Stephen C. Foster's older sister had written that she had learned a new song named My Hopes Have Departed Forever some fifteen years before Stephen published this song. He did not put his name on it. Instead he listed the composer simply as "a lady". He may have merely arranged and edited this earlier song and published it himself. Background music is in the key of C
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6 6 7 7 8 -8 7 -7 -6 My hopes have de-part-ed for-ev-er, -6 6 7 7 -8 7 -7 7 My vi-sion of true love is o'er 6 6 7 7 8 -8 7 -7 -6 My heart shall a-wa-ken, ah! nev-er; -6 6 7 7 -8 7 -7 7 There's joy for my bos-om no more. 7 -7 -6 6 6 -6 -7 -8 7 The ros-es that crowned me are blight-ed, 7 -7 -6 6 6 -6 -7 7 The gar-land I cher-ished is dead, 6 6 7 7 8 -8 7 -7 -6 The faith once con-fid-ing-ly plight-ed -6 6 7 7 -8 7 -7 7 Is broke and my loved one has fled 6 6 7 8 9 8 7 -7 -6 The faith once con-fid-ing-ly plight-ed -6 6 7 7 -8 7 -7 7 Is broke, and my loved one has fled. Verse 2 They saw that my life was decaying, They knew that my stay would be frief; And still, though my spirit was straying I told not a word of my grief No whisper revealed my deceiver No ear heard me sigh or complain; My heart still adored its bereaver, And longed but to meet him again. My heart still adored its bereaver, And longed but to meet him again.
