"Oh Jeff! Oh Jeff! How Are You Now" (1865)
Comic Song and Chorus
[Words and Music]
by Henry Schroeder

New York: Firth, Son & Co., 563 Broadway
Plate No. 5890
[Source: 089/069@Levy]

1. Jeff Davis is, we must admit,
  A man who knows when’s time to leave,
His last ditch now he had to quit,
  But still he states in language brief,
That by misfortune of the war,
  He’s forced to leave his statal seat
That still with him the powers are,
  Which will in time the Yankees beat.

CHORUS [sung efter VERSES 1-5] 
Oh Jeff! Oh Jeff! How are you now;
What means the frown; that’s on thy brow.

2. I now shall give a short account,
  Of Jeff and Co’s exursion trip,
This family was seaward bound,
  In lookinf for a better crip,
It was a party of high reb’s,
  Who thought it time to leave their place
But Uncle Sam was on their steps,
  And follow’d them in constant race.

3. It was a question now of speed,
  That would decide be caught or not,
Old Davis felt quite hurt indeed,
  To make his mare so quick to trot.
His trav’ling gown was quite a hit,
  It show’d what genius can achieve,
His boot they were too large a bit,
  Though hoops he had to their relieve.

4. But on they came close to his heel.
  Our boys with crys “we’ve got you tight!”
What kind you are, your boots reveal,
  A hundred thousand dollar light.
He wife now like a woman true,
  Said, don’t provoke the President,
Or else he may hurt some of you,
  He’s got a dagger in his hand.

5. Twas all in vain that strange appeal,
  Our men took quite a diff’rent view,
Come to or else we’ll let you feel,
  Colts pills— ’twill soon your rage subdue.
Quite changed he spoke, your goverment
  I thought would not be hunting down,
Be more magnanimous nor scent
  A man in woman’s dressing gown.

6. Thus ends the reign of Jeff the ’first,
  And they so called Confederate States,
For glory was too great his thirst,
  He’d swallow all— at his own rates
His time has come— his fare has changed,
  Let him prepare his story now,
To show the world in verse arranged,
  His life and deeds— he knows best how.

CHORUS 6.
Oh Jeff! Oh Jeff! we pity you
As President you wouldn’t do.