1829: Jim Crow Song

Thomas Dartmouth Rice, a minstrel performer, created the words and music for the song “Jim Crow.”  This song became highly popular during the 1920’s.

Jim Crow (A Comic Song)
Words and Music by Thomas Dartmouth (“Daddy”) Rice

CHORUS [after every verse]
Weel about and turn about and do jis so,
Eb’ry time I weel about I jump Jim Crow.

  1. Come, listen all you gals and boys.
    Ise just from Tuckyhoe;
    I’m goin, to sing a little song.
    My name’s Jim Crow.
  2. I went down to the river,
    I didn’t mean to stay;
    But dere I see so many gals,
    And I find myself afloat.
  3. And arter I been dere awhile
    I tought I push my boat;
    But I tumbled in de river.
    And I find myself afloat.
  4. I git upon a flat boat,
    I cotch de Uncle Sam;
    Den I went to see de place where
    Dey kill’d de Packenham.
  5. And den I go to Orleans,
    An, feel so full of flight;
    Dey put me in de Calaoose,
    An, keep me dere all night.
  6. When I got out I hit a man,
    His name I now forgot;
    But dere was nothing left of him
    ‘Cept a little grease spot.
  7. And oder day I hit a man,
    De man was mighty fat
    I hit so hard I nockt him in
    To an old cockt hat.
  8. I whipt my weight in wildcats,
    I eat an alligator;
    I drunk de Mississippy up!
    O! I’m de very creature.
  9. I sit upon a hornet’s nest,
    I dance upon my bead;
    I tie a wiper round my neck
    An, den I go to bed.
  10. I kneel to de buzzard,
    An, I bow to the crow;
    An eb’ry time I weel about
    I jump jis so.

Cited by: www.pdmusic.org/1800s/29jc.txt, and page 209 from  “Minstrel Songs, Old and New” (1808-1860)]