Lyr Add: Wake Up, Jake / The Old Iron City

Subject: Lyr Add: Wake Up, Jake -Old Iron City
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Jul 09 - 12:51 PM

Lyr. Add: Wake Up Jake
Lyrics and Music George Holman, c1848

1
Come white folks listen to my Song
Come listen to my ditty;
I'll tell you of a colour'd chap
Born in de Iron City.
He us'd to run de Railroad,
He was de Bulgine tender;
Oh golly he's de debil,
When he gets upon a bender.

Chorus:
Den wake up Jake!
Wake up Jake!
Wake up Jake, de fire wants pokin'
Steam am up and de Bulgine's smokin'.

2
Oh Jake has been to college,
And he says he am a Poet,
An while de track am good an' strong,
He says he means to go it.
Dat "Milton" went to "paradise,
And Byron he was witty,
But Jake he means to 'mortalize,'
Dat same ole Iron City.
3
Oh Bonyparte was de chap,
Dat went to Santalena,
And Billy Brutus was de man,
Dat 'sassinated Caesa,
And Cromwell was de Oliver,
Dat gub it to em pritty,
And Billy Pit he was de man,
Dat nam'd the Iron City.
4
Oh! Jake he went to Mexico,
And dar saw Santa Anna-
He took a message to de camp
'Twas Zachey don't surrender;
Says Santa whar do you come from,
you seem to be quite witty.
Says Jake, yah-yah! I'm one of de b'hoys,
dat come drom de Iron City.

Printed with songs of the Sable Harmonists, 10th edition, Wm. C. Peters, Baltimore, Cincinnati and Louisville, including The Lou'siana Belle, Away Down South, Wake Up Jake, Susanna, Uncle Ned; this copy probably printed after the 1848 date given by Levy (1850?). A slightly later printing adds Susette & Beau Joe. Also reprinted by Peters in 1862.

Perhaps contemporaneous with Foster's "Susanna."

Other printers copied, with a few changes; one song sheet with title "Wake up Mose! as sung, with great applause, by White and Christy's popular bands of minstrels."

Sheet music also printed in England by Adison & Co., London, no atribution or date.

Subject: Lyr. Add: Wake Up Mose!
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Jul 09 - 01:51 PM

Lyr. Add: Wake Up Mose!
19th c. song sheet.

1
Oh! white folks, now I sing a song,
Although it's not so witty;
I'll tell you 'bout a colored chap,
Dat's from de Empire City:
He used to run de railroad-
He was de bulgine tender;
Oh golly! he's de debil,
When he gets on a bender!

Chorus-
Wake up, Mose! wake up Mose,
Wake up Mose! de fire am burning;
Round de corner de smoke am curling.
Wake up, Mose, de engine's coming:
Take de rope and keep a-running!

2
Mose he went to college--
He said he was a poet,
And whilst he's young he's bound to blaze,
And says he means to go it.
He goes it wid a rush, my boys,
No matter what befalls him--
He's de fust man to de engine-house
Wheneber duty calls him.
3
Mose he went to Mexico,
And dar he saw Santa Anna;
He sent a message to de camp,
Tellin' Zack not to surrender:
Says Santa Anna, "Who are you-
You seem to be so witty?"
Says Mose, "Go 'long -- I'm one ob de boys--
I'm from de Empire City."

Wake up Mose, &c.

This seems to ba a change from the locomotive (bulgine) to the fire station engine-house; early steam fire engines also bulgines.

No date or attribution, song sheet at American Memory.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Wake Up, Jake -Old Iron City
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Jul 09 - 01:58 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Wake Up, Jake / The Old Iron City
From: GUEST,jdwilx
Date: 05 Nov 09 - 02:44 PM

My grampa remembers an old minstrel from Depression days western Kentucky, a fellow named "Spoons" who would play the spoons, who'd sing a tune "Old Black Mose (is Dead and Gone). Could this be "Wake up, Mose"?