ETHIOPIAN MELODIES.
of WHITE'S SERENADERS, as sung by them.
AT THEIR CONCERTS.

1. Old Pine Tree                2. Commence ye darkies all.
3. Do not go away my lady love  4. Good Bye Linda love
5. Rosa's Wedding day           6. Julianna Johnson
7. Lucy Lee                     8. I wish I was in old Virginia
[includes portrait of
Mast[er]. Marks, the Celebrated Dancer.]

"Commence Ye Darkies All!" [1849]
Written and Composed by W. D. Corrister.

Lith. of Sarony & Major, 117 Fulton St., New York, NY
New York, NY: FIRTH, POND & Co., No. 1 Franklin Square
Plate No. 439
G. W. Quidor Eng[ra]v[e]r.
[Sources: 018/050@Levy; 1849-460470@LoC]

1. White folks, I’m goin’ to sing
  A song dat am quite new
Of myself, an’ banjo string
  An’ you— an’ you— an’ you!
Oh, Sam, don’t laf, I say!
  Our strings will keep in tune!
Just listen to de fiddle play
  For de white folks round de room! 

[CHORUS sung twice after each VERSE]
Den commence, ye darkies all,
As loud as you can brawl!
Commence, ye darkies all, tonight!

2. Touch light de banjo string;
  An’ rattle de ole jawbone;
Oh, merrily sound de tambourine,
  An’ make dat fiddle hum!
An’ make dat fiddle hum, ole dad!
  De way dem bones will shake,
Am a caution to all living niggs,
  An’ a death to rattle snakes!

3. “O for a piano or guitar!
  I hear a fair one cry;
But when I hear dese instruments,
  I tink I’d like to die!
I tink I’d like to die, I does!
  I could lay me down to rest—
For music hab such ’lodious sounds
  “To soothe” dis darkey’s “breast!”