Taps: Meaning and History
Taps first sounded in July of 1862 and many have put words
to the music. The first were very simply "Go To Sleep, Go to
Sleep." There are no official words but these are some of the
popular words put to the beautiful and solemn melody.
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.
Go to sleep, peaceful sleep,
May the soldier or sailor,
God keep.
On the land or the deep,
Safe in sleep.
Love, good night, Must thou go,
When the day, And the night
Need thee so?
All is well. Speedeth all
To their rest.
Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day, And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well; Day has gone,
Night is on.
Thanks and praise, For our days,
'Neath the sun, Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know,
God is nigh.
NOTE: The website, Tapsbugler.com includes a history of Taps,
performance information and guidelines for playing Taps
at funerals, finding buglers for sounding calls, plus many
photos of bugles and buglers, music for bugle calls, stories
and myths about Taps.
