Way down upon the Swanee River,
Far, far away
That's where my heart is turning ever
That's where the old folks stay.

All up and down the whole creation, Sadly I roam
Still longing for the old plantation
And for the old folks at home.

All the world is sad and dreary everywhere I roam
Oh darkies, how my heart grows weary
Far from the old folks at home.

All 'round the little farm I wandered,
When I was young.
Then many happy days I squandered,
Many the songs I sung.

When I was playing with my brother,
Happy was I.
Oh, take me to my kind old mother,
There let me live and die.

All the world is sad and dreary everywhere I roam
Oh darkies, how my heart grows weary
Far from the old folks at home.

One little hut among the bushes,
One that I love
Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes,
No matter where I rove.

When shall I see the bees a humming,
All 'round the comb
When shall I hear the banjo strumming,
Down by my good old home?

All the world is sad and dreary everywhere I roam
Oh darkies, how my heart grows weary
Far from the old folks at home.
Stephen Collins Foster

Yes Folks!
There really is a Swanee River!

It is spelled "Suwannee" instead of "Swanee;"
but, it is the one Foster was writing about.

We know because we know that he chose the name from a map.

We also know that he never actually saw the river he made so famous;
and, it is a pity because the Suwannee is a really beautiful river,
still comparatively wild and pristine.

It begins in the South Georgia Okefenokee Swamp
and runs most of its way through north central Florida
until it finally reaches the Gulf of Mexico.

To see a picture of the beginnings of Suwannee River in the Okefenokee Swamp
click here.

the Suwannee River sunset on the Suwannee
Stephen Foster wrote "Old Folks at Home" in 1851.
It was adopted as Florida's state song in 1935.

For years it was a part of our cherished heritage.

I remember singing it in school and our fifth grade class visiting
"The Stephen Foster Memorial,"
now the
The Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center
in White Springs, Florida.

I never saw anything racist about the song. To me it was about the cherished memories of childhood and home and family. Even as a child, I saw that.

But today, some people do not see that, in these politically correct times anything that any someone decides is racist must be eliminated.

I would prefer not.

For one thing, what are we going to replace it with? Let's admit it, there are not too many songs about anything in Florida out there, much less good ones.

I also like the fact that the song speaks of home and family, the real Florida I know, the real Florida which sure ain't Disney World!



Those who want to know more will enjoy the following links.
Suwannee River State Park
Bob January's Tribute
Canoeing the Suwannee River
Old Folks at Home 		Pictures of the Suwannee River
Okefenokee.com
Paddling the Suwannee
Stephen Collins Foster


Down Where The Swanee River Flows
Swanee
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