Lyr. Add: AIN'T I GLAD TO GET OUT OF THE WILDERNESS (American Memory)
H. DE MARSAN, Publisher of songs & ballads; 60 CHATHAM St. N. Y.
A highly popular Song and Dance, sung at the principal Ethiopean Concert Saloons. Arranged by M. W. TURNER, the Celebrated Violinist and Banjoist.

Music-- Tum, Tum, Tum, Tum,

Chorus Ahaa--Ahaa--Ahaa--Ahaa.

Solo-- Way down south in Beaver Creek,
In Beaver Creek, in Beaver Creek,
De niggers--dey grow about ten feet,
Way down in Alabam.

Chorus-- O aint I glad we get out of the wilderness,
Out of the wilderness,
O aint we glad we got out of the wilderness,
And left old Alabam.

[Symphony with Dance as above.]

Solo-- Dey wet de ground wid bacca smoke,
Wid bacca smoke, wid bacca and smoke,
When out of de ground dar heads do poke,
Way down in Alabam.

Dance & Chorus-- Oh aint I glad, &c.

My wife's dead, an I'll get anuder one,
I'll get anuder one, I'll get anuder one,
My wife's dead, an I'll get anuder one,
Way down in Alabam.

Dance & Chorus-- Oh aint I glad, &c.

Solo-- I met a catfish in de ribber,
In de ribber, in de ribber,
I golly, it made dis nigger shiver,
Way down in Alabam.

Chorus and Dance-- O aint I glad, &c.

Solo-- I steered right straight for de critter's snout,
De critter's snout, de critter's snout,
Turned de catfish inside out,
Way down in Alabam.

Dance & Chorus--Oh aint I glad, &c.

Solo-- Oh here we go now altogether,
All together, all together,
Nebber mind de wind or wedder,

Dance & Chorus--Oh aint I glad, &c.

Notes: Also "Down in Alabam," "Out of the Wilderness," "The White Horse." "Old Abe Lincoln Came Out of the Wilderness," "Johnny Stole a Ham," "Old Yeller Dog," "Old Blind Dog."

The original melody of the tune now better known as "The Old Grey Mare (Came Out of the Wilderness)," which begins: "The old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be, Ain't what she used to be, ain't what she used to be-

It is likely that the tune is older than the 1858 date since it closely resembles a contemporary revivalist hymn--they may have had a common folk ancestor. Bayard (1981) calls it a good example of a popular tune which became traditional (or, if it was a traditional tune reworked by Warner, then a folk tune which became a popular one, which again reverted to folk form). Mark Wilson relates that a parody figured prominently in the famous Lincoln-Douglas campaign of 1860, probably the "Old Abe Lincoln Came Out of the Wilderness" version popular in Civil War times.

-Richie