My Old Kentucky Home

A few months ago I taught my three year old daughter how to sing "My Old Kentucky Home."  

It was Derby season so it seemed only right that she learned our state song, but more importantly I wanted a new nighttime song.  Rilla and I sing a song together before I tuck her into bed every night and for god knows how long she has insisted on "Ain't No Road Too Long," the classic Waylon Jennings/Big Bird duet from the 1985 film "Follow That Bird."  As you might guess, I'm Waylon.  Rilla's Big Bird.  Other Sesame Street characters jump in for a line or two too and we provide the voices.  I'm Gordon and Cookie Monster.  Rilla's Susan and Grover.  We take turns being the Count.  I'm not going to lie — it's pretty impressive.  

But it's not much of a lullaby.  After we're finished — with a big final "Oh they're ain't no road too looooooooong!" — Rilla's wired.  So, after failed attempts of "Sweet Baby James," "The Circle Game," and all the other bedtime songs I remembered from my childhood, I thought I would give "My Old Kentucky Home" a try. . . with some slight alterations.

Rilla sleeps with Super Bunny Bunny and Mr. Bear so every song we sing has to include mentions of her companions.  (Evidently her stuffed animals are very vain.  For example, in "Ain't No Road" The Count counts bunnies instead of telephone poles.)  So, "people" (yes, it used to be something else but Kentucky officially changed the words of the song in 1986 so that all "people" were now gay — not just ones of a specific hue) was changed to "bunny" and the chorus was changed to "Weep no more my bunny, oh weep no more my bear."  It might be sacrilegious to some, but it's debatable if Stephen Foster ever actually came to Kentucky — so I say it's OK.  

To my surprise, Rilla loved "My Old Kentucky Home."  She loved that it was about her home.  She loved that it symbolized the beauty and the pageantry of the city she was born in.  And she loved that it included lines about Bunny and Bear.  We took turns singing it.  Me.  Then her.  Then Bunny in her striking coloratura soprano followed by Bear in his rich, velvety baritone.  It's been our go-to nighttime song ever since.  

When I taught Rilla the song I explained that it was a special song because Kentucky was a special place for us.  Our friends were there.  Our family was there.  Mommy and Daddy grew up there.  Rilla and her baby sister were both born there.  "My Old Kentucky Home" was more than a song for us.  It was a way to remember the people and the places we loved.  Every time we sang it, we were singing for them.  For grandparents.  For best friends.  For Ms. Mary, the greeter at Krogers who always greeted us with a smile.  For the woman at the bank who always gave us an extra sucker when we stopped by.  For our fantastic neighbor Ms. Billy and her beloved dog Zoey.  For everyone.

We left Kentucky a little over two weeks ago.  A big yellow moving fan brought us north.  There will be new friends.  New people to meet.  New neighbors with new dogs.  New places to see.  But right now it's still a little hard.  The other day, as we were driving back to our new house in a quiet car, Rilla broke the silence:

"Daddy?"

Yes Sweetie.

There was a long pause and then a heavy sigh.

"I miss my old Kentucky home."

Another long pause as I fought back tears.

Me too sweetie.  Me too.

R