Old Stepstone
Oh, 'tis sad to be parted from those that we love
Strange faces we see every day
Each heart string of mine is broken in time
When I think of those dear ones at home.
chi: Goodbye dear old stepstone, goodbye to my home
God bless those I leave with a sigh
I'll cherish fond memories when I'm far away
To roam o'er this wide world alone.
I stood on my doorstep at evening and morn
The wind whispered by with a moan
The fields may be whitening, but I will be gone
To roam o'er this wide world alone.
I stood on my doorstep when school time was o'er
And I wish for the time to go by
Now it has passed. and I stand here tonight
To bid this old stepstone goodbye.
From the singing of Bascom Lamar Lunsford (1882-1973) of
Mars Hill, North Carolina, near Asheville.
From the excellent notes on Smithsonian Folkways:
OLD STEPSTONE (Brown 713, p. 448 vol. V)
Old Stepstone' is the title of this song, which I learned in
1904 from Miss Lela Ammons of Robbinsville, North Carolina.
She sang, played the song on the old-time organ, and would
sing this beautiful text of 'Old Stepstone.' BLL
APR99
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!