Lyr Add: Long Tail Blue

Subject: Lyr Add: LONG TAIL BLUE
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 May 04 - 09:01 PM

This old minstrel lyric of little merit has caused much confusion, because it was mentioned in Billy Barlow lyrics, and is sometimes confused with the later "Blue Tail Fly-Jimmy Crack Corn" songs.
A part of one version was posted in thread 52057 (Long-Tailed Roustabout) and mentioned in thread 18602 (Jimmy Crack Corn).
Long-Tailed Roustabout: Long-Tailed Roustabout
Jimmy Crack Corn: Jimmy Crack Corn
According to The Traditional Ballad Index, it has been attributed, with ? mark, to George Washington Dixon, 1827.
Roud 1287.
The version given here is from sheet music in the Levy Collection, where it appears in a collection called "The Crow Quadrilles," 1837, Nunns, Philadelphia, and in sheet music published by J. L. Hewitt, NY, G. Willig Jr., Baltimore, and Atwills Music Sales (all without date).
The Willig copy has an attached note, "My Long Tail Blue, Sung by Mr. Dixon, 1834." That is the one given here.

Lyr. Add: Long Tail Blue

(As sung by Mr. W. E. Pennington)

I've come to town to see you all,
I ask you how d'ye do?
I'll sing a song, not very long,
About my long tail blue.

Chorus:
Oh! for the long tail blue.
Oh! for the long tail blue.
I'll sing a song not very long
about my long tail blue.

Some Niggers they have but one coat,
But you see I've got two;
I wears a jacket all the week,
And Sunday my long tail blue.

Jim Crow is courting a white gall,
And yaller folks call her Sue;
I guess she back'd a nigger out,
And swung my long tail blue.

As I was gwoin up Market Street,
I holler'd arter Sue,
The watchman came and took me up,
And spilte my long tail blue.

I took it to a tailor's shop,
To see what he could do;
He took a needle and some thread,
And mended my long tail blue.

If you want to win the Ladie's hearts,
I'll tell you what to do;
Go to a tip-top tailor's shop,
And buy a long tail blue.

Spelling preserved.
http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/Box_017/fullgifs/017.127.001.mus.JPEG

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: LONG TAIL BLUE
From: Joybell
Date: 02 May 04 - 08:29 PM

Billy Barlow was a sort of sponge. He (in all his manifestations) soaked up many songs, customs and events of the 19th Century. He's taught me so much over many years of obsessive interest in him/them. Joy