[AFRICAN-AMERICANA / EBONICS / SONG SHEET]. Bob-Tailed Nag (a.k.a. Camptown Races)

Philadelphia: T.M. Scroggy, 1857. Good. 8vo. leaflet (9.5" x 5.25"). Type surrounded by typographical border (paper toned). One of the best known American minstrel songs, "Camptown Races" (a.k.a. "Bob-Tailed Nag") has for us been memorialized by the cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn, who sang portions of it many of his Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies appearances from 1946 to 1963. Who could forget his inimitable vocalizations:

"Camptown ladies, sing dis song, Du da, du da..."

Stephen Foster (1826-1864) wrote not only "Camptown Races" but "Oh! Susanna," "Old Folks at Home" (a.k.a. "Swanee River"), "My Old Kentucky Home," "Beautiful (truncated) Dreamer," and "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair." It is no wonder that he has been described as "the father of American music."

"Camptown Races" was first published in 1850 by F.D. Benteen of Baltimore, thereby making the present leaflet a very early one indeed: the publisher, Thomas M. Scroggy, is listed in Philadelphia directories at this address from 1853 to 1857.

¶ Wolf "American Song Sheets" no. 239b (under "Camptown Races). (Inventory #: 3812)