American Old Time Song Lyrics: 53 I Cant Give Up My Rough And Rowdish Ways

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 53

I Can't Give up My Rough and Rowd'ish "Ways.
Copyright, 1896, by Spaulding & Gray.
Words and Music by George Graham.

My name Is 'Rastus Johnson, I'm known for miles around
As the very toughest nigger that is in this town;
I raise all kind of trouble at a picnic or a ball,
I make all de coons stand back, for I can skeer dem all,
When I gets arrested, one policeman can't take me,
To get me to the station-house, It takes some two or three,
And when dey puts me in der jail, why I don't feel so sore,
For jail is just like home to me, for I've been dere before.

Chorus.
I can't give up my rough and rowd'ish ways:
I suppose I'll be der same all of my days;
And wherever I does go, de people dey all know
I can't give up my rough and rowd'ish ways.

I went to a camp meeting, it was the other night,
And I only went dere just to raise a light,
De preacher he was preaching us hard as he could preach,
When I took out my razor, and cut ev'ry coon in reach:
De brothers and de sisters, dey all hollered long and loud,
When I sailed right in again and cleaned out de whole crowd:
De preacher says, "Now. Johnson, why did you behave dat way,"
I only looked up at him, and dese words to him did say:- Chorus.