stephen foster
Up through the years, I've read and heard several times that Stephen C. Foster isn't worth a cent. The vignette picture here should counterprove it, but he was a controversial person already in his time, for his ways of writing lyrics. But there are a few facts that can't be denied. Many consider him being the greatest songwriter of the nineteenth century, he was the first full-time professional songwriter in America, he is the only person to have written two state songs (Florida and Kentucky) and he's even been called "Father of American Music". Most of all; there is no doubt he was a brilliant composer.
Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864) managed to write more than 200 songs during his rather short career, starting at the age of 14. There is no evidence he was a racist, or had political convictions at all. He was simply a product of his time. And; really, are Americans much better nowadays, when it all comes down to dust?
There is no official biography; he left nothing himself, and his brother Morrison most probably shuffled things away for sheltering reasons. Among quite many varying efforts I found one from an academic point of view, "University of Pittsburgh". From the condition of that website, and the fact that I consider ALL .edu-sites on American servers being volatile due to the political situation, I ripped the text and put it HERE. Foster's icon at the bottom links to the original site, if still existing.
I've gathered a few of his songs, because I like them. Against my normal habit (skipping most signs and capitals except for names) I leave the lyrics exactly as I found them in the old Pittsburgh archive, because Foster was almost autistic in punctuation and spelling, and I respect him. I judge only the music. Don't shoot me; I'm only the guitar player.
This song was published posthumously in 1864, first recorded by Nat Shilkret and The Victor Salon Group in 1928 as the last in a medley, and then, as we're writing 2026, followed by 243 covers standalone. Many of these treat the song as a floating waltz, 3/4 meter. It's not; it's rolling 9/8. Beware of this, or Foster may come down to haunt you.
Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;
Sounds of the rude world heard in the day
Lull’d by the moonlight have all pass’d away!
Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song
List while I woo thee with soft melody;
Gone are the cares of life’s busy throng
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea
Mermaids are chaunting the wild lorelie;
Over the streamlet vapors are borne
Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn
Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart
E’en as the morn on the streamlet and sea;
Then will all clouds of sorrow depart
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
G Am C beautiful dreamer wake unto me D D7 G starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee ... G7 Am C sounds of the rude world heard in the day D7 G lull’d by the moonlight have all pass’d away D D7+9 G beautiful dreamer queen of my song A7 D7 list while I woo thee with soft melody G G 7 Am C gone are the cares of life’s busy throng D D7 E...E7 beautiful dreamer awake unto me C G D7 G beautiful dreamer awake unto me
