"Darky Sam" (1866)
Song & Chorus
Composed by
J. Young

Brooklyn: D. S. Holmes, 67 Fourth St.
[Source: scsm0219@LoC/AWSCoL]

1. Oh my name is Darkey Sam,
And I’se a blackeyed contraband;
  Down on de Chickahominee I was born;
But old massa run away,
When de Linkum sogers play:
  So, I started for de Norf in de morn,
I soon met wid a man,
And he took me by de hand,
  And he brought me to de Bobolition meet in:
Dar de brudders made a speech,
And de sisters ’gan to preach;
  Dey said dat my complexion was light,
And de world day would teach
What a point dey could reach,
  And dey’d show dat dey could wash de nigger white.

CHORUS [sung after each VERSE]
I soon met wid a man,
And he took me by de hand,
And he brought me to de Babolition meetin;
Dar de brudders made a speach,
And de sisters ’gan to preach;
Dey said dey could wash de nigger white.

2. Dey got me very soon,
And dey put me in a room:
  Dis nigger couldn’t tell what dey was after;
Dey took off all my clothes,
And den what does you suppose;
  Dey put me in a tub of boilin’ water!
And den dey got around,
And some scrubbin’brushes found,
  And said dey’d wash me whiter dan paper.
Oh! dey got me in a tub,
And dey all began to rub;
  I tell you it was a pretty sight!
For, some put on de soap,
And de oders dey did scrub,
  But dey found dey couldn’t wash de nigger white.

3. De next thing dey done
For to make de color run,
  Dey began to rub me wid sand paper:
Oh! dey nearly killed me dead,
But dey only made me red:
  I tell you is was an awful caper!
Den dey whitewashed me so slick,
But de lime it wouldn’t stick:
  I, golly! I was just as black as ever!
Den dey got a lot of hay,
And dey rubbed and scrubbed away:
  Oh! dey kept at it all dat night;
But den dey found, next day,
Dat de job it wouldn’t pay,
  ’Kase dey neber could wash de nigger white.

4. When I found dat dey was tired,
Says I: Gemmen list to me,
  And you will find dat I am right, man;
De nigger will be nigger,
Till de day of Jubilee;
  For, he nebber was intended for a white man;
Den just skedaddle home,
Leave de colored man alone;
  For, you’re only makin trouble in de nation;
You may fight, and you may muss,
You may make a heap of fuss,
  But you nebber will make tings right,
Until you all agree
For to let de nigger be:
  Kase you’ll neber, neber, neber wash him white.