I Never Had a Mammy [The two sets of lyrics below are not related to the two different covers at right. The White Sisters took over for the Duncan Sisters as Topsy and Eva at the end of the play's run in San Francisco, and opened the play in Los Angeles. The lyrics printed in both pieces of sheet music, however, are identical. The difference in the lyrics below is the difference between the song as the Duncans sing it on the Victor Records recording (in italics), and the words in the sheet music, as published by Berlin (unitalicized, and printed second below). As you can hear for yourself by playing the song, there is a striking difference: the sheet music omits Eva's response to Topsy's complaint, promising her that in heaven she'll be white and happy, and adds another verse in Topsy's voice.] No one ever paid much attention to me, And why I "jes growed" I neber could see. I longed to hear a mammy crooning sweet lullabies Like baby buntin' dad's gone a huntin' The ship goes sailing round the bend Good bye my lover good bye And after Mister sun goes down I always sit and cry: [CHORUS] I never had a mammy a mammy to rock me to sleep I've always been so lonely when dark shadows creep I never had no one to tuck me in my bed. And no one cared a darn just where I laid my head I never had a mammy a mammy to rock me to sleep. [EVA:] Now don't care, Topsy, just because God made you black as coal, For underneath it all we know your heart is pure as gold, And when you die and go to heaven you'll be so proud, you see The dearest God will make you white, so you can be like me. So dry your tears: and though you've never had a mammy in the past, In heaven there 're lots and lots of mammies waiting to hold you fast, And cuddle you and cuddle me up in their loving arms, And keep us safe and keep us sound, away from all alarms. [CHORUS] I never had no one to tuck me in my bed. And no one cared a darn just where I laid my head I never had a mammy a mammy to rock me to sleep. Words & Music by the "Duncan Sisters" (New York: Irving Berlin, Inc., Music Publishers, 1923) No one ever paid no attention to me, And why I "jes growed" I neber could see. I longed to hear a mammy crooning sweet lullabies Like baby buntin' dad's gone a huntin' The ship goes sailing round the bend Good bye my lover good bye And after Mister sun goes down I always sit and cry: [CHORUS] I never had a mammy a mammy to rock me to sleep I've always been so lonely when dark shadows creep I never had no one to tuck me in my bed. And no one gave a darn just where I laid my head I never had a mammy a mammy to rock me to sleep. I have been unlucky since the day I was born And always had to wear clothes that were ragged and torn I never even had a home to call all my own I wish that I'd been like other children, But all those things don't hurt me much It's just a memory that no sweet mammy cradled me, or held me on her knee.

Courtesy John Sullivan Courtesy Harvard Theatre Collection, The Houghton Library RECORDING: Victor Records From the Musical Comedy "Topsy and Eva" The Duncan Sisters; Piano accompaniment Edna Fisher (Camden, N.J.: Victor Talking Machine Co, n.d.) DIGITIZED & REFURBISHED (from the original 78rpm record) BY: Adam Soroka Digital Media Center, Clemons Library