Molly, Do You Love Me?

"'Molly, Do You Love Me?' is a great example of Foster at his tenderest. This is a beautiful, innocent love song typical of the 19th century. But in it we're vaguely starting to hear some influences of Bellini and Donizetti, whom Foster adored."

--Thomas Hampson, from the liner notes of Song of America: Music from the Library of Congress

Date: 1850Composer: Stephen FosterText: Stephen Foster

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Text

Molly, Do You Love Me?
by Stephen Foster

Molly do you love me?
Can the morning beam
Love a lowly flowret
Living in its gleam?
Let one gentle whisper
All my doubts destroy —
Let my dreamy rapture
Turn to waking joy.
Molly do you love me?
Tell me, tell me true!
Molly do you love me,
Love as I love you?

Tell me, by these ringlets,
By those eyes of blue,
Molly! do you love me,
Love as I love you?
Can that voice’s music
Flow from heartless glee?
Must I read no feeling
In that melody?
Molly! do you love me?
Tell me, tell me true!
Molly! do you love me,
Love as I love you?

Ah! my heart has yielded
To those smiles that play
With the merry dimples
All the live-long day.
Though the tender blossoms
Need the summer light,
Let our hearts, united,
Brave affliction’s blight.
Molly! do you love me?
Tell me, tell me true!
Molly! do you love me,
Love as I love you?

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