[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A popular song from 1907
Words by William Hauser
Music by Harry J. Lincoln
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- A colored gal, by the name of Sal
Who lived in New Orleans
Has often said she’d like to wed
Some coon about her means
She then got wise, and advertised
For a light brown colored man
When a coon light black, said
“I’ll cinch that,” and sent her a telegram
The words you see, read
“At liberty, I am Johnson, Yours, goodbye
I will start for there, and I’m goin’ to wear
A high hat and red tie”
When the train arrived, there a man she spied
Who was dressed as he described
So, up she went to this colored gent
And loudly then she cried
Chorus
Excuse me, but isn’t your name Johnson
Who sent me this yellow telegram?
Follow me, I’m longing to know whether
I’ll live alone, or we’ll go home together
- They were wed that day
And a year they say
They lived a happy life
’til a show one day, came along that wasy
Jim lost his loving wife
Out with the play she starts away
As Eva in the show
But the troupe, one day, jumped out they say
And skipped with all the dough
She wired Jim, “I am broke
Her in Milwaukee, this A. M.”
So her better half, by telegraph
Sent wifey dear a ten
Then she took the train for her home again
And when her Jim she spied
She grabbed that coon, began to spoon
And loudly they she cried