"Pass Down the Centre" (1879)
Plantation or End Song.
Words and Music by Frank Howard. 
[pseud. for Delos Gardner Spaulding, 1833-1884]
Orchestra parts by W. S. Mullaly, 
San Francisco Minstrels, N. Y.

New York: Himan & Woodward, 
  817 & 819 Broadway, 1879.
Plate Number: 136-3
[Source: 134/052@Levy]

1. 
SOLO
Trab’ling ’twards de balmy skies,
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO 
Keep de path before your eyes.
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO 
Tramp along de grabble road.
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO 
Don’t get weary wid your load. 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
Send us a turkey, 
Don’t send it C. O. D. 
Oh yes, “dey come high but we must hab em.” 

SOLO
Times are hard for de darkie, 
Way down in Tennesee.
CHORUS
Mister Ku-klux cant you let me be.

2. 
SOLO
I’m gwine back to Alabam, 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
Dar I’ll be a coler’d lamb. 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
For an office I will run. 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
Back to Congress I will come. 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
My gal’s a daisy, 
She’s fairer dan de day. 
CHORUS
But she’s left and “gone to meet her Uncle.” 

SOLO
And I’m fraid I’ll go crazy, 
If she should stay away.
CHORUS
Come back Susan to your popingay.

3. 
SOLO
Talk is cheap but money buys— 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
Good hoecake and pumpkin pies. 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
When de chickens go to roost. 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
Gib de speckled hen a boost. 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
Black gals am fickle, 
Dey’r always on de wing. 
CHORUS
“Straighten up and have some style about you.” 

SOLO
Cant you lend me a nickle, 
I’ll pay you in de spring.
CHORUS
Uncle Gabriel don’t you hear me sing.

4. 
SOLO
Put your shoulder to the wheel, 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
Help to earn your ingin meal. 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
Take a member by de hand. 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
Help him seek de promis’d land. 
CHORUS
Pass down de centre.

SOLO
Greenbacks am plenty, 
Dey weigh de same as gold. 
CHORUS
“Trim your lamps and keep dem brightly burnin.”

SOLO
If your pockets are empty, 
Don’t stand out in de cold.
CHORUS
Press a “Freedman’s bank” into de fold.