Doerflinger provides no date, nor useful data on origin.
"....medley of catch phrases from old Negro and minstrel songs."
An unsupported statement by Doerflinger says, "Dooubtless invented by colored shellbacks...."
Lomax is equally unreliable, quoting from Colcord, giving a chantey with minstrel phrases and Liverpool fragments and repeating her statement "There can be no doubt of the Negro origin of the next shanty;...."

I nebber see de like since I been born,
When a big buck nigger wid his sea boots on,
Says "Johnny come down to Hilo,
Poor old man!
Oh, wake her, oh, shake her,
Oh, wake dat gal wid de blue dress on!
When Johnny comes down to Hilo,
Poor old man!"