The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #48703 Message #736115
Posted By: Joe Offer
24-Jun-02 - 07:34 PM
Thread Name: Origins: In Chinaland there lived a great man
Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN CHINAMAN'S APPEAL
Don't know the requested song, but I found this powerful song on this site (click) on the California Gold Rush.
-Joe Offer-
JOHN CHINAMAN'S APPEAL
Tune: Umbrella Courtship
1
American, now mind my song,
If you would but hear me sing,
And I will tell you of the wrong,
That happened until unto "Gee Sing,"
In "fifty-two" I left my home --
I bid farewell to "Hong Kong" --
I started with Cup Gee to roam
To the land where they use the "long tom".
CHORUS:
O ching hi ku tong mo ching ching,
O ching hi ku tong chi do,
Cup Gee hi ku tong mo ching, ching
Then what could Gee or I do?
2
In forty days I reached the Bay,
And nearly starved I was, sir,
I cooked and ate a dog one day -
I didn't know the laws sir -
But soon I found my dainty meal
Was against the city order.
The penalty I had to feel -
Confound the old Recorder.
3
By paying up my cost and fines,
They freed me from the locker,
And then I started for the mines -
I got a pick and rocker.
I went to work in an untouched place,
I'm sure I meant no blame sir -
But a white man struck me in the face
And told me to leave his claim, sir.
4
'Twas then I packed my tools away
And set up in a new place,
But there they would not let me stay -
They didn't like the cue race.
And then I knew not what to do,
I could not get employ,
The Know Nothings would bid me go -
'Twas tu nah mug ahoy.
5
I started then for Weaverville
Where Chinamen were thriving,
But found our China agents there
In ancient feuds were driving.
So I pitched into politics,
But with the weaker party;
The Canton's with their clubs and bricks
Did drub us out "right hearty."
6
I started for Yreka then;
I thought that I would stay there,
But found for even Chinamen
The "diggings" wouldn't pay there.
So I set up a washing shop,
But how extremely funny,
The miners all had dirty clothes,
But not a cent of money.
7
I met a big stour Indian once,
He stopped me in the trail, sir,
He drew an awful scalping knife,
And I trembled for my tail, sir.
He caught me by the hair, it's true,
In a manner quite uncivil,
But when he saw my awful cue,
He thought I was the devil.
8
Oh, now my friends I'm going away
From this infernal place, sir;
The balance of my days I'll stay
With the Celestial race, sir.
I'll go to raising rice and tea;
I'll be a heathen ever,
For Christians all have treated me
As men should be used never.
Lyrics in Lingenfelter & Dwyer, Songs of the American West, page 302 Also take a look at John Chinaman, My Jo in the Digital Tradition.