Oh! Susanna | SUNOvisionJudgeSong

LKN 💚

indie folk rock, roots, Americana, heartland, banjolele

LKN X Stephen Foster. Private persona: Elle. Playlists for this fun ne

April 8, 2025 at 9:53 AMv4

NOTES ON THIS SONG ARE AT THE VERY BOTTOM

---------------------------------------------------------------

OH! SUSANNA

I have a dream 
In the middle of night
When ev'rything is still
I think I see… 
Susanna, 
She's runnin’ down a hill

A cake of buck-wheat
It fills her mouth 
Her tears are steam,
They crowd her eyes
I say, "I'm comin’ from the south, 
My Susanna, 
Don't ya cry"

Oh! Susanna
Oh, don’t ya cry for me
I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

Original song published by Stephen Foster circa 1848
Restoration, arrangement, new melody & additional lyrics Copyright 4-4-2025 by LKN

--------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTES:

“Oh! Susanna” is one of the most popular American songs ever written. Although it was composed in the folk traditon, it actually takes its beat from polka (1,2,1,2…). It was authored by Stephen Foster, who (due to its massive success) then went on to become the first full-time professional songwriter in the United States. (Check out his other masterful works.)

Over the years, bits and pieces and even full verses were redacted from this song, until it lost its original intention: the documentation of a harrowing and perilous journey. This also left the song almost cheery and nonsensical: Why in the world does Susanna want to cry? Her lover’s on his way… He’s even gonna play his banjo for her! So I myself never really understood nor appreciated this song — until I stumbled across some of those lost verses, while simply looking for its lyrics…

And I was searching for them as I was in a guitar group that wished to perform this. I told them that I thought we had a real chance here — and asked them if we could please put back at least one of those redacted verses? Answer: No.

—Do I even need to finish this story? Via this platform, I was finally able to happily restore this song in only one long morning and afternoon: something that I’d been wanting to do, for already five years. While I was at it, I also revised/re-metered its entire lyrics (save the chorus) to give them a new melody. I next decided to change its structure by adding a bridge that I fashioned from a discarded verse/additional lyrics. Then I made another decision to NOT have any banjo on it (the banjo being an obvious choice) and to instead feature banjolele -- yet only as its main rhythm instrument. 
—Thank you, SUNO!

P.S. And my old guitar group? They disbanded. When one of its two leaders moved to Florida. 😎

Dedication: For my two beloved rescue dogs -- who really did come to me from Alabama. I often think of their frightening, 30-hour journeys that they both had to undergo to make it to their new home with me. As only puppies! One was too traumatized to even come out of his transport van -- and couldn't stop trembling amid his terror, after they finally got him into my waiting arms. Glad to report that he is now my happy, happy boy! NOTES ON THIS SONG ARE AT THE VERY BOTTOM --------------------------------------------------------------- OH! SUSANNA I have a dream In the middle of night When ev'rything is still I think I see… Susanna, She's runnin’ down a hill A cake of buck-wheat It fills her mouth Her tears are steam, They crowd her eyes I say, "I'm comin’ from the south, My Susanna, Don't ya cry" Oh! Susanna Oh, don’t ya cry for me I come from Alabama With my banjo on my knee Original song published by Stephen Foster circa 1848 Restoration, arrangement, new melody & additional lyrics Copyright 4-4-2025 by LKN -------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES: “Oh! Susanna” is one of the most popular American songs ever written. Although it was composed in the folk traditon, it actually takes its beat from polka (1,2,1,2…). It was authored by Stephen Foster, who (due to its massive success) then went on to become the first full-time professional songwriter in the United States. (Check out his other masterful works.) Over the years, bits and pieces and even full verses were redacted from this song, until it lost its original intention: the documentation of a harrowing and perilous journey. This also left the song almost cheery and nonsensical: Why in the world does Susanna want to cry? Her lover’s on his way… He’s even gonna play his banjo for her! So I myself never really understood nor appreciated this song — until I stumbled across some of those lost verses, while simply looking for its lyrics… And I was searching for them as I was in a guitar group that wished to perform this. I told them that I thought we had a real chance here — and asked them if we could please put back at least one of those redacted verses? Answer: No. —Do I even need to finish this story? Via this platform, I was finally able to happily restore this song in only one long morning and afternoon: something that I’d been wanting to do, for already five years. While I was at it, I also revised/re-metered its entire lyrics (save the chorus) to give them a new melody. I next decided to change its structure by adding a bridge that I fashioned from a discarded verse/additional lyrics. Then I made another decision to NOT have any banjo on it (the banjo being an obvious choice) and to instead feature banjolele -- yet only as its main rhythm instrument. —Thank you, SUNO! P.S. And my old guitar group? They disbanded. When one of its two leaders moved to Florida. 😎

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LightJourner 9w ago

oh yeah this is it, this is my vibe, love it 💚