"Folks That Put On Airs" (1858)
Words by H. Angelo.
As sung by E. F. Dixey at Sanford's Opera House
Music composed by William H. Coulston.

Philadelphia: Lee & Walker
[Sources: 022/049@Levy; pages 64-66 of
"Minstrel Songs, Old and New" (1883)]

1.
Oh, white folks, listen, will you now,
  This darkie's gwine to sing;
I've hit upon a subject now
  I think will be the thing.
I never like to mix at all
  With any one's affairs,
But my opinion am just now
  'Bout folks that put on airs.

CHORUS
No use talking, No use talking,
  It's so now ev'rywhere;
To do as folks of fashion do,
  You've got to put on airs.

2.
De politician, first of all,
  On 'lection day will stand,
And ever man dat passes by,
  He'll shake him by the hand.
But when he gets a good fat jpb,
  For dat am all he cares,
He thinks himself some pumkins den;
  Oh, don't he put on airs?

(CHORUS)

3.
When a gal gets about sixteen,
  She 'gins to think she's some;
A flop dat sports a big mousache
She kinder likes to come.
Two hours before de looking glass,
  To meet him she prepares;
And when she gets her fixin's on,
  Oh, don't she put on airs?

(CHORUS)

4.
A boy, too, when he's 'bout half grown,
  Although he's "nary red,"
Has lots of hair around his mouth,
  But none upon his head.
He patronizes tailor-shops,
  Get trust for all he wears;
And when he goes amongst de gals,
  Oh, don't he put on airs?

(CHORUS)

5.
Dar's de great Atlantic Cable,
  Some time ago 'twas laid;
Both Uncle Sam and Johnny Bull
  Den thought dare fortunes made.
Somehow or other, I don't know,
  But folks dat hold de shares
Begin to kinder think de thing
  Am puttin' on some airs.

(CHORUS)

6.
'Tis true we Yankees go ahead
  In all we undertake;
There's Tenbroeck and great Barey, too,
  Can British horses break.
Dar's Murphy next, a chess-man he
  His laurels proudly wears.
Old Johnny Bull can't come to tea,
  And needn't put on airs.

(CHORUS)