To Columbia's Noble Son, Maj. Gen. Benj. F. Butler.
"Ole Shady,
or the Song of the Contraband" (1861)
by Benjamin Russell Hanby, 1833-1867

1.
Oh! yay! yah! darkies laugh wid me,
For de white folks say Ole Shady's free,
So don't you see dat de jubilee
Is a coming, coming,
Hail mighty day.

CHORUS
Den away, away, for I can't wait any longer,
Hooray, hooray, I'm going home.
Den away, away, for I can't wait any longer,
Hooray, hooray, I'm going home.

2.
Oh, Mass' got scared and so did his lady,
Dis chile breaks for Ole Uncle Aby,
"Open de gates out here's Ole Shady's
coming, coming."
Hail mighty day.

(CHORUS)

3.
Good bye Mass' Jeff, good by Mis'r Stephens,
'Scuse dis niggah for takin his leavins,
'Spect pretty soon you'll hear Uncle Abram's
coming, comming,
Hail mighty day.

(CHORUS)

4.
Good by hard work wid never any pay,
Ise a gwine up North where the good folks say,
Dat white wheat bread and a dollar a day 
Are coming, comming,
Hail mighty day.

5.
Oh, I've got a wife, and I've never got a baby,
Living up yonder in Lower _Canady_,"
Wont dey laugh when dey see Ole Shady
A coming, coming,
Hail mighty day.