Lyr Req/Add: In the Evening by the Moonlight

Subject: lyric req: In The Evening by the Moonli
From:
Date: 21 Mar 01 - 11:13 AM

Does anyone have the lyrics to a "moldy oldy" by James A. Bland. The title is, "In the Evening By The Moonlight". The song is quite old. Can anyone help? Thanks. Tom

Subject: Lyr Add: In The Evening by the Moonli
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Mar 01 - 11:20 AM

In the evening by the moonlight
When my mother had finished working
We used to sit around the fire place
Till the cornbread it was done
And then we all would eat our supper
After that we'd clean the kitchen
It's the only time they ever gave us to spare
To have a little fun
Then my daddy used to take his fiddle down
That hung upon the wall
While the silvery moon was shining clear and bright
How the folks would enjoy it
They would sit all night and listen
As we used to sing in the evening by the moonlight

In the evening by the moonlight
You could hear banjos ringing
You could hear them by the moonlight
You could hear my folks all singing
How my mother she would enjoy it
She would sit all night and listen
As we sang in the evening by the moolight oh yeah

In the evening by the moonlight
You could hear folks all singing
In the evening by the moonlight
You could hear my folks all singing
How my mother she would enjoy it
She would sit all night and listen
As we sang in the evening by the moolight oh yeah

In the evening by the moonlight
You could hear banjos ringing
In the evening by the moonlight
You could hear my folks all singing
How my mother she would enjoy it
She would sit all night and listen
As we sang in the evening by the moolight oh yeah

from: http://www.boscarol.com/nina/html/where/intheeveningbyth.html

I did check the DT, but didn't find them.

Subject: RE: lyric req: In The Evening by the Moonli
From: SINSULL
Date: 21 Mar 01 - 11:28 AM

Less politically correct but how I learned it:

In the evening by the moonlight
You could hear the banjos ringing
In the evening by the moonlight
You could hear the darkies singing
How the old folks would enjoy it
They would sit all night and listen
As they sang in the evening
By the moonlight.

Subject: RE: lyric req: In The Evening by the Moonli
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Mar 01 - 11:29 AM

I'll e mail, OK?

Subject: RE: lyric req: In The Evening by the Moonli
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 21 Mar 01 - 11:30 AM

I was going to tell Sorcha to get her **** over to this thread because I could only find one verse...she beat me again!

Subject: RE: lyric req: In The Evening by the Moonli
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Mar 01 - 11:32 AM

awwww, you guys! I just use Google (or Copernic) for the main request, then "search within results" for the specific info..........it's EZ!

Subject: Lyr Add: IN TH EVENING BY THE MOONLIGHT (J A Bland
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Sep 07 - 11:20 PM

This song could be a case study in how the distasteful elements in an old "coon song" can be adjusted to fit modern sensibilities. Just to establish the starting point, I have transcribed the vocabulary and spelling exactly as I found them in the original sheet music (but I couldn't resist tinkering with the punctuation a bit).

From The Library of Congress American Memory Collection:

IN THE EVENING BY THE MOONLIGHT
James A. Bland (1854-1911)
New York: Benjamin W. Hitchcock, 1880.

1. In de ebening by de moonlight, when dis darkie's work was over,
We would gather round de fire 'till de hoecake it was done;
Den we all would eat our supper; after dat, we'd clear de kitchen.
Dat's de only time we had to spare, to hab a little fun.
Uncle Gabe would take de fiddle down dat hung upon de wall
While de silv'ry moon was shining clear and bright.
How de old folks would enjoy it! They would sit all night and listen,
As we sang in de ebening by de moonlight.

CHORUS: In de ebening by de moonlight, you could hear us darkies singing.
In de evening by de moonlight you could hear de banjo ringing.
How de old folks would enjoy it! They would sit all night and listen,
As we sang in the ebening by de moonlight.

2. In de ebening by de moonlight when de watchdog would be sleeping
In de corner near de fireplace, beside de ole armchair,
Whar Aunt Chloe used to sit and tell de Piccaninnies stories,
And de cabin would be filled wid merry coons from near and far.
All dem happy times we used to hab will ne'er return again.
Eb'ry thing was den so merry, gay and bright,
And I neber will forget it, when our daily toil was ober,
How we sang in de ebening by de moonlight. CHORUS.

[Other songs written by James A. Bland, and in the American Memory Collection:
CARRY ME BACK TO OLD VIRGINNY
CLOSE DEM WINDOWS
DANCING ON DE KITCHEN FLOOR
DE GOLDEN WEDDING,
DE SLAV'RY CHAINS AM BROKE AT LAST
IN THE MORNING BY THE BRIGHT LIGHT
OH, DEM GOLDEN SLIPPERS!
OH! MY BROTHER!
UNCLE JOE]

Subject: RE: req/ADD: In the Evening by the Moonlight (Bland)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 01:16 AM

I learned exactly the same words SINSULL learned, but there was a jazzy version that went, "you could hear all the darkies singin, "la-de-da-da." I think the recorded version I best recall came from Mitch Miller and the Gang, and I think I've also heard barbershop arrangements. I was surprised to see that Nina Simone had recorded it. I wish I could hear more than just the sound sample I found on Amazon.
It's a great song, but I don't think I could bring myself to sing it in this day and age. Too many racist terms.

-Joe-

Subject: Lyr Add: In The Evening By Moonlight
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 07:22 PM

IN THE EVENING BY MOONLIGHT
James Alan Bland (1854 - 1911)

In The Evening By Moonlight
You could hear the old folks singing;
In The Evening By Moonlight
You could hear those banjos ringing;

How the old folks would enjoy it,
They would sit all night and listen
As we sang
In The Evening By Moonlight.

How the old folks would enjoy it,
They would sit all night and listen
As we sang
In The Evening By Moonlight.

Source: Barbershop, at "Randasolutions."
http://barbershop.randasolutions.com/mail/In%20The%20Evening%20By%20The%20Moonlight%20(HOH).pdf

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: In The Evening By Moonlight
From: Joe_F
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 07:41 PM

When I was a boy, the "old folks" were "darkies" in the first stanza. I suppose in these times some substitute has to be found, but "old folks" is a bad choice, for they reappear as the audience.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: In the Evening by the Moonlight (Bland)
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 08:05 PM

I figured there were more lyrics, but I couldn't find them.
Sorry, about adding them into a new thread.
The search for it here kept on showing up with an "error",
and I didn't find it in the song-list.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: In the Evening by the Moonlight (Bland)
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 08:42 PM

In The (G)Evening By (G7)Moonlight
You could (C)hear our (Cm)loved ones (G)singing;
In The Evening By Moonlight
You could (Em)hear those (A7)banjos (D7)ringing;
How our (G)loved ones would en(G7)joy it,
They would (C)sit all (Cm)night and listen
As we sang
In (E7)The (A7)Evening (D7)By (G)Moonlight.
Chords: Arranged by Mel Bay. (chord before the first syllable it is
played on).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: In the Evening by the Moonlight
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 04:19 PM

I also learned it like this, and can't one single recording with these original lyrics. I don't find it offensive, and it IS the original version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: In the Evening by the Moonlight
From: Joe_F
Date: 02 Nov 12 - 11:12 AM

Here is rather different version, from a typescript, ca. 1955, no attribution:

In the evening by the moonlight, you can hear those darkies humming;
In the evening by the moonlight, you can hear their banjos strumming;
How the old folks would enjoy it, they would sit all night and listen,
As we sang in the evening by the moonlight.

In the evening by the moonlight, there are silver voices singing;
There are lights among the shadows, where the fireflies are a-winging;
From the old plantation cabins, you can hear the banjos ringing,
As we sing in the evening by the moonlight.