Annotation:Climbing Up the Golden Stair

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CLIMBING UP THE GOLDEN STAIR. Old-Time, Song and Breakdown. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. This tune, a composition of F. Heiser, is from the American minstrel repertoire and passed into fiddling tradition. Unfortunately, the words are rather patently racist. There was a singing dance call to the tune.

Come all you little n.....s,
Now watch your cues and figures,
Climbing up the golden stairs.
If they think you are a dude,
They will treat you rather rude,
Climbing up the golden stairs!

Then hear them bells a-ringing,
'Tis sweet I do declare.
Oh hear them darkies singing,
Climbing up the golden stairs. (Ford)

Additional verses are in Ford (1940, p. 284).

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; p. 38. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 25, p. 10.

Recorded sources: Columbia 146382 (78 RPM), Vernon Dalhart (1928).

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