I have a different version, from Sara Ann O'Neil of Dungannon

The audience was laughing in a city orr the sea
And the brillient lights were shining everywhere
The songs and witty sayings filled the audience with glee
For the minstrels from the sunny south were there
A minstrel sung a song about his old Kentucky home
Along the Sewannee River far away
When an old and aged darky rose and to the footlights came
He bowed low and the crowd all heard him say

Chorus

Sing again that sweet refrain
It's where my old folks came
And it brings me back those happy days
Before I was sold away
Along the Sewannee River banks
That's where I used to roam
But I'm old and grey and far away Far from the old folks and home.

That's the first verse and chorus, but it's probably a well-known song here and I don't want to take up your time with the rest of it. But, it's interesting isn't it?