Zip Coon

[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]

The 1834 origin of Turkey in the Straw
words and music by either George Washington Dixon, George Nichols, or Bob Farrell

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The sheet music:

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Accompaniment by Benjamin R. Tubb:

Zip Coon – MIDI

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Lyrics

1. O ole Zip Coon he is a larned skolar (3x)
   Sings posum up a gum tree an coony in a holler
   Posum up a gum tree, coony on a stump (3x)
   Den over dubble trubble, Zip coon will jump

Chorus
O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day
O Zip a duden duden duden duden duden day
O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day
Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day

2. O it’s old Suky blue skin, she is in lub wid me
   I went the udder arter noon to take a dish ob tea
   What do you tink now, Suky hab for supper
   Why chicken foot an posum heel
   Widout any butter
3. Did you eber see the wild goose
   Sailing on de ocean
   O de wild goose motion is a berry pretty notion
   Ebry time de wild goose, beckens to de swaller
   You hear him google google google google gollar
4. I went down to Sandy Hollar t’ other arternoon
   And the first man I chanced to meet
   War ole Zip Coon
   Ole Zip Coon he is a natty scholar
   For he plays upon de Banjo “Cooney in de hollar”
5. My old Missus she’s mad wid me
   Kase I would’nt go wid her into Tennessee
   Massa build him barn and put in de fodder
   Twas dis ting and dat ting one ting or odder
6. I pose you heard ob de battle New Orleans
   Whar ole Gineral Jackson gib de British beans
   Dare de Yankee boys do de job so slick
   For dey cotch old Packenham
   An rowed him up de creek.
7. I hab many tings to tork about
   But don’t know wich come first
   So here de toast to old Zip Coon
   Before he gin to rust
   May he hab de pretty girls
   Like de King ob ole
   To sing dis song so many times
   ’Fore he turn to mole

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Sung here by Fred Feild: