My Brudder Gum

This was the song that prompted Stephen C. Foster to leave his bookkeeping job and to devote all of his time to songwriting. He gave all the rights to this song to a publishing company in exchange for a contract which was to last for ten years. It was published in 1849. Background music is in the key of G

Green T-Shirt with harmonica logo

  3     4     5     6  -6   6
White folks, I'll sing for you,

-5  -6  -6    6 -6
Nuf-fin else to do.

   4   4   5  6  -6  -6  
Spend my time a pick-in'

-6 -6  6   5
on de ban-jo.

 6     5  -4  4   
Hay! Brud-er Gum,

chorus

-4  -4  -4  -4
My Brud-der Gum.

 4   4   4   5   6  -4
My Brud-der Gum so fair,

 4   4  5   5   6   -6   6    5
All de yal-ler gals run-in' round,

-4  -4  4 -4   5  -4 -4    4
Try to get a lock of his hair.

verse 2
Hard work all de day, Hab no time to play,
Berry fine time adiggin' in de cornfield,
Hay! Brudder Gum.

 verse 3
Tudder afternoon, I thought I saw de moon,
Saw my true lub comin' through de canbrake
Hay! Brudder Gum.

verse 4
Went one berry fine day,
To ride in a one-horse sleigh,
Hollow'd to de old hoss
comin' through de toll gate,
Hay! Brudder Gum.