[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A song from “The English Daisy”, 1903.
Words by Will A. Heelan.
Music by Maude Nugent.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. A yaller moon, a dusky coon
It ain’t no great combination
But pretty soon Miss Octoroon
Improves the situation
From her pretty ruby lips
All the honey sweet he sips
Den his arms he gently slips
Around her waist so neat
Begs her not to make him wait
Won’t she let him know his fate
How his heart does palpitate
To hear his words so sweet
Chorus
And it seem’d to amuse the moon
For he winks right at the coon
But the coon is wise an’ kept his eyes
On the little Octoroon
Then he hums a darkey croon
Such a sweet love makin’ tune
Well ev’ryone seems having fun
The moon, the coon, and the little Octoroon
2. The same old moon, the same old coon
The same weak combination
But pretty soon Miss Octoroon
Improves the situation
And they act again this time
Jes the same sweet pantomine
And the moon begins to climb
Up high to see the fun
For he sees dat darkey meet
Ev’ry night a maiden sweet
But the darkey don’t repeat
He meets a diff’rent one