Honey Does You Love yer Man?: A Coon Love Song; words by Walter H. Ford; music by John W. Bratton
London: M. Witmark & Sons, 1896. Sheet_music. 3-5, [1] p.: music; 33 cm. Lacking first leaf (pp. 1-2), presumably an illustrated front wrapper, but contains complete sheet music for piano and voice. Publisher's advertisement for four songs on back wrapper, three by Ford and Bratton, and one by Ford and Edgar Strakosch. Of those four, "She Always Dressed in Black" (Ford and Bratton) is copyrighted 1896, indicating that although "Honey Does You Love yer Man?" was copyrighted in 1895, this edition was 1896. Although the more commonly seen edition by Witmark is associated with Flora Irwin's use of the song in the American production of Gentleman Joe in 1896, the copies we have seen of that edition have different advertisements on the back wrapper than found on this copy. "Coon" songs were a type of popular music found on the stage in the United States and England from the 1880s to the 1920s; they relied on stereotypical and racist views of American blacks for sentimental or humorous effect. They were generally performed by white performers in blackface. In Good- Condition: lacking front wrapper; both lower corners have old repairs, not touching the printing; lacking tip of both upper corners; small tears in all leaf edges, none touching printing. Good -. Item #002424
Price: $10.95