De Camptown ladies sing dis song, Doodah, doodah, De Camptown race track five miles long, Oh! Doodah day! I came down dah wid my hat cav'd in, Doodah, doodah, I go back home wid a pocket full ob tin Oh! Doodah day. Gwine to [run]1 all night! Gwine to [ride]1 all day! I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag, Somebody bet on de bay. De long-tail filly and de big black hoss, Doodah, doodah, Dey fly de track and dey both cut across, Oh! Doodah day! De blind hoss stickin' in a big [mud]2 hole Doodah, doodah, Can't touch de bottom wid a ten-foot pole, Oh! Doodah day. Gwine to [ride]1, etc. Old Muley cow came on [to]3 de track, Doodah, doodah, De bob-tail fling her ober his back, Oh! Doodah day! Den fly along like a railroad car, Doodah, doodah, Runnin' a race wid a shootin' star, Oh! Doodah day. Gwine to [ride]1, etc.
Tribute to Foster
Set by Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882 - 1961), "Tribute to Foster", 1913-6, based on a melody by Stephen Foster  [sung text checked 1 time]
Note: this setting is made up of several separate texts.
Authorship:
- by Stephen Collins Foster (1826 - 1864)
See other settings of this text.
View original text (without footnotes)Note: Camptown is a town in Pennsylvania from which a five-mile horse race to the town of Merryall used to take place.
1 Grainger: "ride"
2 Grainger: "bog"
3 omitted by Grainger
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
In Pittsburgh town a man did dwell, Doodah, doodah, His name was Foster as I've heard tell, Oh! Doodah day! Foster's dead and gone away, Doodah, doodah, His songs dey lib fo' eber an aye, Oh! Doodah day. Gwine to still be sung 's long as de worl's heart's young. Foster's songs warn't "darkie" quite, Doodah, doodah, Yet neider war dey jes' plain "white," Oh! Doodah day! But Foster's songs dey make you cry, Doodah, doodah, Bring de tear-drop to yo' eye, Oh! Doodah day. Gwine to still be sung, etc. Dese songs dey trabbel de worl' around, Doodah, doodah, At las' dey come down to Adelaide town, Oh! Doodah day! When I was a tot on ma mammy's knee, Doodah, doodah, She sang dat race-track song to me, Oh! Doodah day. Gwine to still be sung, etc. Sung it to me sweet as a lullaby, Doodah, doodah, Hear dat song till de day I die, Oh! Doodah day! Gwine to sing all night! Gwine to sing all day! I'll bet my money on de Pittsburgh man, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA.
Authorship:
- by Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882 - 1961)
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Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]