Stephen Foster
Better Times Are Coming
(Verse 1)
There are voices of hope that are borne on the air
And our land will be freed from its cloud of despair
For brave men and true men to battle have gone
And good times, good times are now coming on
(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
Sound the news from the din of battle booming
Tell the people far and wide that better times are coming
(Verse 2)
Abra'm Lincoln has the army and the navy in his hands
While Seward keeps our honor bright in foreign lands
And Stanton is a man who is sturdy as a rock
With brave men to back him up and stand the battle's shock
(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
Sound the news from the din of battle booming
Tell the people far and wide that better times are coming
(Verse 3)
Now McClellan is a leader and we'll let him take the sway
For a man in his position, he should surely have his way
Our nation's honor'd Scott, he has trusted to his might
Your faith in McClellan put, for we are sure he's right
(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
Sound the news from the din of battle booming
Tell the people far and wide that better times are coming
(Verse 4)
Generals Lyon and Baker and Ellsworth now are gone
But still we have some brave men to lead the soldiers on
The noise of the battle will soon have died away
And the darkness now upon us will be turn'd to happy day
(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
Sound the news from the din of battle booming
Tell the people far and wide that better times are coming
(Verse 5)
Generals Sigel and Halleck they have conquered in the west
And Burnside, victorious, he rides the ocean's breast
The traitors and the rebels will soon meet their doom
Then peace and prosperity will dwell in every home
(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
Sound the news from the din of battle booming
Tell the people far and wide that better times are coming
(Verse 6)
Captain Foote is commander of the Mississippi fleet
For his flag he strikes and makes the traitors beat a quick retreat
With ironclad gun-boats he makes the rebels run
While Grant makes our colors wave and glitter in the sun
(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
Sound the news from the din of battle booming
Tell the people far and wide that better times are coming
(Verse 7)
General Fremont the pathfinder never lags behind
He is gone to the mountains new pathways to find
His voice is freedom and his sword is for the right
Then hail noble Fremont, the nation's delight
(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
Sound the news from the din of battle booming
Tell the people far and wide that better times are coming
(Verse 8)
From the land of the shamrock there's stuff that never yields
For we've brave Colonel Corcoran and gallant General Shields
From Meagher soon we'll hear, for we know that he is true
And stands for the honor of the red, white, and blue
(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
Sound the news from the din of battle booming
Tell the people far and wide that better times are coming
(Verse 9)
Here's health to Captain Ericsson, the Monitor and crew
Who showed the southern chivalry a thing they never knew
The Merrimac had slayed as St. Patrick did the toads
Till Worden with the Monitor Came into Hampton roads
(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
Sound the news from the din of battle booming
Tell the people far and wide that better times are coming