Title

What You Goin' to do when the Rent Comes 'Round? (Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown) / music by Harry von Tilzer; words by B. Sterling Andrew

Authors

Harry von Tilzer
B. Sterling Andrew
Harry von Tilzer Music Publishing Co. (New York)

Preview

Files

ISBN

MUM00682, 0142

Description

Cover: caricature of an African American couple (see 544); Publisher: Harry von Tilzer Music Publishing Co. (New York)

Subject Headings (Library of Congress)

Songs -- United States -- 20th 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
Who dat a knockin' at the door below, Who dat a shiv'rin' in the hail and snow, I can hear you grumblin' Mister Rufus Brown, Just keep on a knockin' babe, I won't come down, I wants to tell you that you can't get in, Have you been a gamblin' Honey, did you win? what's that you tell me coon you lost your breath? I hopes you freezes to death.
Chorus
Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown, what you goin' to do when the rent comes round, What you goin' to say, how you goin' to pay, You'll never have a bit of sense till judgement day; You know, I know, rent means dough, Landlord's goin' to put us out in the snow, Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown, what you goin' to do when the rent comes round. Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown, what you goin' to do when the rent comes round, What you goin' to say, how you goin' to pay, You'll never have a bit of sense till judgement day; You know, I know, rent means dough, Landlord's goin' to put us out in the snow, Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown, what you goin' to do when the rent comes round.
Second verse
Keep on a bangin' on the old front door, In just a minute babe you'll hear me snore, If I goes to bed without a bite or sup, You will be an icicle when I wakes up, Where's all the money that you said you'd bring, Melted all away just like the snow last Spring, Rufus I loves you, but this serves you right, Guess that's sufficient, goodnight.
(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.