[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A 1848 minstrel show song
As sung by Geo. N. Christy
It might have been written by E. P. Christy
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Benjamin R. Tubb:
Lyrics
1. When I liv’d way down in ole Virginia
I bought a culored gal for a guinea
By de rolling ob her eye
If you chance should pass her by
It will cause your heart to palpitate
Gib up de ghost and die
Den I warn all you darkies not to lub her
If you do she will cause you to blubber
So get out ob de way
And remember what I say
Ise a gwain to marry her myself
Some berry fine day
Chorus
Den I warn all you darkies not to lub her
If you do she will cause you to blubber
So get out ob de way
And remember what I say
Ise a gwain to marry her myself
Some berry fine day
2. But now she’s goin for to leave me
If she does she will cruelly deceive me
But to win her I will try
By de winking ob de eye
If she dont consent to marry
I will go away and cry
But I know dat she will not deceive me
And she is not a gwoin for to leave me
So to hab a little fun
For de Banjo I will run
And I’ll play dat merry tune
‘Jenny git your hoe cake done’
3. One night when de moon war a beaming
I lay fast asleep a dreaming
Dat de sun war shining bright
In de middle ob de night
And de Darkies had collected
For to hab a little fight
When I woke, oh, de Banjo war sounding
De Bones through de air war a bounding
But how pleasant it did seem
I war married in a dream
In de floating scow Virginia
On de Mississippi stream
Sung here by Fred Feild: