Listen to the Mocking Bird New York Vocal Arts Ensemble 1986

"Listen to the Mocking Bird" (1855) is an American popular song of the mid-19th century. Its lyrics were composed by Septimus Winner under the pseudonym "Alice Hawthorne", and its music was by Richard Milburn.[1][2][3]

It relates the story of a singer dreaming of his sweetheart, now dead and buried, and a mockingbird, whose song the couple once enjoyed, now singing over her grave. However, the melody is moderately lively.

"Listen to the Mocking Bird" was one of the most popular ballads of the era and sold more than twenty million copies of sheet music.[4] It was popular during the American Civil War and was used as marching music. Abraham Lincoln was especially fond of it, saying, "It is as sincere as the laughter of a little girl at play
Lyrics
I’m dreaming now of Hally, sweet Hally, sweet Hally,
I’m dreaming now of Hally,
For the thought of her is one that never dies;
She’s sleeping in the valley, the valley, the valley,
She’s sleeping in the valley,
And the mocking bird is singing where she lies

CHORUS
Listen to the mocking bird,
Listen to the mocking bird,
The mocking bird still singing o’er her grave;
Listen to the Mocking bird,
Listen to the mocking bird,
Still singing where the weeping willows wave.

Ah! Well I yet remember, remember, remember,
Ah! Well I yet remember
When we gather’d in the cotton side by side;
‘Twas in the mild September, September, September,
‘Twas in the mild September,
And the mocking bird was singing far and wide.

When the charms of spring awaken, awaken, awaken,
When the charms of spring awaken,
And the mocking bird is singing on the bough,
I feel like one forsaken, forsaken, forsaken,
I feel like one forsaken,
Since my Hally is no longer with me now.

QUARTETTE
Listen to the mocking bird,
Listen to the mocking bird,
The mocking bird still singing o’er her grave;
Listen to the mocking bird,
Listen to the mocking bird,
Still singing where the weeping willows wave.
Listen to the mocking bird,
Listen to the mocking bird, the mocking bird still sing o’er her grave;
Listen to the mocking bird,
Listen to the mocking bird,
Still singing where the weeping willows wave.