WAITING FOR THE ROBERT E. LEE
__________________________________ 1912
WAY DOWN ON THE LEVEE
IN OLD ALABAMY,
THERE’S DADDY AND MAMMY
AND EPHRAIM AND SAMMY.
ON A MOONLIGHT NIGHT
YOU CAN FIND THEM ALL
WHILE THEY ARE WAITING,
THE BANJOS ARE SYNCOPATING.
WHAT’S THAT THEY’RE SAYING?
WHAT’S THAT THEY’RE SAYING?
WHILE THEY KEEP PLAYING,
A-HUMMING AND SWAYING,
IT’S THE GOOD SHIP ROBERT E. LEE
THAT’S COME TO CARRY
THE COTTON AWAY.
CHORUS
WATCH THEM SHUFFLING ALONG.
SEE THEM SHUFFLING ALONG.
GO TAKE YOUR BEST GAL, REAL PAL,
GO DOWN TO THE LEVEE,
I SAID TO THE LEVEE.
AND JOIN THAT SHUFFLING THRONG.
HEAR THAT MUSIC AND SONG.
IT’S SIMPLY GREAT, MATE,
WAITING ON THE LEVEE,
WAITING FOR THE ROBERT E. LEE.
THE WHISTLES ARE BLOWING.
THE SMOKESTACKS ARE SHOWING.
THE ROPES THEY ARE THROWING.
EXCUSE ME, I’M GOING
TO THE PLACE WHERE
ALL IS HARMONIOUS,
EVEN THE PREACHER,
HE IS THE DANCING TEACHER.