Silver Dew On The Blue Grass Tonight
by Edith Berbert
"I wrote this during the Second World War. I thought my husband was going into the service; I was feeling very blue, and I thought, 'This is really the end of my life.' As it turned out, he didn't have to go after all. When I took the song to my publisher, he advised me to use a pseudonym because ordinarily women don't get very far. So they decided to use the beginning of my first name and the ending of my last name—'Ed Burt.'
Bob Wills was the
first to record it, and after the war, they updated the
lyrics to make it a more general song, but I think the
original lyrics were prettier and more heartrending."
—Edith Berbert
Silver Dew On The Blue Grass Tonight
The moon was softly shining on an old Kentucky home
The fragrance of magnolia filled the air
A lonely girl was writing to her sweetheart 'cross the
foam
'May God protect you, darling, over there!'
Silver dew on the bluegrass tonight
How it shines in the moon's silver light!
Soldier boy so far from me, how I wish that I could see
Silver dew on the blue grass tonight.
Stars of gold on the old flag tonight
While you fight for a cause that is right
You will keep that flag on high for those boys who had
to die
Stars of gold on the old flag tonight!
Silver dew on the bluegrass tonight
While I pray you'll come safe through the fight
Close your eyes and think of me, then, my darling, you
will see
Silver dew on the bluegrass tonight.
