Lyr. Add: DINAH'S LAMENTATION

Way down beside Francisco Bay,
My tru lub's gone a-mining;
He ran away with a yaller gal,
And left me home repining,
Oh! Pompey dear, how could you go,
And leave your Dinah weeping?
Her bref grows short, her cheeks turn pale,
And nights she has no sleeping.

De purty tears roll down her cheeks,
Her heart wid lub am beating;
De tales of lub false Pompey told,
Heart-broken she's repeating;
Yet, Pompey, she forgibs you all,
But nebber can dat nigger,
De yaller-gal what coax you off,
Of tall and lubsome figger.

May be she'll die and you'll come back,
Oh! what a happy meeting!
No more will Dinah weep and sigh,
But forgib you all de cheating,
Farewell! farewell! until we meet,
On de udder side ob Jorden;
If we shall meet in de world no more,
She'll die like Peggy Jorden.

Sweet Peggy Gorden died for lub,
Her heart was truly broken;
And so will Dinah die likewise;
Dear friends, I'm not a joken.
If Pompey don't come back again,
She'll jump into de ribber;
Amongst de cat-fish and de eels,
Wid mud dey'll Dinah kibber.

Air: The Girl I Left Behind Me. Pub. H. De Marsan, dealer in songs, toy-books, etc., No. 60 Chatham. St N.Y. ND, mid-19th century.
Single sheet, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress. American Memory website.
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