[Warning: contains racial stereotypes. Original presented as part of music history.]
a 1898 popular song
words and music by Bert Williams and Walter Smart
The sheet music:
Accompaniment:
Lyrics
1. I’ve had more trouble in the last three years
Than any colored person could use
I fell in love with two real coons
And I didn’t know which to choose
One of them was a pretty yaller man
And he certainly looked good to me
The other was a rale headed ankle-faced freak
And was as black as he could be
The yaller man I thought was the best
But I know now he can’t stand the test
‘Cause this black man he has commenced
To pay all my expense
This yaller coon will have to leave here soon
‘Cause I’m going to give him the shove
For a friend in need is a friend indeed
So this black man I’m going to love
Chorus
No coon can come too black for me
I cert’ny love those dark men’s ‘ciety
The blacker they come the better I like ’em
All them yaller babies, I’m bound to slight ’em
‘Cause no coon can come too black for me
2. This black man I love with all my heart
And he’s always on my mind
This yaller coon he got dead sore
When I told him he wasn’t my kind
He swears he’ll get revenge some day
If I refuse to be his wife
And if that coon don’t compromise
We’re going to take his life
At half past nine the other night
These two real coons commenced to fight
They fought all night till broad daylight
Them coons they looked a sight
This yaller coon got loose
Histed up the flag of truce
And he cried, “Please let me be”
He says, “I’m through, that coon belongs to you
That black man’s too warm for me”
Sung here by Fred Feild: