[Verse 1]
I am thinking today 'bout times passed away
When they tied me up in bandage long ago
In all Virginia state is where we separate
And it fills my heart with misery and all
They took away my boy, Lord, he was his mother's joy
A baby from the cradle, [?] rays
Then, they put us far apart, and it broke the old man's heart
In those agonizing, cruel slavery days

[Refrain]
Though they'll never come again
Let us give our a praise to Him
Who looks down where the little children play
Every night and every morn'
We'll pray for them, that's gone
In those agonizing, cruel slavery days

[Verse 2]
At night, when all is dark, we hear that watch-dog bark
And we'll listen to murmurs on the wind
It's seemed to say to me, "You, people, you must be free"
For the happy times, I come and, Lord, we pray
My memory will steal all that dear old cabin floor
And in the shadows, I'll find those past away
And for them, we'll weep and bloam, for us all [?]
In those agonizing, cruel slavery days
[Verse 3]
I'm very old and very feeble now, and my hair is turning gray
I have traveled all the roughest kind of roads
Through all the toils and sorrows
I have reached the end at last
Now I'm resting by the west side with my Lord

[Verse 4]
Forget now and forgive, as always, been my guide
For that's what the golden scripture says
But my memory will turn 'round
Back to when I was tied down
In those agonizing, cruel slavery days

[Refrain]
Though they'll never come again
Let us give our a praise to Him
Who looks down where his little children play
Every night and every morn'
I'll pray for them, that's gone
In those agonizing, cruel slavery days