[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A man is concerned about his sweetheart, 1901
words and music by Bert Williams & George Walker
Written by two black songwriters for their comedy shows. This kind of genteel caricature was a protest against the violent songs like The Bully Song (1896). It helped to elevate African-American music leading up to the acceptance of jazz. The word I mispronounced should sound like “apparently”.
The sheet music:
Lyrics
- I ain’t never seen such a monstrous change
Since the day that I was born
As bounced up here in the las’ four weeks
‘Tween me an’ Miss Sally Horn
She par’ntly had a normal Constitution
With good common sense to spare
But since she’s been following the white folks
They’ve put Miss Sally in the air
My troubles they just started
Since at the big hotel she’s stayed
A lady sent for her up there
To come and be the maid
Where we used to go to the restaurant
Plain pork chops they would do
But now she wants a porter house steak
With a bottle of champagne, too
Chorus
She’s getting mo’ like the white folks every day
Tryin’ to do jus’ like ’em every way
Once she was stuck on calico patterns
Now all she wants is silks and satins
She’s getting mo’ like the white folks every day
- I knew at her home that she only had
Just one plain kind of meat
Now she’s got to have two diff’rent kinds
Or else she cannot eat
I know when chicken was a luxury
She’d eat ’em boiled or fried
Now she must have some humming birds hearts
Or else she ain’t satisfied
She’s got herself some irons
She’s been working on her hair
She’s got herself some kalsomine
To help to make her fair
Now she can sing “The Swanee River”
Like it never was sung before
But since she’s worked in that hotel
She warbles “Il Trovatore”
Sung here by Fred Feild: