[WARNING: racial stereotypes. Original presented as important music history.]
A 1847 plantation melody sung by The Virginia Serenaders
words by Silas S. Steele
music and arrangement by Anthony F. Winnemore
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Benjamin R. Tubb:
Lyrics
1. Oh down in Indiana woods
Whar color’d Angels grow
Dar I fust track’d a darkey gal
Her name was Dinah Doe
Her shape was like a sheaf ob corn
Her step was like de Roe
An my heart an heel was beating
To follow Dinah Doe
2. I foller her thro’ flow’ry woods
Each step she walk more slow
An’ when she peeped behind I thought
The stars had dropt below
For her eyes where like de risen moon
When daylight out does go
And my heart an’ heel was beating
To foller Dinah Doe
3. While looken round, she bumped a tree
An’ backward down she go
I catch her in dese trobbing arms
As an eagle catch a crow
Oh she trembled like a color’d lamb
Out in a storm ob snow
Ah my heart it beat de banjo
While I hold sweet Dinah Doe
Ah my heart it beat de banjo
While I hold sweet Dinah Doe
4. I prest de wound, I kiss her lip
And she revived not slow
Her teeth showed like white grains ob corn
Laid in a double row
An her breath was like de summer winds
Dat on de clover blow
Oh she vowed dat night to lope wid me
De charming Dinah Doe
5. I help in my log Canoe
An down de stream I row
I want no light to steer by, but
De eyes ob Dinah Doe
Oh we ride fas down de river
While de waters gaily flow
I thought her mine for ever
Dis Charming Dinah Doe
6. But her Massa’s Driver spy her out
While fishen down below
He shot sweet Dinah thro’ de breast
And in de stream she go
Oh! her cry was like a dying dove
Right through my soul it go
And dis poor heart is beating
To foller Dinah Doe
Sung here by Fred Feild