"Keemo Kimo"
George Christy and Woods'
Celebrated Banjo Song
[about 1854]
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Dat's whar de white folks plant de tow,
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Cover de groud all over wid smoke,
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
And, up de darkies heads dey poke,
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Chorus:
Keemo Ki-mo, Dar! oh whar?
Wid my hi, my ho, and in come Sally singing
Somtimes penny winkle, lingtum, nip-cat
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Milk in de dairy nine days old,
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Frogs and de skeeters getting might bold,
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Dey try to sleep but it ain't no use,
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Dere legs hang out for de chickens to roost,
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Chorus:
Keemo Ki-mo, Dar! oh whar?
Wid my hi, my ho, and in come Sally singing
Somtimes penny winkle, lingtum, nip-cat
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Sure he was de biggest fool,
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
For he could dance and he could sing.
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
And make de woods a-round him ring,
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Chorus:
Keemo Ki-mo, Dar! oh whar?
Wid my hi, my ho, and in come Sally singing
Somtimes penny winkle, lingtum, nip-cat
Sing song Kitty can't you ki-me oh!
Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
My father used to sing this, and I've looked for it for years. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteLove this song, but it's disappointing to hear the racist overtones in the original song from 1865. My kids loved the versoin on "We Sing Fun and Folk" cassette tapes. I love our country's history, good and bad;
ReplyDeleteit is the way things were. Doesn't mean we approve, but must we ignore or erase it?