Christy's Plantation Melodies - online songbook

176+ Songs Selected by E.P. Christy, Originator of Ethiopian Minstrelsy.

Published By FISHER & BROTHER , circa 1851

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Christy Plantation Melodies About This Book
Minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment extant from about 1830 to 1910, it consisted of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music. It was initially mostly performed by white people in black-face but later, especially after the American Civil War, African Americans in blackface. Minstrel shows portrayed blacks in a stereotypical and sometimes derogatory way, which would fall very far short of today's PC standards. The songs have tendencies to maudlinism and are often heavily nostalgic for a lost "idyllic" existence on the old plantation and lost youth etc - themes very popular in many forms of Victorian song but quite rare in modern song. E. P. Christy was a major figure and promoter of this early commercial entertainment.
Warning: The lyrics of these songs reflect life and attitudes as they were in the 19th century and some use racial stereotypes which may be found offensive.
However, many of the lyrics do have a great charm and unpretentiousness not found in modern songs and also record some earlier Negro folk music that may not have other wise have been preserved. Many of these songs have, through "folk processing", down the years, become, albeit in considerably altered form, incorporated into the traditions of folk, early country, old-time and bluegrass music.
These lyrics were originally published as three separate songbooks but which were included together in this one 1851 book.
The page numbers of the original three books was retained so the book had three page ones, twos etc.
To accommodate this quirky system I have distinguished each book by numbered them 101, 201, 301 etc

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