;
The corn top’s ripe and the meadow’s 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-knockin’ at the door,
Then my old Kentucky home, good-night!

Weep no more, my lady!
Oh weep no more today.
We will sing one song for my old Kentucky home,
For my old Kentucky home, far away.

 

DEFINITIONS

Gay: HAPPY

Corn-Tops: The top of a stalk of corn.

Hostesses: Ladies that dress like and greet visitors the same way they did in Stephen Foster's time.

Fanned: started the action