Paul Laurence Dunbar: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Dreamin' Town

Paul Laurence Dunbar

“Dreamin' Town” as printed in The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar (1913).

Paul Laurence Dunbar: Collected Lyrics Text 41 1913 · historical text
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Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

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DREAMIN' TOWN

Verse 2

Come away to dreamin' town,

Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou,

Whaih de skies don' nevah frown,

Mandy Lou;

Whaih he streets is paved with gol',

Whaih de days is nevah col',

An' no sheep strays f'om de fol',

Mandy Lou.

Ain't you tiahed of every day,

Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou,

Tek my han' an' come away,

Mandy Lou,

To the place whaih dreams is King,

Whaih my heart hol's everything,

An' my soul can allus sing,

Mandy Lou.

Come away to dream wid me,

Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou,

Whaih our hands an' hea'ts are free,

Mandy Lou;

Whaih de sands is shinin' white,

Whaih de rivahs glistens bright,

Mandy Lou.

Come away to dreamland town,

Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou,

Whaih de fruit is bendin' down,

Des fu' you.

Smooth your brow of lovin' brown,

An' my love will be its crown;

Come away to dreamin' town,

Mandy Lou.

Credits

Written by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Words by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Historical text published in The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar (1913); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar (1913), “Dreamin' Town”

Every text in this collected edition is by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906); his works entered the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions in 1977, and the 1913 edition is in the public domain in the United States. The edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

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Retrieved 2026-10-27. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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