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"Dixie" was written by Daniel Decatur Emmett of Mount Vernon,
Ohio, and premiered in September of 1859 in New York.
According to an article by Mike Petee in the Knox County Observer,
Mount Vernon, Ohio, Dan Emmett learned to play various instruments
at a young age, including the banjo, fife, fiddle and a small drum.
He was enlisted in a Minstrel group when they stopped in Mount
Vernon and needed a replacement for a sick player, beginning a long
musical career.
Although best known as the song adopted by the Confederacy, "Dixie"
was also Abraham Lincoln's favorite song, and it was played at his
inauguration. Even though Abe Lincoln loved and supported the
song, Dan Emmett was ostracized in the North for writing a song
associated with the South. In his last performance in Mount
Vernon, it is reported that he cried when he was warmly welcomed and
given a standing ovation as it's writer. It is still
considered to be one of the top two or three songs associated with
the history of this country.
One popular theory of the origin of the name Dixie is that the old
$10 Lousiana notes were known (by mispronouncing the French names
that were printed on them) as "dixies," and the Louisiana region
became known in slang as Dixie Land. This term was later
expanded to include the rest of the South.
The other competing theory is that "Dixie" comes from the
Mason-Dixon Line. There is a third theory that the title
honors a kind farmer in Manhattan Island by the name of Dixy who was
rumored to be connected with the Underground Railroad; "Dixy's Land"
became known as a safe haven. However, it is unlikely that
this could actually be the origin of the song since Manhattan Island
has never been "the land of cotton"; in addition, Manhattan is
clearly not "away down south".
And although the song is credited to Emmett, there is some questions
about its full origin. Emmett had indicated that the melody
was partially inspired by a tune his mother sung to him as a child,
while others believe a similar tune was sung around plantations and
around the Mississippi River for several generations. In the
original version shown for the second line of the first verse below,
the words "cinnamon seed and sandy bottom" were referred to by the
soldiers when they reached an area in Missouri where they found
catfish and sassafras for tea for sale.
DIXIE
Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton,
Old times there are not forgotten,
{Alt Original: Cinnamon seed and sandy bottom,}
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.
In Dixie Land, where I was born in,
early on one frosty mornin',
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land.
I wish I was in Dixie, Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie Land I’ll take my stand
to live and die in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie
Optional Verses
Ole Missus marry "Will the weaver"
Willum was a gay deceiver
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land
But when he put his arm around 'er,
He smiled fierce as a forty pounder,
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land
His face was sharp as a butcher's cleaver
But that did not seem to grieve 'er
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land
Ole Missus acted the foolish part
And died for a man that broke her heart
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land
Now here's a health to the next ole Missus
An' all the gals that want to kiss us;
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land
But if you want to drive 'way sorrow
Come and hear this song tomorrow
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land
There's buckwheat cakes and Injun batter,
Makes you fat or a little fatter;
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land
Then hoe it down and scratch your gravel,
To Dixie's Land I'm bound to travel,
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land
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