[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
a catchy little 1850 minstrel song
words and music by Stephen C. Foster
Song description found in The Stephen Foster Song Book: “Nelly Bly danced her way on stage with Christy’s Minstrels in 1850 and remained a popular favorite for many years. One can imagine it as a song for two kitchen maids (the chorus is set for only two female voices) who sing and play the banjo as they attend their chores of sweeping, stoking the fire and preparing food.”
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Benjamin R. Tubb:
Lyrics
1. Nelly Bly! Nelly Bly!
Bring de broom along
We’ll sweep de kitchen clean, my dear
And hab a little song
Poke de wood, my lady lub
And make de fire burn
And while I take de banjo down
Just gib de mush a turn
Chorus
Heigh! Nelly Ho! Nelly, listen lub to me
I’ll sing for you, play for you, a dulcem melody
Heigh! Nelly, Ho! Nelly, listen lub to me
I’ll sing for you, play for you, a dulcem melody
2. Nelly Bly hab a voice like de turtle dove
I hears it in de meadow and I hears it in de grove
Nelly Bly hab a heart warm as cup ob tea
And bigger dan de sweet potatoe down in Tennessee
3. Nelly Bly shuts her eye when she goes to sleep
When she wakens up again her eyeballs gin to peep
De way she walks, she lifts her foot
And den she brings it down
And when it lights, der’s music dah
In dat part ob de town
4. Nelly Bly! Nelly Bly! nebber, nebber sigh
Nebber bring de tear drop to de corner ob your eye
For de pie is made ob punkins
And de mush is made ob corn
And der’s corn and punkins plenty lub
A-lyin’ in de barn
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Sung here by Fred Feild: