Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-21
The Lost Soma of Dixie.

DOlluS Will De issued.
The Lost Song of Dixie.
A prominent southerner has just dis
covered what has been known t.
Dixie" is no more sung. The air lin
gers as piece of band music, ant
often stirs the popular pulse, particu
larry in the South, but nobody seems te
know the words. At recent gathering
in Nashville, Tenn, after popular song:
had been rendered, a call was made 70
Dixie" Some knew few lines and {
few the chorus, but most of those pres
ent, all We're of the South, gave III
the attempt as a dismal failure. Thi:
incident stirs John Calvin Graves O
Georgia to issue q clarion call for the
revival of Dixie" Mr.. Graves is
well known orator and journalist
the South, a progressive and patriot
leader of southern sentiment, and h
doesn't want Dixie to replace Amer
lea" or 1.-THE Star Spangled Banner
but simply pleads that the old song
which was the battle hymn of thu
South in the Civil War, be remembered
and kept alive by the people.
This ignorance of Dixie" in th'
South suggests the query how many ii
the North, even of the boys in blue
who heard it often when they did no
want to hear it, but who now rathel
enjoy the memories which its MARTA
strains recall, ever knew the words O.
the famous song. 1t seems that as
matter of fact there are two Dixie
songs. One is the version used by the
southern soldiers. The other is the
song composed and sung by DAME
Decatur Emmett. AS reproduced b,
Mr.. Graves in the Atlanta News the
first is as follows:
Away down south in de fields of cotton,
Cinnamon seed and sandy bottom;
Look away, look away,
Look away, look away,
Den way down south in de fields of cot
ton.
Vinegar shoes and paper stockings,
Look away, look away,
Look away. look away,
Den l wish | was in Dixie S Land,
Oh-Ohi Oh-Oh.
In Dixies Land I'll take my stand,
And live and die in DiXie's Land.
Away, away, away,
Away down south in Dixie.
Pork and cabbage in de pot.
1t goes in cold and comes out hot,
Look away, look away,
Look away, look away,
Vinegar put right on red beet,
1t makes them always fit to eat;
Look away, look away,
Look away, look away,
Den I wish I was in DiNie's Land,
Oh-Oh. Oh-Oh!
In Dixie's Land I'll take my stand,
And live and die in Dixies Land,
Away, away away.
Away down south in Dixie.
The Emmett song is also given by
Mr.. Graves, and is a variation of the
original song as follows:
| wish was in de land Oh cotton,
Old times dat am no forgotten,
Look away, look away, look away,
Dixie Land!
In Dixie land whar | was born in,
Early one frosty mornin,
Look away. look away, look away,
Dixie Land!
CHORUS
Den l wish l was in Dixie
HOoray. hooray!
In Dixie Land I'll took my stan
To lib and die in Dixie!
Away, away
Away down south in Dixie,
Away, away.
Away down south in Dixie,
Ole Missus marry de-Weaber,"
William was a gey deceber;
Look away, look away,
But when he put his arm around 'er
lie smiled as fierce as forty-pounder;
Look away, look away.
His face was sharp as butchers cleaber
But dat did not seem to srieb 'er,
Look away, look away,
Ole Missus acted the foolish part
An died for a man that broke her heart
Look away, look away.
Now here's health to de next old Missus
All, all gals dat want to Kiss us,
Look away, look away,
But if you want to drive way sorrow,
Come and hear dis song tomorrow,
Look away, look away.
Oars buckwheat cakes and Injun batter,
Makes you fat, or a little fatter,
Look away, look away.
Den hoe it down an scratch your grabble,
To piXie's Land I'm bound to trabble.
Look away, look away.
rollicking and pretty much meaningless
negro melody, reminiscent of old PLAN
tation days, to be sure, and sacred as
the most popular song of the camp
and march among the armies who wore
the gray, but having nothing in itself
to make it worth preserving. 1t is not
likely that any attempt to popularize
the use of the words will be success.
The air will survive, and deserves to,
but even the eloquent appeal to the
South by Mr. Graves will hardly ac-
complish anything for the words. Still
as literary curiosity of negro folk
song they should not be wholly forgot
ten.