Way down upon the old plantation Old massey used to own me as a slave He had a yeller gal he called lorena And we courted where the wild bananas waved For long years there we courted And we were as happy as one And my hard work for did massey And the happiness of life had just begun No more the moon shines on lorena As we'd sit and watch the coons among the corn And the possums laying on the wild bananas And the old owl a hootin like a horn One day i called to see my dear lorena I thought she would meet me at the gate But they took her away to old virginy And left me to mourn for her fate For years i have longed to see her And the thoughts of her was ever in my head One day massey read me a letter Telling me the lorena she was dead But i know that her soul has gone to heaven And there she is ever free from pain And to her a brighter crown is given And no more she will wear the darkie's chain