[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
In My Old Home (in Dixie land)
A 1908 popular song from the musical comedy “Bandana Land”
Words by Mord Allen
Music by Tom Lemonier
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- You ask a real darkey
What’s the dearest place on earth
What’s nearest to perfection in his mind
Where is the sum of happiness
Contentment and of mirth
That with the world to chose from he can find
He’ll never chose the Rockies
With their canyons and their snows
Nor Italy with its sunny skies so blue
Nor bonnie braes of Scotland
Where the mountain daisy grows
But this is what he’ll always answer you
Refrain
In my old home, in Dixie land
In my old home, to me its grand
I can’t help what you think of it
There’s no place else on earth so fit
As my old home in Dixie land
- You ask him what of comfort
Can the South hold out to him
With all the things that go to vex him there
You tell him of the Phillipines
Where life’s not half so grim
And Cuba with its balmy southern air
But nothing can impress him
Though you pick the wide world o’er
Can bring the look of gladness to his eyes
And you’ll know his heart is loyal
Unto Dixie ever more
When you speak of comfort and he thus replies