[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A popular song from 1904
Words by Harry H. Williams
Music by Egbert Van Alstyne
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Denese Coulbeck:
Lyrics
- Forty below, coon from a show
Sits by a water tank out in the snow
He looped the loop, with a cheap troupe
And then the manager he flew the coup
Why does he wait, out there so late
Just for a common old every day freight
He’s broke you know, so is the show
And that’s why he cries, this much is so
Chorus:
I’m going back, back, back to Baltimore
This acting bus’ness cert’nly makes me sore
Black face song or a minstrel joke
Won’t entice this foolish moke
I never cared for home so much before
They said we’d stop at swell hotels galore
We only stopped at them outside the door
The next man says I’m talented
I’ll put a dent right in his head
If I get back to Baltimore
- Some fellow mean said, “Mister Green
You’se the most comical man I have seen
But he took a reef in his belief
That I was funny as McIntyre Heaf
I went and spent seven weeks rent
For a plug hat, now I ain’t got a cent
Here I am broke, that hat in soak
If I act again, I hope I choke