From the show “Carry On”, 1922.
Words by Ralph Stanley.
Music by Nat D. Ayer.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Here’s a tale about a darkey
Who was born in London Town
When he heard about old Dixie
Well he couldn’t settle down
Fields of cotton seem’d to call him
How they call’d him night and day
Ask him why he keeps on walking
He will smile at you, and say
Refrain
I’m shufflin’, shufflin, shufflin’ along
Shufflin’, shufflin’ along with a song
For there’s only one place in this world
I wanna be before I die
It’s a long, long way to have to walk each day
But I’ll get there by and by
By shufflin’, shufflin’, shufflin’ along
Don’t know if I’m on the right road or wrong
But there’s sure to be some jubilee
When the dear old folks at home see me
Come shufflin’, shufflin’, shufflin’ along
- Years have pass’d since first he started
On his walk to Dixieland
But he’s always cheerful hearted
‘Cause he doesn’t understand
Doesn’t understand that Dixie
Lies away across the foam
So you’ll always hear him mumbling
Thinking that he’s nearing home
Sung here by Fred Feild: