[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A popular song from 1899
Words by Will. A. Heelan
Music by Jean Schwartz
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. Try to forget your troubles tonight
Just think you don’t know how to fight
Make coontown talk ’bout dis cakewalk
No such a hot time happened before
Watch dat beeswax melt on de floor
Dese coons are cake walk professors
An’ they’re all real Dusky Dudes
Just see dem
Chorus
Coons promenadin’, hear dat band
Black belles paradin’, dressed so grand
An’ from de benches, swell coons an’ wenches
Cheerin’ loudly an’ proudly for dese Dusky Dudes
2. Judges are weary tryin’ to guess
Which coon team can cakewalk de bes’
It’s hard to tell, all walk so well
Whatever gent gets dis cake for his
Dat coon knows what cakewalkin’ is
He’s just de best in de bus’ness
If he beats dese Dusky Dudes
Just see dem
Sung here by Fred Feild: