I Wonder How the Old Folks Are at Home

A popular song from 1919
Words by Herbert S. Lambert
Music by F. W. Vandersloot


The sheet music:


Accompaniment by Denese Coulbeck:


Lyrics

  1. ‘Tis not so many years ago
    When as a boy I played
    Amid the scenes so dear to me
    From morn ’til evening shade
    No place so dear to childhood days
    As my old country home
    Until one day I said “goodbye”
    And went away to roam
    The old folks said, “God bless you boy
    And may you soon return
    Two broken hearts await you here
    Two souls will watch and yearn”
    The years have come and gone away
    No news from son at home
    No loving message to the boy
    Who went away to roam

Chorus:
I wonder how the old folks are at home
I wonder if they miss me while I roam
I wonder if they pray for the boy that went away
And left his kind of parents all alone
I hear the cattle lowing in the lane
And see again the fields of golden grain
I almost hear them sigh
As they bade their boy “goodbye”
I wonder how the old folks are at home

  1. This world grows weary day by day
    I’m lonely and I’m sad
    I long again to see the scenes
    I knew when but a lad
    To play with little brother as
    We whiled the hours away
    No though had we of sorrow then
    Our hearts were light and gay
    I see again the old schoolhouse
    The church upon the hill
    The lane that leads to Grandma’s house
    Is fresh in memory still
    A wandering boy alone tonight
    With thoughts of home sweet home
    Still wonders how the old folks are
    This boy who went to roam

Chorus:
I wonder how the old folks are at home
I wonder if they miss me while I roam
I wonder if they pray for the boy that went away
And left his kind of parents all alone
I hear the cattle lowing in the lane
And see again the fields of golden grain
I almost hear them sigh
As they bade their boy “goodbye”
I wonder how they are at home sweet home


Sung by Laurence Rubenstein: