Dearest Mae
(Alternately: Mae, Dearest Mae)

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

Image c. British Library, all rights reserved. Further reproduction is prohibited

Verse 1
Now darkies listen to me
a story I’ll relate,
It happen’d in de valley ob
de ole Carlina State.
Away down in de meadows,
‘twas dere I mow’d de hay,
And I always work de harder
when I tink ob dearest Mae.

Verse 2
My Massa gib me a holiday,
he said he’d gib me more,
I tank him berry kindly,
and I push’d my boat from shore.
As down de riber I glide along,
wid a heart so light & free,
To de Cottage ob my dearest Mae,
I lub’d so much to see.

Verse 3
Beneath de shady old oak tree,
we sat for many an hour,
As happy as de Buzzard bird
dat flies among de flowers,
Oh! dere's de spot where's Mae, she always look so sweet,
Her eyes dey sparkle like de stars, and her lips as red as beet.

Chorus
Oh! dearest Mae! you’r lubly as de day,
Your eyes so bright dey shine at night,
when de moon am gwan away.

Publication Information

Published by B. Williams, II. Paternoster Row, & 170 Gt. Dovor Rd., London.

British Library Shelf Number: H.2342