These lyrics are taken from the sheet music at Mississippi State University. There is also a recording by William Brown on "Swing Along: The Songs of Will Marion Cook" (2006). You can hear it on Spotify.


DARKTOWN BARBECUE (DARKTOWN WAS OUT AT DAT BARBECUE)*
Words and music by Will Marion Cook, ©1904.

1. Down at de barbecue las' Chuesday night,
Darktown was out. Oh, Lord, 'twas a sight!
Ev'ryone rode up in somethin' on wheels.
Quite a few coons had automobiles.
Mandy was dere in huh new gingham dress
Wid Dan by huh side jes' prancin' a mess;
Ole Deacon Johnson an' Aunt Sallie too
Forgot about church at dat barbecue.
Dat pig was sho' a treat!
My, how dem coons did eat
Dem pig tails an' pig's feet, so sweet!

CHORUS: You know dat Darktown was out at dat barbecue.
Dey eat as ef 'twas deir las' time to.
Dey sang 'kase dey had no work to do.
Darktown was out at dat barbecue.

2. Soon as de eatin' an' drinkin' was through,
De dance began at dat barbecue.
Such scand'lous wingin' ain't nobody seen.
Sho' 'twas a sight to watch Tildy Green.
She pranced an' she danced till huh face was red,
An' when she two-stepped los' dat wig off huh head.
'Cause razor Mose tried to start up a fuss,
But Bill cut him down; dat ended de muss.
Dem coons wore out dat flo'.
Danced all night, den wanted mo'.
'Twas ragtime an' coonjine fo' sho'.


* Spelled "barbacue" on the sheet music cover, but "barbecue" in the lyrics.