Hard Times Come Again No More by Stephen Foster (Celia Ramsay with Fretful Event)

Описание: Oh, my—this was the first band I was ever in. Fretful Event was a bluegrass band with Bill Downs on banjo, Stan Dye on Dobro and mandolin, Vern Flock on acoustic guitar, and me doing vocals and playing autoharp. We were invited to perform for a video program for and by seniors in 1994. The program was called "The Better Part" based at DeAnza College in Cupertino. My mother, Val Ramsay hosted the program, but these are a couple of trimmed clips.

Lyrics:
Let us pause in life’s pleasures and count its many tears
While we all sup sorrow with the poor
There’s a song that will linger forever in our ears
Oh hard times, come again no more

CHORUS:
‘Tis the song, the sigh of the weary
Hard time, hard times come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door
Oh hard times, come again no more.

There’s a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away
With a worn heart whose better days are o’er
Though her voice would be merry, tis sighing all the day
Oh hard times, come again no more

‘Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave
‘Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore
‘Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave
Oh hard times, come again no more

While we seek mirth and beauty and music bright and gay
There are frail forms fainting at the door
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks still say
Oh hard times, come again no more