The Rag Time Hymn 1899

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 28 Mar 2008
2008

A little church in Darktown
a preacher old and grey,
where the good folks used to congregate
to wash their sins away,
a rag time coon says:
'I'll go to church,
those hymns I'll try to sing,
and when I play my 'policy'
why good luck it may bring.'
The parson handed round the hymn books
and told them to join in
and help to swell the chorus,
when the music did begin.
He then said: 'Now dear brethren,
turn to page fourtyfour.'
The darkey had the words,
but the tune he used
they had never heard before.

'Throw out the lifeline,'
He sang in ragtime,
all eyes were turned on him...
The darkies got nervous,
and broke up the service,
when he sang his rag time hymn.

'Throw out the lifeline,'
He sang in ragtime,
all eyes were turned on him...
The Parson protested
had the coon arrested
for singing his rag time hymn.

The parson looked quite dignified
and a frown was on his face,
and he said: 'There's someone in this church
that seems quite out of place.
I'll mention no one's name,
kind friends, but I'm looking at him now,
And if he don't sing that song right
I'll go down and show him how.'
He then said: 'Now dear brethren
we'll sing the same refrain.'
The music once more started
and the good folks sang again.
But the rag time voice was louder
than any in the crowd,
He still had the words,
but the same old tune
he sang out good and loud.

'Throw out the lifeline,'
He sang in ragtime,
all eyes were turned on him...
The darkies got nervous,
and broke up the service,
when he sang his rag time hymn.

'Throw out the lifeline,'
He sang in ragtime,
all eyes were turned on him...
The Parson protested
had the coon arrested
for singing his rag time hymn.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
The Rag Time Hymn 1899
'to our friend Ben M.Jerome'
Music by T.Mayo Geary
Lyrics by H.J.Breen
© MCCCCXCIX by Howley, Haviland & Co.
*
sequence & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Friday 28 March 2008 at 19.14
in association with Doug Grierson
*