“Golden Slippers (I)”

Description

"Oh. my golden slippers am laid away, Kase I don't 'spect to wear 'em till my weddin' day... O 'dem golden slippers... Golden slippers Ise gwine to wear To walk de golden street." The singer reflects on things he cannot have now but will have in heaven

Supplemental text

Golden Slippers (I)
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

Oh, dem Golden Slippers!

The above is the title on the interior page; for the cover page, see
below. From sheet music published 1879 by John F. Perry & Co.
Title page inscribed
1. Carry Me Back to Old Virginny. (Song & Chorus.)   4
   2. In the Morning by the Bright Light. (End Song.)   4
      3. Oh dem Golden Slippers. (Song & Chorus.)   4
Words and Music by JAMES BLAND, of Sprague's Georgia Minstrels.

1.  Oh, my golden slippers am laid away,
   Kase I don't 'spect to wear 'em till my weddin' day,
   And my long-tail'd coat, dat I loved so well,
   I will wear up in de chariot in de morn;
   And my long, white robe dat I bought last June,
   I'm gwine to git changed Kase it fits too soon,
   And de ole grey hoss dat I used to drive,
   I will hitch him to de chariot in de morn.

CHORUS.
Oh, dem golden slippers! Oh, dem golden slippers!
Golden slippers I'm gwine to wear, becase dey look so neat;
Oh, dem golden slippers! Oh, dem golden slippers!
Golden slippers Ise gwine to wear,
To walk de golden street.

2. Oh, my ole banjo hangs on de wall,
   Kase it aint been tuned since way last fall,
   But de darks all say we will hab a good time,
   When we ride up in de chariot in de morn;
   Dar's ole Brudder Ben and Sister Luce,
   Dey will telegraph de news to Uncle Bacco Juice,
   What a great camp-meetin' der will be dat day,
   When we ride up in de chariot in de morn.

3. So, it's good bye, children, I will have to go,
   Whar de rain don't fall or de wind don't blow,
   And yer ulster coats, why, you will not need,
   When you ride up in de chariot in de morn;
   But yer golden slippers must be nice and clean,
   And yer age must be Just sweet sixteen,
   And yer white kid gloves yer will have to wear,
   When yer ride up in de chariot in de morn.

Notes

James A. Bland also composed "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" and "In the Evening by the Moonlight"; for more about him, see those entries. - RBW

Same tune

• Golden City (MWheeler, pp. 51-52)

Recordings

• Wolfe Ballard & Claude Samuels, "Golden Slippers" (Broadway 8036, late 1920s)
• H. M. Barnes & his Blue Ridge Ramblers, "Golden Slippers" (Brunswick 313, 1929)
• Harry C. Browne w. the Knickerbocker Male Quartet, "Oh! Dem Golden Slippers" (Columbia A-2116, 1916)
• Vernon Dalhart, "Golden Slippers" (Durium [UK] 9-4, 1933)
• Vernon Dalhart & Co. "O Dem Golden Slippers" (Edison 52174, 1928)
• Vernon Dalhart & Carson Robison, "Golden Slippers" (Victor 20539, 1927) (Columbia 15181-D [as Vernon Dalhart & Charlie Wells], 1927) (Romeo 464, 1927; Conqueror 7062, 1928) (Regal 8408, 1927) (Champion 15567 [as "Oh Dem Golden Slippers"], 1928)
• Dykes Magic City Trio, "Golden Slippers" (Brunswick 128, 1927)
• Roy Harvey & the North Carolina Ramblers, "Oh Dem Golden Slippers" (Champion 45017, 1931)
• Kanawha Singers, "Them Golden Slippers" (Brunswick 189/Vocalion 5173, 1927)
• Minster Singers, "Oh! Dem Golden Slippers" (Gramophone Co. [UK] GC-4466, n.d.)
• Chubby Parker, "Oh Dem Golden Slippers" (Silvertone 25102, c. 1927)
• [John Wallace "Babe"] Spangler & [Dave] Pearson, "Golden Slippers" (OKeh, unissued, 1929)
• West Virginia Ramblers, "Golden Slippers" (Champion 45017, 1935)

References

1. RJackson-19CPop, pp. 144-147, "Oh, dem Golden Slippers!" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Scarborough-NegroFS, p. 172, "Raccoon Up in de 'Simmon Tree" (1 text, 1 tune, with the chorus of "Golden Slippers (I)" though the sole verse is "Raccoon up in de 'simmon tree, Possum on de ground...."); this is followed by two more versions of the 'simmon tree verse
3. Silber-FSWB, p. 250, "Golden Slippers" (1 text)
4. Fuld-WFM, p. 399, "Oh dem Golden Slippers"
5. DT, GOLDSLIP*
6. ST RJ19144 (Full)
7. Roud #13941
8. BI, RJ19144