Lyr Add: Belle ob Tennisee (minstrel)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Belle ob Tennisee (minstrel)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Sep 13 - 06:15 PM

Lyr. Add: ROSE OF TENNESSEE
Words by Jos. H. Kennedy, Music by Alfred Squire, 1852

Now white folks listen to my song
It tells ob one I lobe,
'Tis Rose dear of Tennessee,
My own sweet coloured Dove.
I saw her first when at my work,
Down by de old Gum Tree
And a bright smile play'd upon the face
Ob Rose of Tennessee.

Oh! Rose my dear I lub you
I cannot tell you how,
But if you say you'll hab me
Why, you may take me now.
But if you say you'll hab me
Why, you may take me now.

Her teeth so white within her mouth
Enclosed by lips so red;
Her eyes were like two Diamond bright
Set in her wooly head.
Her face is brack as my ole Hat
Dat massa gib to me...
But when she smiles, how lubly dear,
Is Rose of Tennessee!

I think of her from morn till night
When in the cornfields hoeing
And half the time that I'm at work
I don't know what I'm doing.
I lub to think dat the time will come
When by my side she'll be
For I'd gib myself and all I'm worth
To Rose of Tennessee.

Sheet music, voice and piano, at American Memory. Philadelphia, A. Fiot, 1852.

http://memory.loc.gov/music/sm2/sm1825/691000/691530/004.gif

A related song; the same melody may be used.

The sheet music of "The Yellow Rose of Texas" is by "J. K." and "Rose of Tennessee" is by Jos. H. Kennedy. Both songs here and "The Yellow Rose of Texas" thus seem to have been penned by the same lyricist.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Belle ob Tennisee (minstrel)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Sep 13 - 03:23 PM

The Firth Pond sheet music (1858) and a song sheet by H. de Marsan both have "But the yellow rose...."
The 1858 sheet music may not be the same as stage usage.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Belle ob Tennisee (minstrel)
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 02 Sep 13 - 01:03 PM

Good to have the words. "The Yellow Rose of Texas" seems to have been written right after the above. Maybe they even featured in the same act.

The original words in the chorus were "For the Yellow Rose of Texas beats the belles of Tennessee!"

Subject: Lyr Add: Belle ob Tennisee (minstrel)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Sep 13 - 12:41 PM

Lyr. Add: BELLE OB TENNISEE

1
White folks now have pity,
And listen unto me,
I tell you 'bout a gsl I lubed,
Dat libed in Tennisee;
Her hair black and curly,
Her teeth so berry white,
Her eyes dey was just like de stars,
Dey shine so bright at night.

Choorus-
Rosa, dearest Rosa,
My heart still beats for thee,
You're the only yaller gal I love,
De belle ob Tennisee.

2
When I left that happy spot,
It griebed my heart full sore,
To tink ob leabing her behind,
An' neber see her more.
De tears dey started from my eyes,
As Rosa said to me,
"My dearest Joe, don't leabe me so
Alone in Tennisee."

Rosa, dearest Rosa,

3
You may talk about Susanna,
An' your pretty Susa Teil,
De belle ob Louisianna,
An' de charming Lucy Neal;
But wid my dearest Rosa,
No oder one can shine,
When dey come to talk ob beauty,
Why she leabe them all behind.

Rosa, dearest Rosa,

4
If Rosa she war mine again,
How good dis nigger'd feel,
I'd play upon de banjo den,
While Rosa dance de reel.
I'd hunt de coon an' possum,
For it war my only pride,
Den happy, happy would I be,
Wid Rosa by my side.

Rosa, dearest Rosa, &c.

19th C. Song sheet, J. Andrews (NYC).
Collection: American Songs and Ballads, Library of Congress.
Found on American Memory.

Very reminiscent of The Yellow Rose of Texas, meter as well as words.
The tune for "Yellow Rose..." works here, with little variation.

"The Yellow Rose of Texas " may have had its origin as a minstrel song.