In 1859, the leader of Bryant’s Minstrels came to Daniel Decatur Emmett, his main song writer, and asked him to come up with a new “walkaround”. Minstrel shows ended shows with a song acted out by a few minstrels, who would then be joined by the whole troupe. It was a show stopper and encouraged audience singing along. Emmett was inspired by the line “I wish I was in Dixie”. The phrase apparently originated with circus people in the North when the weather was cold, they would say “I wish I was in Dixie”. There are two believable theories of where the term “Dixie” comes from. Some historians think it was a reference to the Mason-Dixon line (the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania) which was the unofficial boundary between the North and the South. A stronger theory is based on the Citizen Bank of New Orleans issuing ten dollar notes during the days that Louisiana belonged to France. The notes had “Dix” printed on them. The French word for ten is dix. The notes were called “dixies” and became associated with Louisiana and eventually the whole South. Ironically, Emmett was from Ohio, but his song has a freed slave remembering the good old days on a plantation. Minstrels (whites wearing blackface) were mostly pro-slavery and the song reflects that. Many walkarounds were described as “plantation song and dance” numbers. In spite of its background, Lincoln claimed it was one of his favorite songs. When he made a trip to the South at the end of the war, he had the band on the steamboat play it. “That tune is now Federal property and it is good to show the rebels that, with us in power, they will be free to hear it again.”
chorus:
Oh, I wish I was in Dixie, Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie land I’ll take my stand
To live and die in Dixie
Away, away, away down south in Dixie
Away, away, away down south in Dixie
verses:
Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton
Old times there are not forgotten
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land
In Dixie land where I was born in
Early on one frosty mornin’
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land
Old Missus marry Will, the weaver
William was a gay deceiver
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land
But when he put his arm around her
He smiled as fierce as a forty pounder
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land
His face was sharp as a butcher’s cleaver
But that did not seem to grieve her
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land
Old Missus acted the foolish part
And died for a man that broke her heart
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land
Now here’s a health to the next old Missus
And all the gals that want to kiss us
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land
But if you want to drive away sorrow
Come and hear this song tomorrow
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land
https://www.history.com/news/why-is-the-south-known-as-dixie
https://balladofamerica.org/dixies-land/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_(song)
https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/april-4/
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