Go ‘way, good Massa bee

This page quotes lyrics which contain offensive language, reflecting attitudes common in the period when this song was performed.

Transcribed from Windyridge recording

Sambo, he's  a lazy coon
Can't work in the afternoon
Too warm, you see
 
Right off to the woods he'll creep
Goes there for a real good sleep
Under the tree

Soon as he shuts his eyes
'Long comes a mighty noise
Buzzzzzz

He gets up and then says he
'Gee Wizz! Is that you bee?' 
Buzzzzzzz

No use you buzzing round 
I guess you've think you've found
A new bloom - you're wrong!
So just you go along

You behave in a most ridiculous way 
You've got no sense or else 
You'd mind me when I say:

Go 'way, good Massa bee I ain't no Rose 
This am no dainty flower only my nose
[Resist] my nasal organ don't you come near
If you want honey, got away sonny
You won't find any honey here
x2

Go ‘way, good Massa bee was advertised at the time as a “coon song”, a type of song popular in the English speaking world in the late 19th and early 20th century. It was considered acceptable to draw humour from stereotypes of people of African origin, in this case portraying them as lazy and stupid. Eugene Genovese, in his seminal history of American slavery, argued that work avoidance was a form of resistance of the enslaved, and in turn stereotyping slaves as lazy helped to justify the extreme violence slaveholders often used to force them to work.

The song was performed in the Halls by comedian Ben Albert. It seems to have quite quickly become popular amongst soldiers and in the 20th century the folk process has seen its original racism supplemented with some equally unpleasant sexual innuendo. It has been collected as a bawdy song associated with rugby and the armed forces.

Ben Albert (1876-1925), was a comic from Ulster whose real name was Albert Bailey Sibley. Known for his dry sense of humour, he was often billed as The Dry Old Stick. He seems to rate only a passing mention in standard histories of the Halls, but Kilgarriff describes him as:

a popular Music Hall grotesque, his repertoire included On The Day King Edward Gets His Crown On, the first verse of which runs as follows:

The lodger’s going to get blind drunk as soon as day begins,
Sister’s wearing bloomers fixed up with safety pins,
To celebrate the great event mother will have twins,
On the day King Edward gets his crown on

None of Mr Albert’s other songs were half so memorable.

Michael Kilgaroff: Grace Beauty and Banjos p20