If Dat's Society Excuse Me 1900

by James Pitt-Payne
2010

Miss Emelina Jackson
in the chocolate society of Darktown
was the queen,
She had a distant relative who
lived way down in Dixie
whom she had never seen.
She heard that he was coming
so she sent out invitations
to Darktown's swellest set,
The night Miss Emelina
entertained her country cousin
she never will forget.
The darkies came in full dress suits,
with low neck gowns,
and patent leather boots,
and all the stylish attributes,
the country darkey watched excitedly
Each swallow tail and low cut vest,
each lady with uncovered chest,
he said: "Emeline dese folks ain't dressed,"
she said: "that's what they call society,"
The darkey scratched his head,
and then to her he said:

Well, If that's society excuse me,
you call dat propriety you loose me;
When I come from a goodness knows
Folks dey put on a few mo' clo'es;
If dat's society excuse me.

If that's society excuse me,
you call dat propriety you loose me;
When you give me a social treat
You must give me enough to eat;
If dat's society excuse me.

Miss Emelina very soon began to realize
that he was sadly out of place,
She looked upon her country kin whom
she was entertaining,
a frown upon her face.
The guests began to giggle
when they saw the situation
Miss Emeline felt sad;
She went and told the darkey
he must put on social manners,
and then the coon got mad.
He spit tobacco on the floor,
that made Miss Emelina very sore,
and then she showed him to the door;
To leave the place
the coon would not agree;
just then they passed refreshments light,
to take small bits of course was right,
This darkey he grabbed everything in sight.
She said: "You have disgraced society,"
The darkey scratched his head,
and then to her he said:

Well, If that's society excuse me,
you call dat propriety you loose me;
When I come from a goodness knows
Folks dey put on a few mo' clo'es;
If dat's society excuse me.

If that's society excuse me,
you call dat propriety you loose me;
When you give me a social treat
You must give me enough to eat;
If dat's society excuse me.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
If Dat's Society Excuse Me 1900
Music by Rosamond Johnson
Lyrics by Bob Cole & Will Johns
© MCM by Howley, Haviland & Dresser
*
sequence & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Sunday 18 April 2010 at 14.01
in association with Veda Meyer-Castens
*