[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A novelty song from 1913
Words and music by Helen Trix
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- There’s a big event in Southern dark society
All the colored swells are certain to be there
And you’re sure to meet the belles of great propriety
With their lovely ruby lips and kinky hair
There’ll be Dinah Jones with Hanna Brown and Mandy Lou
There’ll be Johnson with his girl from Tennessee
There’ll be all the folks from Georgia who are well-to-do
So I’ll have to take you to the jamboree
Chorus:
Oh, are you coming to the ball with me?
Don’t miss this lovely spree
Now look here, baby, don’t you dare refuse me
If you do you’ll surely lose me
Oh, where the colored aristocrisy
Will have the two-step and the cake-walk there
The “turkey trot” the “grizzly bear”
The “Palmer house,” the “Bambashay”
And “Texas Tommy” light and gay
Honey, don’t you hesitate
Hurry up or you’ll be late
Oh, are you coming to the ball?
- Wear your yellow dress with tassels and your sash of blue
Wear a pompadour and diamonds in your shoes
When we do the “turkey trot,” my little lady love
You can bet your dear sweet life we’ll never lose
All the lords and dukes and princes from Bazooda Land
And the King and Queen from up the river Nile
They’ve engaged the dusky bluebloods to beat the band
So you know that ought to hold you for a while