Uploaded August 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/0Gt38YT4AQDg4xRLFH5xuD?si=BNV8P5WQTlqoVoj8rlwA6A
Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/album/historical-songs-on-piano-the-american-civil-war/1810528848

Good day! This is a piano instrumental of the American Civil War song "When This Cruel War is Over," also known as "Weeping, Sad, and Lonely."

Discord: discord.com/invite/SGMHeZ7

"When This Cruel War is Over" was written by Charles Carrol Sawyer, with music by Henry Tucker. The song was published in 1863 and was popular among both Union and Confederate soldiers, selling over a million copies during the war. References to the Union flag and Union uniforms in the song were altered in Southern versions.

The tune's popularity led to the emergence of alternate lyrics, such as "When Upon the Field of Glory" and "When This Cruel Draft is Over."

The image in the video is a painting titled "Angel of the Battlefield," by Mort Künstler. The painting depicts American nurse Clara Barton caring for wounded soldiers in Northern Virginia after the battle of Cedar Mountain in 1862. Barton became known as the "Angel of the Battlefield." She would go on to found the American Red Cross in 1881.


Lyrics:
I.
Dearest love, do you remember,
When we last did meet,
How you told me that you loved me,
Kneeling at my feet?
Oh! how proud you stood before me
In your suit of blue,
When you vow'd to me and country
Ever to be true.

Chorus:
Weeping, sad and lonely,
Hopes and fears how vain! Yet praying,
When the cruel war is over,
Praying that we meet again!

II.
When the summer breeze is sighing
Mournfully along;
Or when autumn leaves are falling,
Sadly breathes the song.
Oft in dreams I see thee lying
On the battle plain,
Lonely, wounded, even dying,
Calling, but in vain.

(Chorus)

III.
If amid the din of battle
Nobly you should fall,
Far away from those who love you,
None to hear you call
Who would whisper words of comfort,
Who would soothe your pain?
Ah! the many cruel fancies
Ever in my brain.

(Chorus)

IV.
But our country called you, darling,
Angels cheer your way;
While our nation's sons are fighting,
We can only pray.
Nobly strike for God and liberty,
Let all nations see
How we love the starry banner,
Emblem of the free.

(Chorus)



The music in this video was made using Logic Pro.