Lyr Add: Movin' in de Bes' Soci'ty

Subject: Lyr Add: Movin' in de Bes' Soci'ty
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Dec 03 - 01:09 AM

I ran across this song while looking for something else, and was rather astonished by its message. I didn't expect to find this kind of thing appearing in 1903. Sort of gives a new spin to the concept of "coon song," doesn't it? (If the dialect annoys you, look further down.)

Transcribed from the sheet music images at Duke University's 'Historic American Sheet Music' collection:

MOVIN' IN DE BES' SOCI'TY (HONEY—BY AN' BY)
(Words and music by Carrie Jacobs-Bond, 1903)

Two little boys, one white, one black, a-livin' in dis lan'--
What makes de awful diffunce 'tween 'em I can't unerstan';
De Lord he made some chillun black an' some de Lord made white,
So we need 'em bofe, mah honey, as we does de day an' night.

CHORUS: Foh ef yo name ain't in de "blue book," doan yo' care an doan yo' cry.
Yo'll be movin' in de bes' soci'ty, honey, by an' by.
Yo'll be walkin' up de gol'en stairs an' singin' clar an' fine,
Fer yo'll look alike in heaven, whah dah ain't no "color line."

Wif little feet an' han's alike an' little hearts, I guess,
Dey's mos' alike (a'cept in shade), almos' alike in dress.
Dey never min' de color in dah little baby days.
What's de use o' makin' trouble pointin' out dah diffren ways? CHORUS

So give de chillun equ'l chance to start out side by side,
An as dey grows up big an' stron' alon' de paf dat's wide,
Dey'll come to know each udder an' dat "color line" 'll fade.
An de Lord'll surely bless us fer de peace dat we has made. CHORUS

[For the benefit of anyone who might search for this song with a search engine, I have provided a "translation":]

MOVING IN THE BEST SOCIETY (HONEY, BY AND BY)

Two little boys, one white, one black, a-living in this land--
What makes the awful difference between them I can't understand.
The Lord he made some children black, and some the Lord made white,
So we need them both, my honey, as we do the day and night.

CHORUS: For if your name ain't in the "blue book," don't you care and don't you cry.
You'll be moving in the best society, honey, by and by.
You'll be walking up the golden stairs and singing clear and fine,
For you'll look alike in heaven, where there ain't no "color line."

With little feet and hands alike, and little hearts, I guess,
They're 'most alike (except in shade), almost alike in dress.
They never mind the color in their little baby days.
What's the use of making trouble pointing out their different ways? CHORUS

So give the children equal chance to start out side by side,
And as they grow up big and strong along the path that's wide,
They'll come to know each other and that "color line" 'll fade.
And the Lord'll surely bless us for the peace that we have made. CHORUS