New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-30

should have a new feature. and Dan must Elk
II up"
The next day it rained." Mr.. Emmett once
said in telling of his writing the song. "and
stayed indoors At first. when went at 1t
couldn't get anything. But line. Il wish I in
Dixie kept repeating itself in my mind. and I
finally took it for my start. The rest wasn't long
In coming. I suppose that line into my mind
because the day dreary. and MINISTRIES
often used to say. when playing in the North in
the bleak winter time, wished In
Dixie land
Next Monday Emmett handed the song and music
to Mr.. Bryant and that night New-York heard
for the first time the melody, which has become a
part of American history AS ii first sung
Dixie" follows:
1 wish in de land % old times not
Look away. look away look away Dixie land,
In Dixie land. whar was born in early frosty
Look away look away look away. Dixie land!
CHORUS.
Den wish was va; in Dixie hooTay! ho9oray; Witt.
Ava, Soz5 s s@S,R in in B BiSs;
Ole marry ''will-de-weaber'' willum gay
Look away look away look away Dixie land.
But when he put his arm around her. he smiled fierce
Look away w. look 'G away look away Dixie land!
His sharp butchers ceaber but dat did
seem 10 greab er; ,,,-,.,
Ole mssqs acted de foolish part and died for man dat
Look away look away look away. Dixie land!
health ole missus. an all de gals
DAT want 70 KISS us ,,, ~ r,,, land,
But If want TO drive way sorrow come and hear dis
song
Look away look away. look away. Dixie land!
Oars buckwheat an Injun batter. makes fat
Look away look away look away Dixie land!
Den hoe it down scratch grabbe to Dixies land
Look away look away. look away. Dixie land
In spite of the hit which Dixie" made in New
York 1t might have gone the way of other such
ballads had 1t not been selected some time after
ward as the feature" of a big performance in
New-Orleans. Each part of the show had been
filled: all that lacking national march
and song for the grand chorus. part the leader
had omitted till the very last moment. a great
many marches and songs were tried. but none
could be decided upon Dixie suggested and
tried. and all enthusiastic over it that it
at once adopted and given in the performance
Immediately il was taken up by the populace and
sung in the streets. in homes and concert halls
daily 1t taken the battlefelds. and there
established as the Southern Confederacy war song.
All that Mr.. Emmett realized from Dixie was
$500. paid TO him for its copyright.
Dan Emmett died in the little Ohio where
he was born on October %. 1915. Here his father
Abraham Emmett. settled before the War of 1872
having moved thither from Chester County, Va
When Dan" was a boy 1t the fashion among
the young people to try their skill at making verses
and 10 sing them TO some popular tune. Jim
Crow a favorite in those days. and the boys
words to sing TO that tune In this way he formed
a taste for versemakng and singing. which later
led him to minstrelsy.
He learned to play the fiddle by ear. and, after
a while, he went TO Cincinnati. where he engaged
himself to play second fiddle with Stickneys Cir
Gus. The following spring he engaged with Miller's
Caravan at Cincinnati With this company he
fife Within short time he became known
throughout the United States of the great
hfers and drummers or the country. His work
with the was to sing darby songs
companied by ''hoe-downs" and walk arounds."
Mr. Emmett made his own verses and sang them
TO some popular tune He travelled over all the
United States with Dan" Rice Spauldlng Seth
Howes DR.. Leonard. Weshanman, joe Sweeney
and other famous minstrels. He dressed himself
in negro approximations. singing his songs in
the ring while he accompanied himself the
used 10 say with pride that when he had blackened
his face and donned his wig OF kinky white hair
he was "the best old negro that ever lived
In 1912 at the old Chatham Theatre. in New
York city with two companions, he gave a mixed
performance, made up largely OF songs and dances
typical OF slave life and character. The little
troupe was billed The Virginia Mnstrels' and
their popularity with the public instantaneous.
From keW-York the pioneer company
Boston. and later on sailed for England.
Emmett remained abroad for several years, and
when he returned to NewYOrk Joined Dan" Bry-
ants Minstrel Company, at No. Az Broadway.
In the last years of his life Mr.. Emmett lived
alone in little cottage in the outskirts OF Mount
other days. 10 was satisfied 10 so around town