Respectfully Inscribed to "Whom it may concern."
"The Unhappy Contraband" (1865)
Song & Chorus,
by William Shakespeare Hays, 1837-1907

1.
Oh! I wish dat I was back in Louisiana,
  An' a hoein' ob de cotton an' de cane,
Oh! I knows dat I would be happy Nigger;
  But I'll neber see de Sunny Souf again.
Oh! I wishes I was back again with Massa
  Kase he allers was so good an' kind to me;
And ole Missus cried as of her heart was breakin'
  When de Linkin sojers sot de niggers free.

CHORUS
Oh! Oh! Dey's dun played de debbil wid de land;
Ise gwine back home to Louisiana,
Kase Ise an unhappy Contraband.

2.
Ise a libin' in de Norf, among de strangers,
  An' dey ain't gwine to gib me work to de,
Kase dar is so many white folks in de country
  Dat's got to work an' make a libin' too.
De nigger's get mo frens 'mong de white folks;
  De white folks sot de niggers free;
An' I pity's all de balance od de niggers
  Ef dey ain't any better off dan me.

(CHORUS)

3.
Oh! wishes I was sittin' in de cabin,
  Wid de little niggers playin' on de floor,
Whar de Missippi riber keeps a runnin',
  Whar de sun lubs to look into de door;
Whar de mockin' bird so merrily am singin',
  An' de moon shines ef it gets a chance;
Whar de niggers used to meet an' be so happy
  For to hab a jolly ebenin' an' a dance.

(CHORUS)

4.
But, alas! all my happy days am ober;
  Dey's dun played de debbil wid de land;
'Tain't no use in talkin' now ob freedom,
  Kase I's an unhappy contraband.
Dar's no room, I tell you, for de nigger,
  Kase de folks ain't a gwine to let him stay;
He must starve, steal, beg, or go hungry;
  Oh! I wish dat I'd neber run away.

(CHORUS)

5.
I's a gwine back downe to Louisiana --
  I's a gwine to hoe de cotton an' de cane,
An' I's sure to go an' hunt ole Miss an' Massa,
  Kase I'd like to go an' lib wid dem again.
An' all dese foolish niggers what has masters
  Had better lib wid dem as lon's dey can,
An' neber run away in search of freedom,
  Kase, I tell you, dat it isn't wo'f a cent.

(CHORUS)