Tell my Father
‘The Civil War’ is a musical written by Gregory Boyd and Frank Wildhorn, with lyrics by Jack Murphy and music by Wildhorn. The musical centers on the American Civil War, with the musical numbers portraying the war through Union, Confederate, and slave viewpoints.
Tell my father is the father is a farewell by a private soldier in the Confederate army to his father. The lyrics are
Tell my father that his son didn’t run or surrender.
That I bore his name with pride as I tried to remember
you are judged by what you do while passing through
As I rest ‘neath fields of green, let him lean on my shoulder
Tell him how I spent my youth so the truth could grow older
Tell my father when you can, I was a man.
Tell him we will meet again where the angels learn to fly.
Tell him we will meet as men, for with honor did I die.
Tell him how I wore the blue, proud and true, through the fire.
Tell my father so he’ll know, I love him so.
Tell him we will meet again where the angels learn to fly.
Tell him we will meet as men, for with honor did I die.
Tell him how I wore the blue, proud and true, through the fire
Tell my father not to cry, then say goodbye.
We sing an arrangement by Andrea Ramsey. Here is a version by the choir of the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire.
