The Old Door Step
[The “Old Doorstep” was written by J.O. Webster in 1880 (Meade). It's also titled, “Step Stone” or "old Step Stone." It was copyrighted in 1893 as "Good-By, Dear Old Step-Stone, Good-By" by Louis Haas and Bob Slavin. Both Bascom Lunsford and Ernest Stoneman recorded this song in 1928 and the Floyd County Ramblers (Vi 40331) version recorded in 1930 was reissued on Times Ain’t Like They Used To Be, Vol. 5, Yazoo CD 2063. Most recordings are missing the third verse.
R. Matteson 2014]
The Old Door Step
I stand on the door step at evening-tide now,
The wind whispers by with a moan;
The fields will be whiting, but I will be gone
To roam o’er this wide world alone.
I stood on the doorstep when school time was o’er,
And longed for the time to go by;
And now it has gone and I stand here to-night,
To bid the door step stone good-bye.
CHORUS:
Good-bye, to this step stone, good-bye to my home,
God bless those, I leave with a sigh,
I’ll cherish their memories, when I am away,
Good-bye, dear old step stone, good-bye.
It is hard to be parted from those that we love
When reverses in fortune have come,
The toughest of heart strings have broken in twain,
By the absence of loved ones at home.
But I bid this poor heart cease repining in vain,
And hushed be each deep heaved sigh;
Tho' the pain it will cost[1] me, none ever can know,
To bid this dear door step good-bye.
There's many temptations with which I may meet,
And sad, mournful, scenes every day,
And the faces at home Oh! I never shall greet,
Their forms will be so far away.
But I'll think of the dear old step stone at the door.
And oft drop a tear from my eye;
I'll stand in my dreams as I do here to-night
To bid this dear door step good-bye.
1. cause