Origin: Jim Along Josey / Jim Along Josie

Subject: RE: Jim Along Josie: lyrics and origin
From: John Minear
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 07:40 AM

Richie, I'm interested in your suggestion of a possible connection between "Jim Along Josie" and the "Limber Jim/Buckeye Jim" tradition. You can find a discussion of "Limber Jim/Buckeye Jim" here. There is obviously a connection between the lyrics about

Now way down south, not very far off,
A bullfrog died wid de hooping cough,

from "Jim Along, Josie" and,

Way down yonder in a wooden trough,
An old lady died with the whooping cough.

which is from "Limber Jim".

But I am more intrigued by the phrase "Jim along, Josie". It reminds me of "go limber, Jim, you can't go". We were never able to really pin down what "go limber, Jim" meant. I wonder what "Jim along" means. And is there any significance to the use of "Jim"? Is it more than a name? It would seem so in the "Jim along, Josie" context.

Masato, I appreciate your thoroughness in laying out the minstrel background of this piece. I've never come across anything similar for "Limber Jim/Buckeye Jim" and would imagine that it is later than the minstrel tradition but draws floating verses/phrases from that tradition. - T.O.M.

Subject: RE: Jim Along Josie: lyrics and origin
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 03:26 AM

The ballad index numeric reference to Lawrence Older's Folk-Legacy recording is incorrect. I recorded Lawrence, Adirondack logger, ballad singer and fiddler, back in 1964 and released the recording, with excellent notes written by Pete McElligott, as Folk-Legacy FSA-15 in that year. The recording is currently available as a "custom cassette" (C-15 - with the original booklet) and will soon be available as one of our new "custom CDs" (CD-15).

Sandy

Subject: RE: Jim Along Josie: lyrics and origin
From: masato sakurai
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 02:42 AM

From Traditional Ballad Index:

Jim Along Josie
DESCRIPTION: Originally a blackface minstrel piece, now often reduced to odd lyrics held together by the refrain, "Hey jim-along, jim-along Josie; Hey jim-along, jim along Jo." Sample verse: "Any pretty girl that wants a beau, Just fall in the arms of Jim Along Joe"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1840 (sheet music)
KEYWORDS: nonsense lyric playparty
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MA,So)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Randolph 575, "Jim Along Josie" (2 texts)
Warner 180, "Get Along Josie" (1 text, 1 tune)
Spaeth-WeepMore, pp. 103-104, "Jim Along Josey" (1 text, 1 tune)
RECORDINGS:
Lawrence Older, "Jim Along Josie" (on LOlder01)
Pete Seeger, "Jim Along Josie" (on PeteSeeger3, PeteSeegerCD03)
Notes: Spaeth suggests that this is a minstrel tune, and he's probably right. He suggests that it was written by Edward Harper, who presented it in his 1838 play "The Free Nigger of New York."
But it has entered oral tradition -- though perhaps in a filed-down form; Spaeth's text has a four-line verse while the traditional forms often use two-line stanzas. The choruses are the same. - RBW
File: R575

Subject: Lyr Add: JIM ALONG JOSEY (Edward Harper)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 02:33 AM

From Public Domain Music (this site has closed):

"JIM ALONG JOSEY" (1840)
Words [and music?] by Edward Harper

New York: Firth and Hall
[Source: pages 118-119 of
"Minstrel Songs, Old and New" (1883)]

1.
I'se from Lucianna as you all know,
Dar whar Jim along Josey's all de go,
Dem niggars all rise when de bell does ring,
And dis is de song dat dey sing.

[CHORUS]
Hey get along, get along Josey,
Hey get along, Jim along Joe!

2.
Oh! likewise a new pair tight-knee'd trousaloons,
Den I walks up and down broadway wid my Suzanna,
And de white folks will take me to be Santa Anna.

(CHORUS)

3.
My sister Rose de oder night did dream,
Dat she was floating up and down de stream,
And when she woke she began to cry,
And de white cat picked out de black cat's eye.

(CHORUS)

4.
Now way down South not very far off,
A Bullfrog died wid de hooping cough,
And de oder side of Mississippi as you must know,
Dar's where I was christen'd Jim along Joe.

(CHORUS)

5.
The New York niggers tink dey're fine,
Because dey drink de genuine,
De Southern niggers dey lib on mush,
And when dey laugh dey say Oh Hush.

(CHORUS)

6.
I'm de nigger that don't mind my troubles,
Because dey are nothing more dan bubbles,
De ambition that dis nigger feels
Is showing de science of his heels.

(CHORUS)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Jim Along Josie: lyrics and origin
From: masato sakurai
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 02:18 AM

From the Bodleian Library collection:

Printer: Sanderson (Edinburgh)
Date: between 1830 and 1910
Imprint: Sanderson, Printer, Edinburgh
Illus. Ballads on sheet: 1
Note: Imprint defaced
Copies: Firth b.34(153)
Ballads: 1. Jim along Josey ("Oh, I'm from Lusiana, as you must all know ...")
Subject: Blackface minstrelsy
Note: Slip

Printer: Hodges, E.M.A. (London)
Date: between 1855 and 1861
Imprint: Notice - E. Hodges has Removed from 3...
Ballads on sheet: 1
Note: Slip. Part of a sheet of two ballads; see Harding B 11(2186)
Copies: Firth b.25(370)
Harding B 16(130b)
Ballads: 1. London exhibitions ("The names of two great warriers, [sic] whom here you may see ...")
Performer: Sharp, John W.
To the tune of: Jim along Josey
Subject: Entertainments; London (England)

Printer: Pitts, J. (London)
Date: between 1819 and 1844
Imprint: [Pi]tts, Printer, Toy and Marble Warehouse, 6, Great St. Andrew Street, Seven Dials
Illus. Ballads on sheet: 1
Note: Imprint cropped
Copies: Harding B 15(148a)
Ballads: 1. Jim along Josey ("Oh, I'se from Lusiana, as you must all know ...")
Subject: Blackface minstrelsy
Note: Slip. Part of a sheet of two ballads; see Harding B 11(1787)

Printer: Pitts, J. (London)
Date: between 1819 and 1844
Imprint: Pitts, Printer, Toy and Marble Warehouse, 6, Great St. Andrew Street, Seven Dials
Illus. Ballads on sheet: 2
Copies: Harding B 11(1787)
Ballads: 1. Irish Molly, O! ("As I walk'd out one morning all in the month of May ...")
Subject: Rejected suitor; Ireland
2. Jim along Josey ("Oh, I'se from Lusiana, as you must all know ...")
Subject: Blackface minstrelsy; Fashions; Washington, George, 1732-1799; Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862

Printer: Birt, T. (London)
Date: between 1833 and 1841
Imprint: Birt, Printer, 39, Great St. Andrew Street, Seven Dials
Illus. Ballads on sheet: 1
Copies: Harding B 14(100)
Ballads: 1. Jim along Josey's invitation to the royal christening ("I comes o'er de seas in storms and gales ...")
To the tune of: Jim along Josey
Subject: Blackface minstrelsy; 1842; Royal family; Edward, VII, King of Great Britain, 1841-1910

Printer: Birt (London)
Date: between 1833 and 1851
Imprint: Birt, Printer, 39, Great St. Andrew Street, Seven Dials, London
Illus. Ballads on sheet: 2
Copies: Harding B 11(1872)
Ballads: 1. Jim along Josey ("Oh! I'se from Lusiana, as you must all know ...")
Subject: Blackface minstrelsy
2. Burlington bay ("The rain fell in torrents, the wind whistled shrill ...")
Subject: Shipwreck; Fishermen

Printer: Hodges, E.M.A. (London)
Date: between 1855 and 1861
Imprint: Hodges, (from Pitts) Wholesale Toy Warehouse, [31, Dudley] Street, Seven Dials. Notice, E. Hodges has Removed from 31 Dudley St., to 26, Grafton-street Soho
Ballads on sheet: 2
Copies: Harding B 11(2186)
Ballads: 1. London exhibitions ("The names of two great warriors, whom here you may see ...")
Performer: Sharp, John W.
To the tune of: Jim along Josey [and others]
Subject: Great Exhibition, 1851; Indians of North America; Amusements; Chinese; Americans; Waxworks; London (England)
2. Love in a hayband ("Did you ever hear of one Richard Short's history ...")
Subject: Rural society; Taverns

Printer: Paul, C. (London)
Date: [1841]
Imprint: Paul, Printer, Great St. Andrew Street, Seven [Dials]
Illus. Ballads on sheet: 1
Copies: Harding B 14(133)
Johnson Ballads 692
Johnson Ballads 693
Ballads: 1. The royal rival nurses ("You all recollect well a little time ago ...")
To the tune of: Jim along Josey
Subject: Drinking - women; Servants; Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1901

Sheet Title: Elwina
Printer: Pitts, J. (London)
Date: between 1819 and 1844
Imprint: Pitts, Printer, Toy and Marble Warehouse, 6, Great St. Andrew Street, Seven Dials
Illus. Ballads on sheet: 8
Copies: Johnson Ballads fol. 114
Ballads: 1. Irish Molly, O! ("As I walk'd out one morning all in the month of May ...")
2. Jim along Josey ("Oh I'se from Lusiana, as you must all know ...")
Subject: Blackface minstrelsy
3. The robbers of the glen ("Stand! stranger! stand! your jewels give ...")
4. How sweet it is to love ("Oh, how sweet it is to love ...")
5. Hail, to thee, Tyrol! ("Hail to thee, Tyrol! dear native Tyrol! ...")
Subject: Tyrol, the
6. My dear native isle ("Dear native isle, the summer sun is glowing ...")
7. My own dear home ("Wherever I wander, wherever I stray ...")
Subject: Marriage
8. The fisher boat ("No reefer struts upon the deck ...")
Author: Green, T.W.
Subject: Fishermen

Printer: King, T. (Birmingham)
Date: c.1845
Imprint: Printed by T. King, Birmingham, and sold by Mr. Green, at his Music Stall, near the Turnpike, City Road, London
Ballads on sheet: 1
Note: Cropped top edge; lacks title
Copies: Johnson Ballads 1431
Ballads: 1. [London exhibitions] ("The names of two great warriors, whom here you may seee [sic] ...")
To the tune of: Jim along Josey
Subject: Entertainments; Indians of North America; Madame Tussaud's

Subject: Lyr Add: JIM ALONG JOSIE (Play-party song)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 02:04 AM

Tom Glazer's Treasury of Folk Songs has it as a play-party song:

Hey Jim Along, Jim Along Josie,
Hey Jim Along, Jim Along Jo,
Hey Jim Along, Jim Along Josie,
Hey Jim Along, Jim Along Jo.

Walk Jim Along, Jim Along Josie,
Walk Jim Along, Jim Along Jo,
Walk Jim Along, Jim Along Josie,
Walk Jim Along, Jim Along Jo.

Hop Jim Along, Jim Along Josie,
Hop Jim Along, Jim Along Jo,
Hop Jim Along, Jim Along Josie,
Hop Jim Along, Jim Along Jo.

(Or anything else you can think of,
like crawl, roll, swing, etc.)

Click to play

---

Somewhat similar text in the Handy Play-Party Book which cites its source as Katherine F. Rohrbough of Greene County, New York, about 1870.

Hey, Jim along, Jim along Josie,
Hey, Jim along, Jim along Joe!
Any pretty girl that wants a beau, sing,
Hey, Jim along, Jim along Joe!

Click to play

Here are the dance instructions:

FORMATION: The Virginia Reel formation:
four to six couples, boys in one line, facing partners in opposite line.

ACTION: Old Virginia Reel figures used. Preceding the individual action the lines all advance and go through the first 5 movements with partners opposite. All clap the first note of each 8 beats. All clap in time to the refrain.
Movements are summarized here:

1. First girl and last boy forward and bow (4 measures) All movements repeated immediately by first boy and last girl---another 4 measures.
2. Turn with the right hand around.
3. Turn with both hands joined.
4. Back to back, pass by the right (Dos-a-dos).
5. Back to back, by the left shoulders.
6. First couple chassez the center (slide step) to the foot of the set and back to place, with both hands joined.
7. Right hand to your partner and reel. (Right to your partner, left to the side.)*
8. Head couple comes back up the center and all follow down the outside.
9. Join hands with partners, return to place and make an arch.
10. Head couple goes under arch to the foot. Repeat from beginning with new (second) couple at the head.

Too damn complicated for me...
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Jim Along Josie: lyrics and origin
From: masato sakurai
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 01:57 AM

From American Memory:

Jim along Josey -- Old rosin the bow -- The log hut.
CREATED/PUBLISHED
Baltimore: F. D. Benteen and Co., 1852.

Jim along Josey. [the same edition as the first of the listed above]
CREATED/PUBLISHED
New York: Firth and Hall, 1840.

Subject: RE: Jim Along Josie: lyrics and origin
From: masato sakurai
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 01:47 AM

From the Levy Collection:

Title: Jim Along Josey.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Arranged for the Piano Forte, By An Eminent Professor.
Publication: New York: Firth & Hall, No.1 Franklin Sq., 1840.
Form of Composition: strophic with chorus
Instrumentation: piano and voice
First Line: Oh! I'se from Lucianna as you know, Dar whare Jim along Josey's all de go
First Line of Chorus: Hey get along, get along Josey Hey get along Jim along Joe!
Performer: As Sung by Mr. John N. Smith
Subject: African Americans
Subject: Caricatures
Subject: Clothing & dress
Subject: George Washington
Subject: Martin Van Buren
Subject: Ethnic stereotypes
Subject: Dialects
Call No.: Box: 020 Item: 005

Title: Jim Along Josey! The Very Celebrated & Popular American Melody.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: na
Publication: London S. Duncomble, 10 Middle Row, Holborn, n.d.: , .
Form of Composition: strophic with chorus
Instrumentation: piano and voice
First Line: I hab cum from Lussianni so straight and slick, Dars where Jim along Joseys all de kick
First Line of Chorus: Hey get along, get along Josey, hey get along, Jim along Joe
As Sung at all the Lond & New York Theatres, Concerts, etc., by every Popular Comedian and Comic Singer with the Encore Verses, Now first Published Subject: African Americans
Subject: Caricatures
Subject: Dancing
Subject: Courtship & love
Subject: Actors
Subject: Ethnic stereotypes
Subject: Dialects

Title: Hey! Get Along Rosy!
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: na
Publication: New York: Firth & Hall, No.1 Franklin Square, n.d..
Form of Composition: strophic
Instrumentation: piano and voice
First Line: The poets say that posies Can wreath love's magic spell But this beats all the roses
First Line of Chorus: Hey get along, get along Rosey; Hey get along get along do.
Performer: The Popular Air Sung by Mrs. Timm, in Beaty & the Beast, To the Air of "Jim Along Josey."
Engraver, Lithographer, Artist: Fleetwoods litho.
Subject: Portraits
Subject: Courtship & love

Title: Ethiopian Quadrilles. (1) Goin Ober De Mountin; (2) Jonny Boker; (3) De Old Jaw Bone; (4) Jumbo Jum; (5) Jim Along Josey.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Arranged By A. Nagerj Onyqjva.
Publication: New York: Firth & Hall, 239 Broadway, 1843.
Form of Composition: sectional
Instrumentation: piano
Performer: Danced and Sung by the Virginia Minstrels
Engraver, Lithographer, Artist: Sett.; Lith. of Endicott
Subject: African Americans
Subject: Caricatures
Subject: Dancing
Subject: Singing
Subject: Musicians
Subject: Flatboats
Subject: Farms
Subject: Bodies of water
Subject: Arguments
Subject: Crocodiles
Subject: Fish
Ethnic stereotypes Call No.: Box: 017 Item: 033
Subject: Clothing & dress
Call No.: Box: 017 Item: 103
Call No.: Box: 017 Item: 111

~Masato

Subject: Lyr Add: JIM ALONG JOSIE
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 01:38 AM

Lyr Add: JIM ALONG JOSIE

I'se from Lucianna as you all know,
Dar whare Jim Along Josey's all de go,
Dem niggars all rise when de bell does ring,
And dis is de song dat dey do sing.

Chorus: Hey get along, get along Josey,
Hey get along, Jim along Joe.
Hey get along, get along Josey,
Hey get along, Jim along Joe.

Oh! When I get dat new coat I expects to hab soon,
Likewise new pair tight-kneed trousaloon,
Den I walk up and down Broadway wid my Suzanna,
And the white folks will take me to be Santa Anna.

Chorus

My sister Rose de oder night did dream,
Dat she was floating up and down de stream,
And when she woke she began to cry,
And de white cat picked out de black cat's eye.

Chorus

Now way down south, not very far off,
A bullfrog died wid de hooping cough,
And de other side of Mississippi as you must know,
Dare's where I was christen'd Jim Along Joe.

Chorus:

De niggers think dey're fine,
Because dey drink de genuine
De southern niggers dey lib on mush,
And laugh when dey say, "Oh hush!"

Chorus:

I'm de nigger dat don't mind my troubles,
Because dey are not'ing more dan bubbles,
De ambition dat dis nigger feels,
Is showing the science of his heels.

Chorus

De fust President we eber had was Gen'ral Washington,
And de one we got now is Martin Van Buren,
But altho' Gen'ral Washington's dead,
As long as de country stands his name shall float ahead.

Chorus

Notes: Minstrel Lyrics of Jim along Josey. New York: Firth and Hall, 1840.

Subject: Jim Along Josie: lyrics and origin
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 01:34 AM

Are the "Jim Along Josie/Josey" lyrics related to several songs including "Limber Jim/Buck-Eyed Jim," "Cotton-Eyed Joe," "Jaybird Died of the Whoopin' Cough?"

Here is a verse of the 1840 Minstrel lyrics:

Now way down south, not very far off,
A bullfrog died wid de hooping cough,
And de other side of Mississippi as you must know,
Dare's where I was christen'd Jim Along Joe.


One 1853 version: "Here come a little gal wid a josey on;" (using the word, josey, as a type of under garment). Any more info on this?

Other versions of Jim Along Josie?

Thanks,

Richie