"A Hot Time in the Old Town" (1896)
Words by Joe Hayden
Music by Theodore A. Mertz

1.
Come along get you ready wear your bran, bran new gown,
For dere's gwine to be a meting in that good, good old town,
Where you know-ded ev'ry body, and dey know'ded you,
And you've got a rabits foot to keep away de hoodo;
When you hear that the preaching does begin,
Bend down low for to drive away your sin and when you
get religion, You want to shout and sing, there'll be a
hot time in the old town tonight, my baby.

CHORUS
When you hear dem a bells go ding, ling ling,
All join 'round
And sweetly you must sing,
and when the verse am through,
in the chorus all join in, there'll be a
hot time in the old town tonight.

2.
There'll be girls for ev'ry body in that good, good old town,
For dere's Miss Consola Davis and dere's Miss Gondolia Brown;
And dere's Miss Johanna Beasely she am dressed all in red,
I just hugged her and I kissed her and to me that she said;
Please oh please, oh, do not let me fall,
You're all mine and I love you best of all,
and you must be my man,
Or I'll have no man at all, there'll be a
hot time in the old town tonight, my baby.

(CHORUS)