Carry Me Back to Old Virginny
Journey to Old Virginny's Heartfelt Past
Lyrics
Carry me back to old Virginny,
Expressing a desire to return to Virginia, suggesting a sentimental attachment to the state.
There's where the cotton and the corn and tatoes grow,
Highlighting the agricultural richness of Virginia with cotton, corn, and potatoes growing there.
There's where the birds warble sweet in the springtime,
Describing the pleasant sounds of birds singing in the springtime in Virginia.
There's where the old darke'ys heart am long'd to go,
Indicating a deep longing of the speaker's heart to return to Virginia, especially for the older African American population.
There's where I labored so hard for old massa,
Reflecting on the speaker's hard labor for their former master in Virginia.
Day after day in the field of yellow corn,
Depicting the speaker's daily toil in the fields of yellow corn in Virginia.
No place on earth do I love more sincerely
Expressing a sincere love for Virginia, considering it the most cherished place on earth.
Than old Virginny, the state where I was born.
Affirming a strong emotional connection to Virginia as the birthplace of the speaker.
Carry me back to old Virginny,
Reiterating the desire to return to Virginia, emphasizing the crops that grow there.
There's where the cotton and the corn and tatoes grow,
Recalling the abundance of cotton, corn, and potatoes in Virginia.
There's where the birds warble sweet in the springtime,
Repeating the imagery of sweet-sounding birds in the springtime in Virginia.
There's where this old darkey's heart am long'd to go.
Reaffirming the intense longing of the speaker's heart to go back to Virginia.
Carry me back to old Virginny,
Echoing the plea to be taken back to Virginia, expressing a desire to live there until old age.
There let me live 'till I wither and decay,
Desiring to live in Virginia until the speaker withers and decays, indicating a wish for a peaceful and natural end of life in Virginia.
Long by the old Dismal Swamp have I wandered,
Mentioning the speaker's past wanderings by the Dismal Swamp, a geographical reference in Virginia.
There's where this old darke'ys life will pass away.
Indicating that the speaker's life will eventually end in Virginia.
Massa and missis have long gone before me,
Acknowledging the departure of the master and mistress before the speaker, possibly referring to death.
Soon we will meet on that bright and golden shore,
Anticipating a reunion with the master and mistress in the afterlife on a bright and golden shore.
There we'll be happy and free from all sorrow,
Envisioning a happy and sorrow-free life in the afterlife with the master and mistress.
There's where we'll meet and we'll never part no more.
Expressing a belief in an everlasting reunion, emphasizing that there will be no more parting.
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