Historic Sheet Music Collection

Authors

Irving Berlin

Document Type

Score

Publication Date

1911

Comments

MacIntosh Collection

New York (112 W 38th St., New York) : Ted Snyder Co., ©1911

Some of these resources may contain offensive language or negative stereotypes. Such materials should be seen in the context of the time period and as a reflection of attitudes of the time. The items are part of the historical record, and do not represent the views of the library or the institution.

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Oh, ma honey,
Oh, ma honey,
Better hurry and let’s meander,
Ain’t you goin’,
Ain’t you goin’
To the leader man, ragged meter man?
Oh, ma honey,
Oh, ma honey,
Let me take you to Alexander’s grand stand, brass band,
Ain’t you comin’ along?

[Chorus]
Come on and hear,
Come on and hear,
Alexander’s ragtime band,
Come on and hear,
Come on and hear,
It’s the best band in the land,
They can play a bugle call like you never heard before,
So natural that you want to go to war;
That’s just the bestest band what am, honey lamb,
Come on along,
Come on along,
Let me take you by the hand,
Up to the man,
Up to the man who’s the leader of the band,
And if you care to hear the Swanee River played in ragtime,
Come on and hear,
Come on and hear
Alexander’s ragtime band

[Verse 2]
Oh, ma honey,
Oh, ma honey,
There’s a fiddle with notes that screeches,
Like a chicken,
Like a chicken,
And the clarinet is a colored pet,
Come and listen,
Come and listen,
To a classical band what’s peaches, come now, somehow,
Better hurry along.

[Chorus]

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The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author.