“Late in his life, composer J. Rosamond Johnson (Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing) submitted to his longtime publisher, E.B. Marks, a list of songs that would comprise a volume of his best early popular songs written with his pre-1910 partner Bob Cole and his brother, James Weldon Johnson (Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man). That list was never put into print...until now. Featuring an introductionby Dr. Thomas Riis (Just Before Jazz) and several rare photos, this new compilation is the latest legacy offering from the Marks archive, which contains a rich heritage of turn-of-the-century African-American, and thus distinctly American, pre-jazz-era popular song.”

Includes: Ain't Dat Scan'lous • Big Indian Chief • The Big Red Shawl • The Bleeding Moon • Congo Love Song • The Countess of Alagazam • Fishing • I Don't Want to Be No Actor Man No Mo' • I'll Always Love Old Dixie • I'll Keep a Warm Spot in My Heart for You • I've Got Troubles of My Own • The Katy-Did, the Cricket and the Frog • Lazy Moon • Lit'l Gal • Louisiana Lize • Lovely Daughter of Allah • Ma Mississippi Belle • The Maiden with the Dreamy Eyes • Mudder Knows • My Heart's Desiah is Miss Mariah • My Castle on the Nile • Nobody's Lookin' but de Owl an' de Moon • Oh, Didn't He Ramble • The Old Flag Never Touched the Ground • On the Road to Monterey • The Pathway of Love • Roll Them Cotton Bales • Save It for Me! • The Spirit of the Banjo! • Sugar Babe • Two Eyes • Under the Bamboo Tree • When de Jack O'Lantern Starts to Walk About • When It's All Goin' Out, and Nothin' Comin' In • Who Do You Love?