"The Yellow Dog Rag" (1914)
(He's Gone Where the Southern Crosses the Yellow Dog)
Words and Music
by William Christopher Handy, 1873-1958

1.
E'er since Miss Susan Johnson lost her Jockey, Lee
There has been much excitement, more to be;
You can hear her moaning night and morn.
"Wonder where my Easy Rider's gone?"
Cablegrams come of sympathy,
Telegrams go of inquiry,
Letters come from down in "Bam,"
And ev'ry where that Uncle Sam
Has even a rural delivery.
All day the phone rings,
But it's not for me.
At last good tidings fill our hearts with glee,
This message comes from Tennessee:

CHORUS 2 times
Dear Sue, your Easy Rider struck this burg today
On a southboun' railer side-door Pullman car.
Seen him here an' he was on the hog.
  [SPOKEN}
  (The smoke was broke, no joke,
  not a [fifty?] on him.)
Easy Riders got a stay away,
So he had to vamp it--but the hike aint far,
He's gone where the Southern cross' the Yellow Dog.

2.
I know the Yellow Dog District like a book,
Indeed I know the route that Rider took;
Ev'ry crosstie, bayou, burg and bog,
Way down where the Southern cross' the Dog.
Money don't really grow on trees.
On cotton stalks it grows wid cane;
No racehorse, racetrack, no grandstand
Is like Old Buck an' Buck-shot land,
Down where the Southern cross' the Dog,
Every kitchen there is a cabaret,
Down where the boll wevil works while the darkies play
This Yellow Dog Rag the live-long day.

(CHORUS 2 times)