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, goodnight. CHORUS Weep no more my lady Oh! weep no more today! We will sing one song for the old Kentucky home, For the Old Kentucky Home far away. They hunt no more for the possum and the coon, On meadow, the hill and the shore, They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon, On the bench by the old cabin door. The day goes by like a shadow o'er the heart, With sorrow, where all was delight, The time has come when the people have to part, Then my old Kentucky home, goodnight. CHORUS The head must bow and the back will have to bend, Wherever the people may go; A few more days, and the trouble all will end, In the field where the sugar-canes grow; A few more days for to tote the weary load, No matter, 'twill never be light; A few more days till we totter on the road, Then my old Kentucky home, goodnight. CHORUS Adoption of State Song The song, "My Old Kentucky Home," words and music by Stephen Collins Foster, was adopted by the Kentucky Legislature as the Kentucky state song on March 19, 1928. In March, 1986, a group of Japanese students visiting the Kentucky General Assembly changed the song forever. To pay their respects, the group sang "My Old Kentucky Home." Upon hearing the phrase, " 'Tis summer, the darkies are gay," Representative Carl Hines (Democrat-Louisville), the only black member of the House, was quoted as saying that the lyrics of the rendition "convey connotations of racial descrimination that are not acceptable." Within the week, he sponsored a bill which the House passed, House resolution 159, which officiated the modern lyrics with the line, 'Tis summer, the people are gay." Hines substantiated the bill, citing that the original lyrics were offensive, owing no respect toward African-Americans. An Act of the Legislature 1928 WHEREAS, the song, "My Old Kentucky Home," by Stephen Collins Foster, has immortalized Kentucky throughout the civilized world, and is known and sung in every State and Nation; therefore, Be it Resolved by the Senate of Kentucky, the House of Representatives concurring: That the song, "My Old Kentucky Home," by Stephen Collins Foster, be and is hereby selected and adopted as the official State song of the State of Kentucky.