'The original Dixie, as photo-engraved in the September Veteran, is an important historic contribution to the literature of the country. It seems quite providential that the generous but improvident author had preserved it through so many decades, and that it should be reproduced in the ConfederAte Veteran for the thousands of patriotic people with whom it has been sacred for many years. Oh, the hosts of noble men who went down to death under its sentimental inspiration! After fifty-five years the author makes another visit to the South, and was recently a guest of the Veteran in Nashville. Notes are made from conversations with him.
Daniel Decatur Emmett, the author of Dixie, was born at Mt. Vernon, Knox county, O., on the 29th of October, 1815, and he has never been seriously ill. He received the rudiments of a common school education, consisting of "reading, writing and arithmetic." English grammar, geography, and kindred studies, were supposed to be superfluous, and the ordinary instructor was incapable of teaching them.
His father, Abraham Emmett, was the village blacksmith, and Dan, when a very young boy, did the blowing and striking before and after school hours. Lessons were given the children to be recited the next morning, but Dan was so occupied in helping his father that he had no time to devote to his lessons, so he got licked at school for not having them, and he also got licked at home for getting licked at school. However he grew to fair manhood.
When Dan was about fifteen years old his father bound him to the printing business, at which he served his time, and he was engaged by his master as foreman in the office the next day after getting his freedom.
In the simple story of his professional career, he states: "A theatrical manager came to our town, and did not have any one to play the violin while there. He was referred to my father as having 'a boy who could play very well.' So the manager came to the shop where I was blowing the bellows. He made his business known, and my father said: 'There's the lad—that boy that pulls the bellus. You can ask him.' 'Well, young man,' says the manager, 'do you think you would like to play the violin for me at night? You won't have much to do. Anything you can play will be right. In fact," he continued, 'all I want you to do is to fill up a vacuum.' Then I said, 'I do not think I would answer. You had better get somebody else to fill your vacuum up. It's as much as I want to do to blow this bellus here.' Vacuum was a new word which had never gotten around in our country, and we did not know what it meant. I supposed he would want me to go to work and fill up a hole with a wheelbarrow or something of the kind. That joke stuck to me until I left home. My companions would jeer at me and say, 'Well, Dan, when are you going to get that vacuum filled?' I was about eighteen years old when I left home, having my parents' consent, and joined Sam Stickney's Circus, then the best in the country.
"After having traveled twenty-two years with the circus, in the spring of 1859 I found myself in New York City, engaged with the Bryant Minstrels. No. 472 Broadway. My particular engagement was to make them new songs for the end men, plantation songs, negro songs, or 'walk rounds,' as we called them. One Saturday night after the performance, Jerie Bryant overtook me on my way home and asked me to make him a new 'walk round' and bring it to rehearsal Monday morning. 'Make one,' said he. 'that the boys can whoop and holler. Make it a regular negro 'walk round.'
"The next day being Sunday—and it rained as if Heaven and earth would come together—I sat down with my violin and composed 'Dixie's Land.' I took it to rehearsal Monday morning, and they were so pleased with it that they had the second rehearsal after dinner, so we could get it j ust right for the night performance. It was popular from the start."
In connection with the authorship, "Uncle Dan" said: ''About once in every five years the music publishers would hold a convention in New York for the purpose of regulating prices, etc. My publisher presented proofs of my authorship, at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, where the convention was held. The members questioned me and tried to entrap me. The New Orleans publisher, Mr. P. P. Werling, after having published the song, found out the alleged author had no claim to it, and he wrote to me and offered to buy the copyright. I took that letter along with my other proofs of authorship, with bills of the first night that it was sung, etc. At this point Mr. Pond said: 'Well, gentlemen, I have here the proofs that it was Mr. Emmett's song, which I bought of him, and paid cash for it and published it under the title of 'I wish I was in Dixie's Land,' and you have published that song verbatim, music and words, under the name of 'Dixie,' and you have got to stop it-' After Mr. Firth died, his wife interfered too much in the business, and Mr. Pond would not stand it for her to dictate to him, so he made a list of the goods, what all was worth, and the copyright of all songs was divided, and in her half was 'Dixie.' This was in 1861, and in ten years the copyright expired."
Concerning organization of minstrels, he said: "In the spring of 1843 I found myself in New York, and with three others of my profession organized a minstrel band known as the 'Virginia Minstrels.' My associates were F. M. Brower, R. W. Pelham and Wm. Whitlock. We organized and prepared enough of songs and negro acts to give three different performances. We were in New York at the Park Theatre for about three weeks, and went from there to Boston, where we played six weeks, then returned to New York, and played two weeks again, after which we sailed for England. We gave concerts in Liverpool, Birmingham and London.
"Previous to our sailing from America, Pennsylvania had repudiated her bonds, and when we got to London, on our first appearance upon the stage, a gentleman, dressed in Her Majesty's uniform, arose in the audience and thus expressed himself: 'Go home,' said he. 'Go home, I tell you, and pay your honest debts. We don't want you here.' With that an aged gentleman in one of the boxes arose and said: 'Gentlemen Americans, go on with your performance. There is but one fool in this house, and that is he standing up there wearing the uniform which he disgraces.' He then began to hiss, the audience took it up, and the officer was hissed out the house. After that we had no trouble whatever, but were well received at every place we went, and we played all over England, Scotland and Ireland."
Source: Confederate Veteran Magazine, Vol. 3, p. 314
I did not know there were so many versions of this song. here is one version I found.
Dixie by Daniel Decatur Emmett of Mount Vernon, Ohio Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton, Old times there are not forgotten, (Alt Original: Cinnamon seed and sandy bottom,) Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.
In Dixie Land, where I was born in, early on one frosty mornin', Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.
I wish I was in Dixie, Hooray! Hooray! In Dixie Land I'll take my stand to live and die in Dixie. Away, away, away down south in Dixie. Away, away, away down south in Dixie
Optional Verses
Ole Missus marry "Will the weaver" Willum was a gay deceiver Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land
But when he put his arm around 'er, He smiled fierce as a forty pounder, Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land
His face was sharp as a butcher's cleaver But that did not seem to grieve 'er Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land
Ole Missus acted the foolish part And died for a man that broke her heart Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land
Now here's a health to the next ole Missus An' all the gals that want to kiss us; Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land
But if you want to drive 'way sorrow Come and hear this song tomorrow Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land
There's buckwheat cakes and Injun batter, Makes you fat or a little fatter Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land
Then hoe it down and scratch your gravel, To Dixie's Land I'm bound to travel, Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land
I surely never knew there were so many verses!!!!
Anyway I was looking for sources that could provide information on this being Lincoln's favorite song. I found one source --- It Happened in the Civil War By Michael R. Bradley page 97. Can anyone provide another source?
