Wild Cherries (Coony, Spoony Rag)

Wild Cherries (Coony, Spoony Rag) (1909)
by Irving Berlin
478623Wild Cherries (Coony, Spoony Rag)1909Irving Berlin
Verse 1

Talk of yo' loony coons,
Talk of yo' spoony coons,
Lover of coony tunes,
Jackson was the leader of a big brass band,
Understand!
While at a ball one night,
Lucinda Morgan White
Yelled out with all her might
when he started playing some familiar tune.
She just cried with delight:

Chorus 1

"If you love yo' babe,
Play that tune for me.
Just because I feel so funny,
Honey, I don't care for money.
I'm goin' crazy, that rag's a daisy,
I just can' make my feeling behave.
Play that tune again,
Mighty soon again.
Honey, don't you start to scold,
I'm feeling like a two year old.
When I hear that strain,
Gwine to cry again,
Play me some 'Wild Cherry Rag.'"

Verse 2

Talk of yo' weddin' chimes,
Talk of yo' champagne wines,
Talk of yo' scand'lous times,
Mister Jackson married Miss Lucinda White
Sunday night.
Just as the knot was tied,
Parson had blessed the bride,
Jackson stood by her side
When music played that lovin' weddin' march,
Lucinda just cried:

Chorus 2

"If you love yo' babe,
Play that tune for me
No, I'm not a-blowin', hon,
But I just feel like goin' some.
I'm goin' crazy, that rag's a daisy,
I just can't make my feeling behave.
Play that tune again,
Mighty soon again.
Oh, you seven-come-eleven!
Hon, I'm goin' straight to heav'n.
When I hear that strain,
Gwine to cry again,
Play me some 'Wild Cherry Rag.'"

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1989, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 34 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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