[DISCLAIMER: This song contains antiquated racial language. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A popular song from 1895.
Words by Harry Dillon.
Music by John Dillon.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. He caught the train at Albany
And to the porter said
Put me off at Buffalo
He was tired and took a sleeper
And says now I’ll go to bed
Just to rest an hour or so
In an undertone he murmured
“Now I lay me down to wink”
Put me off at Buffalo
Then he tipped the porter saying
Port old boy come have a drink
Put me off at Buffalo, oh, oh
Chorus
Don’t forget to put me off at Buf-“Hallo”
Oh, oh, my berth is lower five
If you find me hard to wake
Oh don’t be afraid to shake
Throw me off there dead or alive
Mister Porter when you call me in the morn
He says, I’ll kick but of course it doesn’t go
No matter what I say
Just remember I’m the jay
That goes off the train
When you get to Buffalo
2. The porter started drinking
And you’d think he owned the road
When he got to Buffalo
The train was way behind
The engineer he had a load
Take water he says, no, no
When the porter went to call his man
He got at the wrong berth
Says get off at Buffalo
Oh, the man he says you’re wrong old boy
Look out you’ll tear my shirt
I don’t get off at Buffalo, oh, oh
Chorus
Don’t tell me you won’t get off at Buf-“Hallo”
Oh, oh, be quick and grab your clothes
Here’s the hardest guy to wake
Said the porter with a shake
They exchanged some good hard blows
Oh, the porter got a soaker, but he fired the man
With a crash thro’ the window he did go
Then the man they should awoke
In his sleep says thats a joke
Put me off the train, when we get to Buffalo
3. When the brakeman shouted Cleveland
Why the man jumped out of bed
And says we’ve gone thro’ Buffalo
Then he saw the poor old porter
With a bandage on his head
And his eyes swelled out, oh, oh
His whiskers they were sandy
In the sand he done a jig
Put me off at Buffalo
He says my wife was waiting at the depot with a rig
Take me back to Buffalo, oh, I
Chorus
Thought I told you put me off at Buf-“Hallo”
Oh, oh, there’s trouble in the air
Oh the porter shook with fright
Yes, he turned from black to white
Oh, how that coon did stare
I’m a dead nigger now he whispered to himself
Its my last trip on this road, I know
My goodness sakes alive
Here’s the gent in number five
I put the wrong man off the train at Buffalo
Sung here by Fred Feild: