Willie Has Gone to War

"Willie Has Gone To War" is a song written by Stephen Collins Foster sometime in 1862. It was considered a 'Civil War Song', though it was not as popular as some of his previous work.^[1] George Cooper wrote the lyrics.^[2] He may have composed up to 285 songs, hymns, arrangements and instrumental works during his lifetime. He also created many of the lyrics.^[3]

Lyrics

The bluebird is singing his lay,
To all the sweet flow'rs of the dale,
The wild bee is reaming at play,
And soft is the sigh of the gale;
I stray by the brookside alone,
Where oft we have wander'd before,
And weep for my lov'd one, my own,
My Willie has gone to the war!
Chorus:
Willie has gone to the war,
Willie, Willie my lov'd one my own;
Willie has gone to the war,
Willie, Willie my lov'd one is gone!

'Twas here, where the lily bells grow,
I last saw his noble young face,
And now while he's gone to the foe,
Oh! dearly I love the old place;
The whispering waters repeat
The name that I love o'er and o'er,
And daisies that nod at my feet,
Say Willie has gone to the war!
Chorus:

The leaves of the forest will fade,
The roses will wither and die,
But spring to our home in the glade
On fairy like pinions will fly;
And still I will hopefully wait
The day when these battles are o'er,
And pine like a bird for its mate,
Till Willie comes home from the war!
Chorus:^[3][4][5][2]

Other Foster "Willie..." Songs

Foster wrote other "Willie" songs. Both his father and his half-brother were named William Barclay Foster.

• Willie My Brave, (1851) words and music by Foster.^[6]
• Willi's Gone to Heaven,(1863) words and music by Foster.^[7]

References