Take Me Back To The Sweet Sunny South

(traditional)

Early versions of this song generally have the title as Take Me Back To The Sweet Sunny South
Also occurs as Bright Sunny South. Possibly dates from the Civil War.


Take me back to the place where I first saw the light,
To my sweet sunny south, take me home,
Where the wild birds sing me to sleep every night,
Oh why was I tempted to roam.

The path to our cottage they say has grown green,
And the stones got quite mossy around,
And I know that the faces and the forms that I love,
Now lie in the cold mossy ground.

Take me back to the place where I first saw the light,
To my sweet sunny south, take me home,
Where the wild birds sing me to sleep every night,
Oh why was I tempted to roam.

Take me back to the place where the orange trees grow,
To my place in the evergreen shade,
Where the flowers on the river's green margin do grow,
And share their sweet scent with the glade.

Take me back to the place where I first saw the light,
To my sweet sunny south, take me home,
Where the wild birds sing me to sleep every night,
Oh why was I tempted to roam.


---
from other versions

I think with regret of the dear home I left,
Of the warm hearts that sheltered me there,
Of wife and of dear ones of whom I'm bereft,
For the old place again I do sigh. 

Take me back, let me see, what is left that I knew,
Can it be that the old house is gone,
Dear friends of my childhood indeed (must be few?) 
And I must (face death all alone?).

But yet I'll return to the place of my birth, 
Where the children have played round the door,
And they gathered wild blossoms that grew round the path
That'll echo our footsteps no more.

Take me back to the place where my little one sleeps,
For (old massa?) lies buried close by,
Oh the graves of my loved ones I long for to weep,
And among them to rest when I die.


Other Recordings 
Da Costa Woltz's Southern Broadcasters (1927)
New Lost City Ramblers, Vol. 4 : New Lost City Ramblers (1962)
Old Time Songs : Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers (196?)
Shady Grove : Jerry Garcia & David Grisman (1997)
One Day At A Time : Joan Baez (1970)
Bluegrass Guitar : Dan Crary (1970)
Kyle Creed with Bobby Patterson & The Camp Creek (1973)
Second Annual Farewell Reunion : Mike Seeger (1973)
38th Annual Galax Old Fiddlers Convention 1973 : Various Artists (Larry McPeak) (1973)
Come And Go With Me : Tommy Jarrell (1974)
Sweet Sunny South : John Graves, Bobby Smith & The Boys From Shiloh (1976)
Kitty Puss : Buddy Thomas (1976)
Ballads & Butterflies : Joan Sprung (1976)
Kitty Puss : Buddy Thomas (1976)
Joan Baez Country Music Album : Joan Baez (1979)
Eight Miles Apart : The Kimble Family (1979)
Legendary Dock Boggs : Dock Boggs (197?)
49th Annual Galax Old Fiddlers Convention : Various Artists (Space City String Band) (1985)
Take Me Back : Tim & Mollie O'Brien (1988)
Bluegrass Album, Vol. 5 - Sweet Sunny South : Bluegrass Album Band (1989)
American Banjo - Three Finger & Scruggs Style : Various Artists (Snuffy Jenkins) (1990)
American Banjo - Three Finger & Scruggs Style : Various Artists (Larry Richardson) (1990)
Hartford & Hartford : John & Jamie Hartford (1991)
My Carolina Home : Laura Boosinger (1991)
When The Roses Bloom In Dixieland : The Osborne Brothers (1994)
When A Woman Gets The Blues : Rory Block (1995)
Old Time Songs : Charlie Poole (19??)
Collection of Mountain Ballads : Various Artists (Piedmont Log Rollers) (19??)
Sacred Songs of Mother & Home : Wade Mainer (19??)