[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A popular song from 1905.
Words by James Burris.
Music by Chris Smith.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. I was never blessed with luck
Said Stonewall Jackson Lee,
There’s Johnson’s got a job, Jasper’s got a job
Ev’rybody’s got a job but me
Now I once heard
A rabbits left hind leg was just the goods,
So I got myself some left hind legs
While huntin’ thro’ de woods
To show my luck they gave away
Free coffee one cold night
We lined up just like soldiers
For a front place I did fight,
Instead of havin’ just one left leg
I had bout three or four,
But when I reached dat coffee cart
De man said, “Ain’t no more”
Chorus
Ain’t nobody, never anybody
Had more trouble than me,
Oh! I’m wishin’
I’m a goin’ fishin’ for some sympathy,
Just my luck after blowin’ and a puffin’
To reach dat coffee cart and den get nuthin’
Ain’t nobody, never anybody
Had more trouble than me.
2. Near a graveyard Stonewall passed
While goin’ home one night,
And walkin’ long de road in a narrow path
He was lookin’ neither left nor right.
With rabbits legs clasped in his hand
He thought no one was near,
But ev’ry step that Stonewall took
An echo he would hear.
He coughed and heard the echo,
So he stopped and said “Who dat?”
It echoed back and Stone exclaimed
“Now Who dat? said Who dat?”
I ain’t afraid of ghosts and things
While I have strength and health,
But whosoever said Who dat,
Can stay here by himself.
Chorus
Ain’t nobody, never anybody
Had more trouble than me,
Oh! I’m wishin’
I’m a goin’ fishin’ for some sympathy,
Reached my home was a blowin’ and a puffin’
I made dat fust mile in exactly nuthin’,
Ain’t nobody, never anybody
Had more trouble than me.
3. I’m a goin’ to try once more
I’ll rent myself a hall,
It’s just the time o’ year,
All de coons are here,
I’m a goin’ to give a fancy ball.
I advertised till I was broke,
Then for a special treat,
I fixed them up a welcome sign
Made out of rabbits feet.
The day before the ball come off
The sun shone bright and clear,
I says my luck has changed at last
I have no more to fear,
But when the night arrived
It rained just like a storm at sea,
And the only ones dat came at all
Was de janitor and me.
Chorus
Ain’t nobody, never anybody
Had more trouble than me,
Oh! I’m wishin’
I’m a goin’ fishin’ for some sympathy,
Just my luck after advertisin’
To have the biggest rainstorm of the season,
Ain’t nobody, never anybody
Had more trouble than me.