フォスターがケンタッキーの親族の家を訪れたときに作った曲と言われています。原題は「My Old Kentucky
Home (My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night!とも)」です。
歌はケンタッキーの家を思い出して感傷的に懐かしむ内容となっています。
The sun shines bright in the 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 knocking 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 the old Kentucky home, far away.