Ridin’ on de Golden Bike

From the show “A Trip To Chinatown”, 1895.
A satirical coon song, chorus and refrain.
Words and music by Dave Reed, Jr.

The sheet music:

Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:

Lyrics

1, Oh, they say the congregation’s
Gwine to take a trip to heaven
Get aboard de Golden Bike
And de coons will have to quit
A playin seven and eleven
Get aboard de Golden Bike
They have got a colored pusson
Fo’ to tend de gates of glory
Get aboard de Golden Bike
And if niggers ain’t all angels soon
‘Twill be a funny story
Get aboard de Golden Bike
Fat coons ridin’ to reduce their weight
Some fall off as sure as fate
Coons on mules and coons on skates
Won’t be admitted at the Golden Gate
Get aboard! Get aboard!
Get aboard dat Golden Bike

Chorus
Oh, make those golden wheels go faster
Have no disaster until that sunny shore you strike
You’ll see those walls of silv’ry plaster
When you’re ridin’ on de Golden Bike

2. Dar’s a lot of chicken snatchers
Dat’ll surely get a lickin’
Get aboard de Golden Bike
Cause they’ll often steal an angel
And imagine it’s a chicken
Get aboard de Golden Bike
Rufus Jones got a sleigh on which
He says he’s gwine to travel
Get aboard de Golden Bike
But they’ll place him on de rainbow
And they’ll slide him to the devil
Get aboard de Golden Bike
Big fat Liza in her bloomer clothes
How she’ll ride dar’s no one knows
If a big hill she should strike
Goodbye to Liza and de Golden Bike
Get aboard! Get aboard!
Get aboard dat Golden Bike

3. Oh, de novelty for trolley cars
Has long ago expired
Get aboard de Golden Bike
And de safety’s like a colored man
Because it’s always tired
Get aboard de Golden Bike
All de horses have no work to do
And all their joints are rustin’
Get aboard de Golden Bike
All de engines are forsaken
And their boilers am a bustin’
Get aboard de Golden Bike
Eli Johnson is a gone coon now
He can’t mount his wheel no how
He’ll be dropped down Satan’s dike
Cause he can’t ride to glory on de Golden Bike
Get aboard! Get aboard!
Get aboard dat Golden Bike