"The 'Contraband's' Hotel" (1862) 
A Comic Song for the Million.
[Words -- anonymous.]
Composed by J. Rud Adam.

Nashville & Memphis, TN: James A. McClure
Plate Number: 4
Engraver: J. Slinglandt
[Source: 093/037@Levy]

1. I’s took rooms for de season 
I’s cuttin’ quite a swell. 
I’s stoppin’ at a tavern— de United States Hotel. 
Ole Uncle Sam’s de landlord— we eat and drink our fill— 
And de wisdom ob de measure is, 
dar’s  nuffin’ nuffin’ for de bill! 

CHORUS 1
Oh! Hi O dinkum Darkey! 
Hi! O dinkum Darkey! 
De white trash cant afford 
To take rooms at the tavern, 
take rooms at the tavern, 
Whar de cullud gentry hoard.

2. De possom it was lubly, but  we’ve better grub dan dat; 
De lovetake it was ’oldficent, de raccoon sweet and fat— 
But possom, [?] and [? ?] I bid you  all farewell! 
You wouldn’t [wain?] de [Siery?] at 
Uncle Contraband’s Hotel. 

CHORUS 2
Oh! Hi O dinkum Darkey! 
Hi! O dinkum Darkey! 
Oh don’t you hear de bell! 
It’s ringing for de boardahs, 
ringing for de boardahs, 
At Uncle Sam’ Hotel.

3. And don’t you know de boardahs?— de accomplished Dinah Crow—
De serushinatin Pompoy, and de gallant Mistah Snow—
And all ob de ‘born equals,’ no matter whar dey dwell,
Are goin’ to be boardahs at Uncle Sam’s Hotel. 

CHORUS 3
Oh! Hi O dinkum Darkey! 
Hi! O dinkum Darkey! 
Oh berry sure I am,
De best ob all de taverns,
de best ob all de taverns,
Is Kept by Uncle Sam.

4. De serushinatin Pompey, when he sits down to dine, 
Just hear him call de waitah, to fetch along de wine!— 
And see de little white boys a helpin Mis tah Snow, 
And bringing chicken fixins to de lubly Dinah Crow!

CHORUS 4
Oh! Hi O dinkum Darkey! 
Hi! O dinkum Darkey! 
I’s cuttin’ quite a swell,
I’s took rooms at a tavern—
took rooms at a tavern—
De United States Hotel.

5. It’s a mighty big old tavern, dat United States Hotel! 
It has sixty tousand boardahs, and it ’commodates ’em well; 
It has room for all of Dixie, an’ I ’spect dey’ll all be heah, 
Wid dar wives and pickininies, ’fore de endin ob de year.

CHORUS 5
Oh! Hi O Dinkum Darkey!
Hi! O dinkum Darkey! 
We have no bills to pay,
Dey charge ’em to de white trash,
charge ’em to de white trash,
I hear de landlord say.

6. Oh take the mattock, white man!— de shubble and de spade— 
We boardahs hab no work to do, we all hab quite de trade!  
But ’fore you pay de board bill you’ll hab to tug and sweat, 
And wish you wasn’t white trash a thousand times, I’ll bet!

CHORUS 6
Oh! Hi O Dinkum Darkey!
Hi! O dinkum Darkey! 
Oh don’t you hear de bell?
It’s ringin’ for de boardahs!
ringin’ for de boardahs!
At UNCLE SAM’S HOTEL!