To the Tremaine Family.
 "Why Have My Loved Ones Gone?" 
Ballad 
Words and Music by Stephen Collins Foster, 1826-1864 

musical refrain
1. Why have my loved ones gone, Like the dew 'neath the early sun? Why am I left alone, While all their troubles here are done? My days of youth have passed away And the shades of life are near, But I still remain to mourn the happy days When departed friends were here. 
(CHORUS twice)
Why have my lov'd ones gone, Gone to return no more. Calmly gliding o'er a Summer sea Whiltst I'm left plodding on the shore? 

musical refrain
2. Why have my lov'd ones gone, From the joys and the pains of life? Why do I still live on, Alone to battle in the strife? Alone to struggle in the fray, Till my earthly cares are done; While the young, the fair have vanish'd from the day, Before their sorrows had begun. 
(CHORUS twice) 

musical refrain
3. Why have my lov'd ones gone, While the Springtime is on the breeze? Gilding the hill side farm, And breathing music thro' the trees! The birds are singing in the air, And the flow'rs are in bloom; All the things around are beautified fair, But still my spirit lies in gloom. 
(CHORUS twice)

musical refrain

The MIDI file of "Why Have My Loved Ones Gone" 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.

return to Colonial Virginia Anderson Families