"Massa's in de Cold Cold Ground" 
(7 July 1852) 
Lyrics as Sung by Christy's Minstrels
Written & Composed by Stephen Collins Foster, 1826-1864 
[Source: New York: Firth, Pond & Co., Plate No. 1620] 

musical refrain
1. Round de meadows am a ringing, De darkeys' mournful song, While de mocking-bird am singing, Happy as de day am long. Where de ivy am creeping, O'er de grassy mound, Dare old massa am a sleeping, Sleeping in de cold, cold ground. 
(CHORUS 2 times) 
Down in de cornfield Hear dat mournful sound: All de darkeys am a weeping
 -- Massa's in de cold, cold ground. 

musical refrain
2. When de autumn leaves were falling, When de days were cold, 'Twas hard to hear old massa calling, Cayse he was so weak and old. Now de orange tree am blooming, On de sandy shore, Now de summer days am comming, Massa nebber calls no more. 
(CHORUS 2 times)

musical refrain
3. Massa made de darkeys love him, Cayse he was so kind, Now dey sadly weep above him, Mourning cayse he leave dem behind. I cannot work before tomorrow, Cayse de tear drops flow, I try to drive away my sorrow Pickin on de old banjo. 
(CHORUS 2 times) 

The MIDI file of "Massa's in de Cold Ground" by Stephen Collins Foster (1826-1864) is used by permission of Benjamin Robert Tubb from his website at Public Domain Music http://www.pdmusic.org.

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