This song has become one of the most familiar by America's premier Victorian-era songwriter. It is highly sentimental, cast in the centuries-old lovers' serenade mode, with a constant use of arpeggios in triplet rhythms in the piano part. All this lends itself to parody, but the song nevertheless possesses the charmed simplicity of Foster's best work, distilling a European form into a timeless, artless melody.

Ironically, it is the only song that Foster wrote in 1862 that his publisher, Firth, Pond, wouldn't publish. (To be fair, the company was splitting up at the time.) Pond retained it, but did not release it until after Foster's death. Then he advertised it mercilessly as "the last song ever written" by Foster, "composed but a few days previous to his death." He even altered the copyright line to appear to read 1864, a piece of misinformation perpetuated by many a modern edition and recording jacket.

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