original text at mamqa.com/ulyricsnew/charles-ives-old-home-day-1817123
Go my songs! Draw Daphnis from the city
A minor tune from Todd's opera house
Comes to me as I cross the square, there
We boys used to shout the songs that rouse
The hearts of the brave and fair
As we march along down Main street, behind the village band
The dear old trees, with their arch of leaves
Seem to grasp us by the hand
While we step along to the tune of an Irish song
Glad but wistful sounds the old church bell
For underneath's a note of sadness
"Old home town" farewell
A cornеr lot, a white picket fencе
Daisies almost everywhere, there
We boys used to play "One old cat,"
And base hits filled the summer air
As we march along on Main street
Of that "Down East" Yankee town
Comes a sign of life
From the "3rd Corps" fife
- strains of an old breakdown;
While we step along to the tune of it's Irish song
Comes another sound we all know well
It takes us way back forty years
That little red schoolhouse bell
As we march along down Main street, behind the village band
The dear old trees, with their arch of leaves
Seem to grasp us by the hand
While we step along to the tune of an Irish song
Glad but wistful sounds the old church bell
For underneath's a note of sadness
"Old home town" farewell
