I Guess That Will Hold You For Awhile

[WARNING: racial stereotypes, contains the N-word. Original presented as part of music history.]

A darkey warning, 1897
words and music by Smart and Williams
arranged by Fred S. Rounds

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The sheet music: 


Accompaniment:


Lyrics

1. The coons in this town they’re all gone wild
‘Bout this black gal of mine
She’s black I know but she gets the dough
And she spends it all the time
Last night you see this gal caught me
With a yaller gal called “Eve”
“I’ll tell you now I won’t start no row
But nigger you’ve got to leave”

Chorus
“So, I guess that will hold you for awhile
I’m tired of all that “con” that same old smile
There’s no need to weep, there’s no need to moan
‘Cause nigger, when I leave you’ve lost a good home
So I guess that will hold you for awhile”

2. She gave me the sack, I asked her to come back
But she wouldn’t listen to my song
She took my diamond ring and all my things
And put them all in pawn
That made me mad and I got bad
I went to her home that day
But there stood her man with a razor in his hand
And to me then she did say

Chorus
“Well, I guess that will hold you for awhile
I’m tired of all that “con” that same old smile
I thought at first that you were true
But I’ve got a man just as warm as you
So I guess that will hold you for awhile”

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Sung here by Fred Feild: