ON THE OLD PLANTATION (Blue Sky Boys, Larry Sparks)
or LORENA, THE SLAVE (Delmore Bros.)
or NO MORE THE MOON SHINES ON LORENA (Carter Family)
these words are basically as sung by the Blue Sky Boys


WAY DOWN UPON THE OLD PLANTATION
OLD MASSA USED TO OWN ME AS A SLAVE
HE HAD A YELLOW GIRL NAMED LORENA
AND WE COURTED WHERE THE WILD BANANAS WAVE

FOR MANY LONG YEARS THERE WE COURTED
AND OUR LIVES BECAME AS ONE
I WORKED HARD TO SUPPORT MY OLD MASSA
FOR THE HAPPINESS OF LIFE HAD JUST BEGUN

Chorus:
NO MORE THE MOON SHINES ON LORENA 
AS WE SIT AND WATCHED THE COON AMONG THE CORN
AND THE POSSUM PLAYING ON THE WILD BANANA
AND THE HOOT OWL HOOTED LIKE A HORN

ON DAY MASSA SOLD MY LORENA
AND I THOUGHT THIS POOR DARKIE'S HEART WOULD BREAK
FOR THEY TOOK HER AWAY TO ALABAMA
AND LEFT ME TO MOURN O'ER HER FATE

FOR MANY LONG YEARS I PRAYED TO SEE HER
FOR THE THOUGHT OF HER WAS EVER IN MY HEAD
THEN ONE DAY MASSA READ ME A LETTER
TELLING ME MY LORENA WAS DEAD

Repeat chorus

OH THEY SAY THAT HER SPIRIT IS IN HEAVEN
WHERE THE DARKIES ARE FREE FROM ALL PAIN
THAT TO HER A BRIGHT CROWN HAS BEEN GIVEN
AND NO MORE WILL SHE WEAR THE DARKIE'S CHAIN

Repeat chorus