Dedicated to Miss Della Fox.
"I Want Yer, Ma Honey!" (1895)
An Ethiopian Oddity 
Words and Music by 
Fay Templeton, 1865-1939 

New York: T. B. Harms & Co., 18 East 22nd St.
London: Francis, Day & Hunter, 195 Oxford Street
[stamped: F. J. Schwankovsky's Music House, Detroit, Mich.] 
[Source: Detroit Public Library,
The Hackley Collection;
Digital ID: dpl-hac-11051.dc 
OCLC Record ID: 08042548]

1. When de banjo’s astrummin’ 
And de darkies ahummin’, 
Den I want yer, ma honey, yes, I do! 
I’m a thinkin’ ob yer daily, 
Dress’d so sweet and also gaily, 
And my heart is forever true to you! 
I’m athinkin’ ob yer sadly, 
Co’s I love yer mighty madly, 
And I don’t know what to do! 
So come back to please me, 
Don’t try for to tease me, 
Co’s I want yer, ma honey, yes, I do!

REFRAIN 1
I want yer, ma honey, yes, 
I want yer mighty badly; 
I’m a longin’ for yer daily, 
Co’s I love yer mighty madly! 
So come back to please me, 
Don’t try for to tease me, 
Co’s I want yer, ma honey, yes, 
I want yer, want yer, want yer; 
Co’s I want yer, ma honey, yes, I do!

2. When de stars am agleamin’ 
And de birds am adreamin’, 
Den I want yer, ma honey, yes, I do! 
For I love yer ev’ry minute, 
And nobody else is in it, 
And my heart is forever true to you! 
Den don’t linger longer, 
Co’s my love is growin’ stronger, 
And I don’t know what to do! 
So come back,  my lady, 
My love and my baby, 
Co’s I want yer, ma honey, yes, I do!

REFRAIN 2
I want yer, ma honey, yes, 
I want yer ev’ry minute; 
I’m a thinkin’ ob yer daily, 
And nobody else is in it! 
So come back,  my lady, 
My love and my baby, 
Co’s I want yer, ma honey, yes, 
I want yer, want yer, want yer; 
Co’s I want yer, ma honey, yes, I do!