"Little Katy; or, Hot Corn" (circa 1840s)
Words by James Simmonds
Music by A. Sedgwick

1.
"Oh, hot corn nice hot corn!
Who will buy my hot corn?"
Cried a child in accents mild,
"Come and buy my hot corn."
Scalding tears are stealing,
Down her pallic cheek,
Hope no beam revealing,
Katy's sad and weak.
Yet all the while she tries to smile,
And in accents so forlorn,
To passers by, you'll hear her cry
Oh buy, oh buy my hot corn!
Oh hot corn nice hot corn,
Who will buy my hot corn,
Cries Katy dear, with many a tear,
Oh buy, oh buy my corn.

CHORUS sung after Verses 1 & 2
Hot corn, hot corn!
Here's your nice hot corn,
Pass not by or she may die,
Should she not sell her "Hot corn."

2.
"Oh hot corn! nice hot corn!
Who will buy my hot corn?"
Tis very late--no longer wait,
Come and buy my hot corn.
Children now are sleeping,
Half the world's at rest;
Poor Katy, she is weeping
Dares not seek her nest.
Her wicked mother madly burns,
Passion beaming from her eyes,
For life's poison now she yearns,
Give, oh give me drinks she cries!
Yet Katy dear, oft with a tear,
Ushers in the coming morn
Faintly crying,--almost dying,
Buy, oh buy my corn!

3.
Oh hot corn, nice hot corn!
She will never sing more,
Katy's lying--almost dying,
Her life's dream is near o're.
Yet it is a blessing,
Life seems naught but woe;
She knows the there's no oppressing
In heaven where she'll go.
Poverty hath chill'd the flow'r
That might else so sweetly bloom,
Old grim death alone hath pow'r
To snatch poor Katy from her doom,
Oh Katy dear, what bliss is near;
To usher in your coming morn,
Life is flying, Katy's dying,--
No more crying corn.

CHORUS sung after Verse 3
Hot corn, hot corn!
Never more at dawn.
With a sigh will she e'er cry,
Come buy, oh buy my hot corn.