Ole Jaw Bone
(Alternately: De Old Jaw Bone)

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.

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

Lyrics

Verse 1
A Jaw bone hung in de dingy hall,
De hats were stuck on de ole mud wall,
An’ de frens ob ole Caesar war monstos gay,
An war’ shakin’ dere heels upon dis holiday.
Ole Caesar him look wid a fader’s pride
On him lubly Child Jim Blackburn’s bride,
An she wid her bright eyes seem’d to be
De lightnin’ ob de company.

Verse 2
“I’m giddy wid waltzing” now she cried,
So stop all dat music I’ll hide, I’ll hide;
An you Jemmy Blackburn firs’ will be
When dey look in de dark in find out me.
Den off se go an’ de Nigs’, you know,
Search ebery where but it war no go:
An’ young Blackburn call’d “Ah where ab you hide
Where de debil am you my fair brack bride?"

Verse 3
Dey look de ole night, an dey look de nex day,
Dey can’t find de bride, she am out ob de way:
Dey look up de chimbley_ in de cellar below,
An’ into de saucepans what stood in a row;
Dey look in de house where dey keep de “bow wow,”
An’ cos dey can’t find her dey kick up a row._
Ole years pass away_ den de lilla Nigs cried,
“Dat grey Nigger looks for his ansum bride.”

Verse 4
At length an ole tub dat had long been hide,
Dey turn topsimturby_ dey look inside:_
Seed some ebony bones layin molderin dere
In de pattens an glubs dat gal did wear.
She forgot her way out ob dat ole dark tub,
An dies ’cos she couldn’t lib long upon lub:
She had noting to eat; an she hadn’t no room,
An dat ole wooden tub’ war her marble tomb.

Chorus
Oh, de ole jaw bone!
Oh, de ole jaw bone!

Publication Information

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

British Library Shelf Number: H.2342

Accessioned: 08 November 1856