De Boatmen's Dance
(Alternately: Boatman Dance, Boatman ob de Ohio, Dance the Boatman,
Dance Boatman Dance, Dance of the Water Boatman)
For information on this song as part of the blackface minstrel tradition, please see
its page in The Juba Project's Minstrelsy Database.
Credits
Art Babayants, piano; Alison Jutzi, vocals; Dennis Patrick, sound technician.
Lyrics
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Verse 1
De spring ob de year hab come at last,
Winter time is gwan and past,
Four and twenty Boatmen all of a flock,
Sitting on de sea shore, pecking off a rock;
Verse 2
I went on board de oder day,
To hear what de Boatmen had to say;
Dare I let my passion loose,
Dey cramm’dme in de calaboose.
Verse 3
Oh let me loose, I’ll go ashore,
Let me loose, I’ll word no more;
Stay now nigger, dat’ll neber do at all,
You’ve got to play to de Boatmen’s ball.
Verse 4
In come some wid bran new suits
Long tail’d coats, and high heel’d boots;
Get out ob de way, you hab no chance,
For dis is what dey call de Boatmen’s dance.
Chorus
Dance de Boatmen dance,
O dance de Boatmen dance
Dance all night ‘till broad day light,
And go home wid de gals in de morning.
Hi ho, de Boatmen row,
Floating down de ribber on de Ohio.
Hi ho, de Boatmen row,
Floating down de ribber on de Ohio.
Publication Information
Published by William Hall & Son, 239 Broadway Con. of Park Place & Firth Pond & Co. 1 Franklin Sqr., New York.
British Library Shelf Number: H.1652.ss(10)
Published: 1847