Jenny Get Your Hoe Cake Done

Jenny Get Your Hoe Cake Done,

The Celebraed Banjo Song, 

as sung with great Applause at the 

Broadway Circus

by
J. [Joel] W. [Walker] Sweeny

De hen and chickens went to roost,
De hawk flew down and bit de goose
He hit de ole hen in de back
I really believe dam am a fac,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done.


As I was gwain long de road,
Pon a stump dar sat a toad.
De tadpole winked at Pollewog's daughter,
And kick'd de bull frog plump in de water.
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done, love!


High heel boot widout any strap,
Hand me down my leghorn hat,
Ise gwine to de Astor house to dine,
I won't be back till half past nine
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done, love!


Massa and Missus gwain away,
Left home for de break ob day,
Den you har de white folks say,
Stan clar and det de banjo play --
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done, love!


Apple cider, un percimmon beer,
Christmas comes but once a year,
Ginger puddin and pumkin pie,
Gray cat kick dat black cat's eye
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done, love!


Massa un Misse promise me
When dey died to set me free,
Now dey both are dead and gone,
Left ole Sambo hoeing out corn
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done, love!


Old Massa, and Misse gone away;
Da left home one morning gest about day;
And den you har dat nigger say,
Gi me down de banjo and let de nigger play!
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done, love!


You eat me sugar, and drink my tea,
And ran about de old field and talk about me;
Dare was a nigger in de gutter and turned right about
And up stept Jo and got his toothnocked out,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done, love!


Dare was a frog jumped out de spring,
It was so cold he couldn't sing,
He tied his tail to a hickory stump,
He rared an pitched but he couldn't make a jump,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done, love!


The old hen and chickens at the stack,
An old hawk flew down amongst de pack,
And struck the old hen whack middle ob de back,
And I really do believe dat tis a fact.
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done, love!


Now white folks, I'd hab you to know,
Dare is no music like de old banjo,
And if you want to hear it ring,
Jist watch this finger on de string.
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done my dear,
  Oh, Jenny get de hoe cake done, love!

Here's a version by the 2nd South Carolina String Band.

Image and lyrics courtesy of the Library of Congress