"The Negro Emancipation Song"
(c1862; copyright filed 21 Jan 1863; 17 Aug 1864; 
No. 836; 2595I; M1640.W]
Words by Sanford Fillmore Bennett, 1836-1898
Music by Joseph Philbrick Webster, 1819-1875

Chicago: H. M. HIGGINS, 117 Randolph St.
Engraver: Pearson
[Source: 200002229@LoC/IHAS-CWM]

1. 
Gather room ye darkies all,
Listen to my singin,
Draw de bow and play de bones,
Set de banjo ringin;
Dis yere darkey hear dem say,
In de house dis mornin,
Dat de Yankee sogers boys,
An’ Ole Abe was comin!

CHORUS [sung twice after each verse]
Shout ho! darkies all,
Keep de banjo tumin,
Hallelujah to a day,
De mancipation comin.

2. 
Massa say de Leinkum folks
Make de confiscation,
(Dat was what it am I tink)
Den he cuss de nation;
Did’nt hear quite all he said,
While his tongue was runnin,
But I spect it mean de day
O’ mancipation comin!

3. 
Den de oberseer he say,
If de fleet kept blockin,
Dat a hundred nigger boys
Would’nt be wuff nuffin;
Cause de cotton and de cane
Would’nt pay for raisin,
Gess to pick and pile it up
An’ to set it blazin.

4. 
Tell it to de darkies roun’!
Let em know de story,
Den dey’ll clap deyr hans’ an’ sing
Hallelujah! Glory!
When de Lienkum sogers come,
(An’ de Lord he lead um)
Den de darkies lift deyr hans’
In de light ob freedom.

5. 
Golly! Guess dis darky dance
When he hear dem talkin’;
Den he run to let you know,—
(Could’nt wait for walkin’)
Ev’ry darkey bress de Lord,
Roun de whole plantation,
Join de chorus while we sing
De song o’ mancipation.