[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A popular song from 1915
Words by Charles Risk
Music by Clarence E. Muse
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Talk about your Alexander’s ragtime Band
Talk about the finest music in the land
But have you ever heard about the man
Called “Europe” and his ragtime band
You ought to hear those Darkies play a spicy rag
It really starts you dancing till you’re ragtime mad
They play such harmony, you never heard before
Just the kind of music that you will adore
Chorus
Oh! Come and listen, listen to that ragtime band
Oh! Come and listen, folks, then you will understand
It’s the bestest band what am
And when they starts to play at the ball, that’s all
Then everybody starts a-swaying in the hall
Commence to dance with it, commence to prance with it
That dreamy music, that dreamy music
Come and listen to that tantalizing strain
You just ball de jack and eagle rock till you’re insane
With a melody so sweet that you can’t keep off your feet
When you hear that Europe’s Band
- Why you think the “Castles” always want to dance
Why you think they always do the latest prance
It’s just that syncopated melody, with such originality
Those tuneful plunks keep coming from the old banjo
Those guitars keep a-humming just like Old Black Joe
They play such harmony, it really makes you gay
They are sure to make you dance the Blues away