Songs from Berdan's Music Publishing House
No. 5 [of 6]
"When De Boss Am Gone Away" (1879)
Plantation Sketch
Words and Music by O. F. Berdan

Adrian, MI: O. F. BERDAN, 15 W. Maumee Street
New York: WM. A. POND & CO., Union Square
Eng. & Pr.: T. A. Bacher, Philadelphia, PA
[Source: 16425@LoC]

1.
You boys and gals, come, swing yo'selves,
Dis ain't no time to play;
We'll have a little song and dance by'n bye,
When de Boss am gone away!
Dis am de land of sweetness,
De canebrake am so high,
No other place am half so sweet,
When your own true lub am by!
Dar's plenty in de kitchen,
And in de ground da's more,
So work you lively 'till bye and bye,
Den we'll dance upon the kitchen floor!

CHORUS* [sung after each verse]
* May be sung solo, omitting other voices.
[overlapping voices]
[SOPRANO]
We're gwine to dance, so let de music sound;
And pass dat little jug around!
We love to dance just at de close of day,
For dat's de time de Boss am gone away! 
[ALTO and TENOR]
Keep a-dancin' on de kitchen floor,
it dancin' on the kitchen floor,
And pass, pass de little jug around!
Keep dancin' on de kitchen floor, just at de close of day,
For dat's de time de Boss am gone away!
[BASS]
Keeo a-dancin', kee[ dancin', upon de floor,
And And pass, pass de little jug around!
pass de jug and keep a dancin', keep dancin', at close of day,
For dat's de time de Boss am gone away, am gone away!

2.
De banjo's always just in time,
It has de sweetest sound,
When de cabin is a shinin' wid de moon,
And de Boss ain't foolin' 'round!
Den swing yo' partners lively,
De moon she must go down!
We'll serape de floor 'till bye and bye,
Den we'll eat a little hoe cake brown!
De Boss he can't live always;
He'll reach de shinin' shore!
And he won't be 'round to hear de sound,
When we dance upon the kichen floor!