[Warning: This song contains the N-word. It is presented in its original form as a part of musical history.]
A 1850 minstrel song set in Illinois.
Words and music by Stephen C. Foster.
From the Stephen Foster Song Book: “Way Down in Ca-i-ro,” the other song of April 1850, is the composer strutting on the minstrel stage. It has a tonic effect: he is bright, clever, amusing, untroubled. He is the composer of “Oh! Susanna” and Camptown Races” in fine form. The song is instructive as well as entertaining; it indicates the correct regional pronunciation of Cairo (rhymes with pharaoh), Illinois, as opposed to Cairo, Egypt.”
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Werner Tomaschewski:
Lyrics
1. Oh! ladies don’t you blush
When I come out to play
I only mean to please you all
And den I’s guine away
Chorus
I hear my true-lub weep
I hear my true-lub sigh
’Way down in Ca-i-ro
Dis nigga’s guine to die
2. Sometimes de nigga’s life is sad
Sometimes his life is gay
When de work don’t come too hard
He’s singin all de day
3. Now we libs on de fat ob de land
Now we libs on de lean
When we hab no cake to bake
We sweep de kitchen clean
4. Massa bought a bran new coat
And hung it on de wall
Dis nigga’s guine to take dat coat
And wear it to de ball
5. All de ladies in de land
And all de gemmen too
Am guine to hear de darkey band
An see what dey can do
Sung here by Fred Feild: