Difference between revisions of "Jump Jim Crow"
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== Lyrics == | == Lyrics == | ||
| − | Come, listen all you gals and boys, Ise just from Tuckyhoe; | + | The lyrics as most commonly quoted are: |
| − | I'm goin' to sing a little song, My name's Jim Crow. | + | |
| + | ''Come, listen all you gals and boys, Ise just from Tuckyhoe;'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''I'm goin' to sing a little song, My name's Jim Crow.'' | ||
CHORUS [after every verse] | CHORUS [after every verse] | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | I went down to the river, I didn't mean to stay; | + | ''Weel about and turn about and do jis so,'' |
| − | But dere I see so many gals, I couldn't get away. | + | |
| + | ''Eb'ry time I weel about I jump Jim Crow.'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''I went down to the river, I didn't mean to stay;'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''But dere I see so many gals, I couldn't get away.'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''And arter I been dere awhile, I tought I push my boat;'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''But I tumbled in de river, and I find myself afloat.'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''I git upon a flat boat, I cotch de Uncle Sam;'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''Den I went to see de place where dey kill'd de Pakenham.'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''And den I go to Orleans, an, feel so full of flight;'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''Dey put me in de calaboose, an, keep me dere all night.'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''When I got out I hit a man, his name I now forgot;'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''But dere was noting left of him 'cept a little grease spot.'' | ||
| − | And | + | ''And oder day I hit a man, de man was mighty fat'' |
| − | |||
| − | I | + | ''I hit so hard I nockt him in to an old cockt hat.'' |
| − | |||
| − | + | ''I whipt my weight in wildcats, I eat an alligator;'' | |
| − | |||
| − | + | ''I drunk de Mississippy up! O! I'm de very creature.'' | |
| − | |||
| − | + | ''I sit upon a hornet's nest, I dance upon my head;'' | |
| − | I | ||
| − | I | + | ''I tie a wiper round my neck an, den I go to bed.'' |
| − | |||
| − | I | + | ''I kneel to de buzzard, an, I bow to the crow;'' |
| − | |||
| − | + | ''An eb'ry time I weel about I jump jis so.'' | |
| − | An eb'ry time I weel about I jump jis so. | ||
== Controversy == | == Controversy == | ||
These words are from the song, "Jim Crow," as it appeared in sheet music written by Thomas Dartmouth "Daddy" Rice. Rice, a struggling "actor" (he did short solo skits between play scenes) at the Park Theater in New York, happened upon a black person singing the above song -- some accounts say it was an old black slave who walked with difficulty, others say it was a ragged black stable boy. Whether modeled on an old man or a young boy we will never know, but we know that in 1828 Rice appeared on stage as "Jim Crow" -- an exaggerated, highly stereotypical black character. | These words are from the song, "Jim Crow," as it appeared in sheet music written by Thomas Dartmouth "Daddy" Rice. Rice, a struggling "actor" (he did short solo skits between play scenes) at the Park Theater in New York, happened upon a black person singing the above song -- some accounts say it was an old black slave who walked with difficulty, others say it was a ragged black stable boy. Whether modeled on an old man or a young boy we will never know, but we know that in 1828 Rice appeared on stage as "Jim Crow" -- an exaggerated, highly stereotypical black character. | ||
By 1838, the term "Jim Crow" was being used as a collective racial epithet for blacks, not as offensive as nigger, but similar to coon or darkie. The popularity of minstrel shows clearly aided the spread of Jim Crow as a racial slur. This use of the term only lasted half a century. By the end of the 19th century, the words Jim Crow were less likely to be used to derisively describe blacks; instead, the phrase Jim Crow was being used to describe laws and customs which oppressed blacks. <ref>https://www.ferris.edu/htmls/news/jimcrow/who/index.htm</ref> | By 1838, the term "Jim Crow" was being used as a collective racial epithet for blacks, not as offensive as nigger, but similar to coon or darkie. The popularity of minstrel shows clearly aided the spread of Jim Crow as a racial slur. This use of the term only lasted half a century. By the end of the 19th century, the words Jim Crow were less likely to be used to derisively describe blacks; instead, the phrase Jim Crow was being used to describe laws and customs which oppressed blacks. <ref>https://www.ferris.edu/htmls/news/jimcrow/who/index.htm</ref> | ||
Revision as of 09:44, 24 January 2021
Jump Jim Crow initiated a new form of popular music and theatrical performances in the United States that focused their attention on the mockery of African Americans.
Lyrics
The lyrics as most commonly quoted are:
Come, listen all you gals and boys, Ise just from Tuckyhoe;
I'm goin' to sing a little song, My name's Jim Crow.
CHORUS [after every verse]
Weel about and turn about and do jis so,
Eb'ry time I weel about I jump Jim Crow.
I went down to the river, I didn't mean to stay;
But dere I see so many gals, I couldn't get away.
And arter I been dere awhile, I tought I push my boat;
But I tumbled in de river, and I find myself afloat.
I git upon a flat boat, I cotch de Uncle Sam;
Den I went to see de place where dey kill'd de Pakenham.
And den I go to Orleans, an, feel so full of flight;
Dey put me in de calaboose, an, keep me dere all night.
When I got out I hit a man, his name I now forgot;
But dere was noting left of him 'cept a little grease spot.
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.
I whipt my weight in wildcats, I eat an alligator;
I drunk de Mississippy up! O! I'm de very creature.
I sit upon a hornet's nest, I dance upon my head;
I tie a wiper round my neck an, den I go to bed.
I kneel to de buzzard, an, I bow to the crow;
An eb'ry time I weel about I jump jis so.
Controversy
These words are from the song, "Jim Crow," as it appeared in sheet music written by Thomas Dartmouth "Daddy" Rice. Rice, a struggling "actor" (he did short solo skits between play scenes) at the Park Theater in New York, happened upon a black person singing the above song -- some accounts say it was an old black slave who walked with difficulty, others say it was a ragged black stable boy. Whether modeled on an old man or a young boy we will never know, but we know that in 1828 Rice appeared on stage as "Jim Crow" -- an exaggerated, highly stereotypical black character.
By 1838, the term "Jim Crow" was being used as a collective racial epithet for blacks, not as offensive as nigger, but similar to coon or darkie. The popularity of minstrel shows clearly aided the spread of Jim Crow as a racial slur. This use of the term only lasted half a century. By the end of the 19th century, the words Jim Crow were less likely to be used to derisively describe blacks; instead, the phrase Jim Crow was being used to describe laws and customs which oppressed blacks. [1]