Title

The Laughing Little Red-Head Coon / music by Ellis G. Berg; words by Ellis G. Berg

Authors

Ellis G. Berg
Harry Tillmann and Co. (New York)

Preview

Files

ISBN

MUM00682, 0067

Description

Cover: drawing of a red-headed African American boy; supplement to the N. Y. World. Jan. 14, 1900 description reads a coon lullaby; Publisher: Harry Tillmann and Co. (New York)

Subject Headings (Library of Congress)

Songs -- United States -- 19th Century; Popular Music -- United States

Relational Format

music score

Original Format

scores

Original Collection

Sheldon Harris Collection (MUM00682), Archives and Special Collections, University of Mississippi Libraries

Finding Aid

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/finding_aids/322

Lyrics

Lyrics:
First verse
Far away down South right near the Swanee river you can find A happy colored couple and their boy; The baby ain't so handsome and his hair is kind o' red But still he is his parents' pride and joy; His mammy thinks of how some day he'll be a grown-up man, Half wishing that a babe he could remain; And, as she rocks his cradle, To get that chile to sleep, She softly sings this lullaby refrain:
Chorus
Close your eyes in sleep you laughing little, red-head coon, May your baby dreams be ever bright; Till you fall asleep yo' mammy will not go away And Angels fair will guard you thro' the night, my darling; Close your eyes in sleep and don't you wake until the morn, Daylight will be here now very soon, And you have no need to fear For yo' mammy is right here, You laughing little red-head coon.
Second verse
In the early morning when that little pickaninny wakes, His dad gets up and with him loves to play; Of course he has to leave and go to work but just the same He's thinking of his baby boy all day; He's happy when the ev'ning comes and always hurries home, He's longin' for to kiss that little coon, And, when it comes to bedtime, He sits beside the cot, And listens while his mammy sings this tune:
(Chorus)

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Some of the images and language that appear in the digital collections depict prejudices that are not condoned by the University of Mississippi. This content is being presented as historical documentation to aid in the understanding of both American history and the history of the University of Mississippi. The University Creed speaks to our current deeply held values, and the availability of this content should not be taken as an endorsement of previous attitudes or behavior.