[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
a 1848 minstrel song
words and music by Stephen C. Foster
From The Stephen Foster Song Book: “Old Uncle Ned was composed probably in Pittsburgh in 1847 and came into print a year later while Foster was living in Cincinnati. The music for Old Uncle Ned is good early Foster. It has an easy melodic flow, a clever three-part chorus (two tenors and a bass, one might guess), and a little four-measure dance as postlude.”
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Werner Tomaschewski
Lyrics
1. Dere was an old nigga
Dey called him Uncle Ned
He’s dead long ago long ago
He had no wool on de top ob de head
De place wha de wool ought to grow
Chorus
Den lay down de shubble and de hoe-o-o
and hang up de fiddle and de bow
No more hard work for poor old Ned
He’s gone wha de good niggas go
No more hard work for poor old Ned
He’s gone wha de good niggas go
2. His fingers were long
Like de cane in de brake
He had no eyes for to see
He had no teeffe for to eat de oae cake
Se he had to luf dat oae cake be
3. On a cold frosty morning
Poor Uncle Ned died
Masters tears down his cheeks ran like rain
Case he knew when poor Ned was under de ground
He’d neber see his like again
Sung here by Fred Feild: