Coon, Coon, Coon is a "coon song" from 1900. The words were written by Gene Jefferson and the music by Leo Friedman. It was performed by Lew Dockstrader. Arthur Collins and Joe Natus recorded a rendition of the song on Edison Records in 1901.[1] The University of California Santa Barbara has a brown wax phonograph cylinder recording of the song.[2] A version of the songsheet has a photograph of Irving Jones inset.[3] In 1902, "Coon! Coon! Coon!" was publisjed in tbe Song-book of the Commandery of the State of Pennsylvania, A. Groux, printer.[4]
The Library of Congress has a photograph of two white children pointing at an African American described as illustrating a line from the song.[5]
A version of the song was recorded in the Max Hunter Folk Somg Collection.[6]
Coon songs such as this one ridicule and denigrate African Americans.[7]
Gid Tanner and Fate Norris recorded the song in 1928 as did Will Gilmer and R.O. Mosley. The Taylor Trio recorded it in 1930.[8]
In 1945, William Howland Kenney gave a partial defense of Arthur Collins singing the lyrics of somg.[9]
References
- ^ https://www.alexandria.ucsb.edu/lib/ark:/48907/f3f76b9p
- ^ https://www.library.ucsb.edu/OBJID/Cylinder5217
- ^ https://egrove.olemiss.edu/sharris_b/14/
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=LMYVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA16&dq=%22Coon!+Coon!+Coon!%22&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFkYOvvOXnAhVJeKwKHWq1DIsQ6AEwCHoECAMQAg#v=onepage&q=%22Coon!%20Coon!%20Coon!%22&f=false
- ^ https://www.loc.gov/item/2015650722/
- ^ https://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/collection/145/160
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=diQEAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA103&dq=%22Coon!+Coon!+Coon!%22&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFkYOvvOXnAhVJeKwKHWq1DIsQ6AEwCXoECAYQAg#v=onepage&q=%22Coon!%20Coon!%20Coon!%22&f=false
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=pSvHK-Co9ssC&pg=PA1033&dq=%22Coon!+Coon!+Coon!%22&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiVoI29vuXnAhVPVK0KHeASCGY4ChDoATACegQIBRAC#v=onepage&q=%22Coon!%20Coon!%20Coon!%22&f=false
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=Lw4ABwAAQBAJ&pg=PT56&dq=%22Coon!+Coon!+Coon!%22&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiVoI29vuXnAhVPVK0KHeASCGY4ChDoATAHegQICRAC#v=onepage&q=%22Coon!%20Coon!%20Coon!%22&f=false