[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A decision of color from 1899
Words and music by Ben Harney
The sheet music:
Lyrics
1. A coal black man has caught his baby
With a yaller nigger just last week
And now he don’t notice this lady
Never more will he ever speak
But he went straight and bought a razor
‘Bout this gal he went wild
And swore he’d have the life of that jap
For he caused the trouble with his gal
He net that dinge in a big ballroom
The yaller coon that gave the dance
The black man backed him up in a corner
When he spoke these words he fell in a trance
Chorus:
You’ve got to draw that color line
You big yaller yaps must stand behind
Back, back, back, you yeller nig
You van’t pass in with that wig
‘Tain’t no use for to paint your face
For your big flat nose shows up your race
Between you coons we got to draw that color line
2. A taller nigger passing fo a Spaniard
Met a black man in a crowd
He went straight up and called him down
And said there wasn’t no coons allowed
This got the black man very indignant
Straight to a cop then he went
And had the yaller coon arrested
Right in jail he had him sent
But when they were brought up in the morning
The judge looked wise and then he said
This place was meant for white folks, that’s all
The yaller coons all nearly fell dead
Chorus:
We’ve got to draw that color line
You big yaller coons must stand behind
Back, back, back, you yaller coons
In this world ain’t standing room
I know your face is pretty light
But there’s no chance for you to pass for white
Between you coons we got to draw that color line