[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
Featured in Cole & Johnson Brothers’ “The Shoo-Fly Regiment”, 1906
words by Bob Cole
music by J. Rosamond Johnson
The sheet music:
Lyrics
- Ev’ry time I look aroun’ de old plantation
Nature settin’ on her throne
Seems to me I feel a mighty sad sensation
‘Cause I’m livin’ all alone
All de little birds and bumble bees a-wooin’
Stars a-flirtin’ up above
Bullfrogs an’ de turtledoves a-billin’ an’ a-cooin’
Honey, won’t you be my love?
Chorus
Who do you love? “Well, I don’ know”
Ma turtle dove, I ain’t got no beau
Ma honey, if you tell me dat you love but me
I’ll celebrate de ‘cassion wid a jubilee
Will you be mine? “Well, sposin’ I do?”
‘Twould be devine, and would you be true?
I’ll call you Tootsie-Wootsie and you call me Wopsie-Topsie
I’ll be happy as a bumble bee
- Lovers am a wooin’ by de stars above ’em
Swearin’ dey will constant be
Everybody seems to have someone to love ’em
Everybody else but me
Look up in de trees an’ sees de birds a-nesting
Gives my soul a kind o’ thrill
Gwine to build a nest to have my love one for to rest in
When I finds de one dat will
Sung here by Fred Feild: