June Tenth Jamboree

I want to tell you a story from 'way back:

Truck on down and gig me, jack,

In eighteen hundred and sixty-five,

A hep cat started some jive,

He said, "Come on, gates, and jump with me

At the Juneteenth Jamboree."

The rhythm was swinging at the picnic ground,

Fried chicken floating all around;

Everybody there was full of glee,

Trumpets blaring in the air,

Mellow barbecue everywhere,

Clarinets moaning in the hall;

All the gates was having a ball,

They didn't know how to cut no rug,

But all the cats had a gal and jug,

Everybody happy as they could be,

At the Juneteenth Jamboree!