Lyr. Add: Down in Alabam
(or: Ain't I Glad I Got Out de Wilderness)
Melody by J. Warner, 1858

Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!
My old massa he's got the dropser, um,
he's got the dropser, um,
he's got the dropser, um,
He am sure to die 'kase he's got no doctor, um,
Down in Alabam'.

Chorus:
Ain't I glad I got out de wilderness,
Got out de wilderness,
Got out de wilderness,
Ain't I glad I got out de wilderness
Down in Alabam'.

Old blind horse come from Jerusalem,
Come from Jerusalem,
Come from Jerusalem
He kicks so high dey put him in de museum,
Down in Alabam'.

Dis am a holiday, we hab assembled, um,
We hab assembled, um,
We hab assembled, um
To dance and sing for de ladies and gentleum,
Down in Alabam'.

Far you well to de wild goose nation,
Wild goose nation,
Wild goose nation,
I neber will leab de old plantation,
Down in Alabam'.

"Ethiopian Refrain as sung by Bryant's Minstrels. Melody by J. Warner
harmonized and arranged by Walter Meadows."
Published by Wm. Hall & Son, New York. 1858.

This seems to be the original that spawned many parodies and folk variants, both black and white.