The Pickaninnies Paradise 1918

James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 05 Sep 2004

What's the matter honey
there's a tear in your eye,
do white folks say
you don't know where you go
when you die?
Come to your mammy dear,
now don't you fear
I will tell
where colored children go
when they leave here.
There's a happy land above the sky so blue
and listen child what's waiting for you.

You lay your black kinky head
in a bed on a pillow so white
when you sleep tight
the angels watch over you every night
the griddle cakes pop from the ground
with sweet molasses all around
Old Uncle Joe is playing tunes
upon his old banjo
the street are all paved with gold
I am told every bird in the skies
has diamond eyes
now ain't that nice so very nice
every little kinky headed girl and boy
has the cutest silver pony for a toy
in the place they call
the Pickaninnies Paradise.

You lay your black kinky head
in a bed on a pillow so white
when you sleep tight
the angels watch over you every night
the griddle cakes pop from the ground
with sweet molasses all around
Old Uncle Joe is playing tunes
upon his old banjo
the street are all paved with gold
I am told every bird in the skies
has diamond eyes
now ain't that nice so very nice
every little kinky headed girl and boy
has the cutest silver pony for a toy
in the place they call
the Pickaninnies Paradise.

Run and play my honey
by the mulberry tree,
just stay right near the window
where your mammy can see
now don't you feel so blue
for I love you,
and the white folks told me honey,
that they love you too.
If they speak about the skies up overhead
just tell them dear what your mammy said.

You lay your black kinky head
in a bed on a pillow so white
when you sleep tight
the angels watch over you every night
the griddle cakes pop from the ground
with sweet molasses all around
Old Uncle Joe is playing tunes
upon his old banjo
the street are all paved with gold
I am told every bird in the skies
has diamond eyes
now ain't that nice so very nice
every little kinky headed girl and boy
has the cutest silver pony for a toy
in the place they call
the Pickaninnies Paradise.

You lay your black kinky head
in a bed on a pillow so white
when you sleep tight
the angels watch over you every night
the griddle cakes pop from the ground
with sweet molasses all around
Old Uncle Joe is playing tunes
upon his old banjo
the street are all paved with gold
I am told every bird in the skies
has diamond eyes
now ain't that nice so very nice
every little kinky headed girl and boy
has the cutest silver pony for a toy
in the place they call
the Pickaninnies Paradise.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
The Pickaninnies Paradise 1918
Music by Nat Osborne
Lyrics by Sam Ehrlich
© MCMXVIII by Harry von Tilzer Mus.Pub.Co.
*
sequence and karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Sunday 05 September 2004 at 22.49
in association with Doug Grierson
*