Stewie, my gratitude to you-- you have taken a racist song and heard it in a way that makes it singable! I have heard that first verse (as have some of my friends) as
Nashcille has a big hotel, Chattanooga for saloons
Knoxville for Republicans, and Memphis loves the coons

Unfortunately, a pretty good geopolitical description of TN in 1925. Eastern Tennessee was still voting Republican (whoever spoke of the Solid South didn't look hard enough) and Memphis, right on the water, had a big "colored" district. I've never been able to sing that verse, and now you've given me a way!