Dedicated to Horace Greeley, Esq.
"Katy's Cry:
Come and Buy My Hot Corn" (1853)
Song and Chorus 
As sung by 
Wood's Minstrels [1811-1872]
This Song
Written for the benefit of the HOUSE OF INDUSTRY
by James Such
Music composed by 
Isaac Baker Woodbury, 1819-1858 

It was suggested by the beautiful and affecting story of Little Katy or Hot Corn Girl 
published in the New York Tribune, Aug. 1853. The profit derived from the sale of this song 
will be given to that admirable institution, one of the best of all charities entitled, 
The Five Points House of Industry, 
Office No. 2, Little Water St., New York.

25c[ents] nett. 
New York: Horace Waters, 533 Broadway 
Boston: G. P Reed & Co.
Philadephia: Lee & Walker
Cincinnati: W. C. Peters & Sons
 
[Source: Detroit Music Library,
The Hackley Collection;
Digital ID: dpl-hac-00019.dc 
OCLC Record ID: 50611733]

1. Lonely, starved, at midnight dreary, 
Ragged Katy, faint and wea ry, 
On the sidewalk, in our City, 
Half sang, half wept, for hours, this ditty.

CHORUS 1
Hot corn! Hot corn! 
Who’ll buy my hot corn, 
Hot corn, Hot corn, smoking hot corn.

2. A drunken mother’s threat rememb’ring, 
If the corn she sold not, trembling, 
As each one her basket came by, 
Katy urged that piteous same cry.

CHORUS 2
Hot corn! Hot corn! 
Who’ll buy my Hot corn, 
Hot corn, Hot corn, smoking hot corn.

3. A ruffian drunkard, swearing, swaggering,
Towards the trembler, bravely staggering,
Little whelp of a she wolf born,
“Give me,” cried he, “an ear of corn.”

CHORUS 3
Hot corn! Hot corn!
Here’s your Hot corn.
Hot corn, Hot corn, smoking hot corn.

4. A rich man homeward, his way wending,
By the lone child, his steps bending,
His thoughts on gain, the hour was late, he
Heeded not the prayer of Katy,

CHORUS 4
Hot corn! Hot corn!
Pray, buy my Hot corn.
Hot corn, Hot corn, smoking hot corn.

5. If, to feed a mother’s vices,
Their fair girl, then, guilt entices,
With sinful wages, to all shame die,
At whose door, pray, will the blame lie?

CHORUS 5
Hot! corn, Hot corn!
Do, buy my Hot corn,
Hot corn, Hot corn, smoking hot corn.

6. Statesmen, Fathers, Christian, Freemen,
Loving God and country, be men!
Dare the issue, Bless our nation,
Crush this Giant Desolation!

CHORUS 6
Hot corn! Hot corn!
Who’ll buy my Hot corn.
Hot corn, Hot corn, smoking hot corn.