“I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” has an interesting history, as it’s often mistakenly believed to be a traditional Irish song. It was actually written in 1875 by Thomas Westendorf, a German-American school teacher and composer from Plainfield, Illinois. He reportedly wrote the song for his homesick wife, who was named Kathleen. Despite its American origins, the song’s nostalgic themes about returning to Ireland resonated deeply with Irish immigrants and the Irish diaspora. It became exceptionally popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, performed by famous Irish tenors like John McCormack. The song has been recorded by numerous artists over the decades, including Bing Crosby, Josef Locke, and Elvis Presley. Its emotional lyrics about homeland and longing have made it a sentimental favorite that’s often included in collections of Irish music, despite not being Irish in origin.
Lyrics
I’ll take you home again Kathleen,
Across the ocean wild and wide,
To where your heart has ever been,
Since first you were my bonny bride.
The roses all have left your cheek,
I’ve watched them fade away and die;
Your voice is sad whene’er you speak,
And tears bedim your loving eyes
Chorus
Oh! I will take you back, Kath-leen,
To where your heart will feel no pain,
And when the fields are fresh and greem,
I’ll take you to your home a-gain.
I know you love me, Kathleen dear,
Your heart was ever fond and true;
I always feel when you are near,
That life holds nothing dear but you.
The smiles that once you gave to me,
I scarecely ever see them now,
Tho’ many, many times I see
A dark’ning shadow on your brow.
(Chorus)
To that dear home beyond the sea,
My Kathleen shall again return,
And when thy old friends welcome thee,
Thy loving heart will ease to yearn.
Where laughs the little silver stream,
Beside your mother’s humble cot,
And brightst rays of sunshine gleam,
There all your grief will be forgot.
Leave a reply