“Do Not Go, My Love” : A Song’s Centenary
“Do not go, my love, without asking my leave. I have watched all night and now my eyes are heavy with sleep.”
These are the opening lines of Richard Hageman’s most famous song, “Do Not Go, My Love,” which also happens to be the first one he ever wrote. It has become one of the classics of the American art song genre.
But where does the song come from? Who is the beloved in the poem, and who spoke these words? This year marks a centenary since the publication of “Do Not Go, My Love,” and by delving deeper into its history and celebrating it with various performances and lectures, the Richard Hageman Society celebrates the song, the man, and the legacy.
