Stephen Foster - Why have my loved ones gone

^BbWhy have my lov’d ones gone, Like the ^Eb/Bbdew ’neath the early ^Bbsun?

While ^F7all their troubles here ^Bbdone? My ^F7days of youth have passed a^Bbway And the ^Eb/Bbshades of life are ^Bbnear, But I still remain to ^Ebmourn the happy ^Bbdays Where ^F7dear departed friends were ^Bbhere.

^BbWhy have my lov’d ones gone, ^EbGone to return no ^Bbmore Calmly gliding ^Ebo’er a Summer ^Bbsea Whilst ^F7I’m left plodding on the ^Bbshore?

^BbWhy have my lov’d ones gone, From the ^Eb/Bbjoys and pains of lif^Bbe?

A^F7lone to battle in the ^Bbstrife? A^F7lone to struggle in the ^Bbfray, Till my ^Eb/Bbearthly cares are d^Bbone; While the ^Ebyoung, the fair have ^Bbvanish’d from the day, Be^F7fore their sorrows had be^Bbgun.

^BbWhy have my lov’d ones gone, ^EbGone to return no ^Bbmore Calmly gliding ^Ebo’er a Summer ^Bbsea Whilst ^F7I’m left plodding on the ^Bbshore?

^BbWhy have my lov’d ones gone, While the ^Eb/BbSpringtime is on the ^Bbbreeze?

And ^F7breathing music thro’ the ^Bbtrees! The ^F7birds are singing ^Bbin the air, And the ^Eb/Bbflow’rs are in their ^Bbbloom; All ^Ebthings around are ^Bbbeautiful and fair But ^F7still my spirit lies in ^Bbgloom.

^BbWhy have my lov’d ones gone, ^EbGone to return no ^Bbmore Calmly gliding ^Ebo’er a Summer ^Bbsea Whilst ^F7I’m left plodding on the ^Bbshore?