A popular song from the year 1912.
Words by Grant Clarke.
Music by Jean Schwartz.
The sheet music:
That Coontown Quartette – Sheet Music
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
That_Coontown_Quartette – MIDI
Lyrics
1. Last night I heard some singin’
Real singin’, great singin’
And there were voices ringin’
To good old Southern tunes
I heard some colored fellers
Swell fellers, four fellers
And I’ve seen some Rathskellers
And entertainin’ coons
I mighty nearly went insane
When they started singin’ this refrain
“Way down yonder in the old cornfield”
Chorus
You don’t mean to tell me that you never met
That Coontown Quartette?
You don’t mean to say you never heard ’em yet?
That Coontown Quartette
Timmy’s the tenor, Billy’s the bass
Barry sings the baritone all around the place
Most surprising, harmonizing
Have you heard ’em? go and hear ’em singing’
“Lindy, Lindy, sweet little sugar pet”
Throw a nickle on the drum, Bumpity bum
To that Coontown Quartette
2. They sang a song so funny
So funny, oh honey
I threw away my money
It tickled me to death
Then Billy sang a ballad
Sweet ballad, fine ballad
I choked on chicken salad
Until I lost my breath
No sooner would the boys begin
Then I found myself a-joinin’ in
“Way down yonder in the old cornfield”