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Buffalo Gals

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Introduction to the song
(full sheet music)

"Buffalo Gals" is a traditional American song, written and published as "Lubly Fan" in 1844 by the blackface minstrel John Hodges, who performed as "Cool White". The song was widely popular throughout the United States, where minstrels often altered the lyrics to suit local audiences, performing it as "New York Gals" in New York City, "Boston Gals" in Boston, or "Alabama Girls" in Alabama, as in the version recorded by Alan Lomax and Shirley Collins on a 1959 field recording trip. The best-known version is named after Buffalo, New York.[1][2]

The chorus is:

Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight?
Come out tonight,
Come out tonight?
Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight,
And dance by the light of the moon?

The Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western Songs of all time.[3]

Origination

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The lyrics are a reference to the many "dancing girls" who performed in the bars, concert-hall dives, and brothels of the Buffalo, New York, Canal district, which at that time was the western terminus of the Erie Canal and the site where canal and freighter crewmen received their wages.[1]

Adaptations

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Canal Street, Buffalo – "The Wickedest Street in the World"". Discovering Buffalo, One Street at a Time. 2014-03-31. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
  2. ^ "Buffalo Gals | Folklife Today". 7 August 2014.
  3. ^ Western Writers of America (2010). "The Top 100 Western Songs". American Cowboy. Archived from the original on 19 October 2010.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 489. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. New York: Billboard Books. p. 162. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. New York: Billboard Books. p. 582. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4.
  7. ^ "The Athenaeum". 1870.
  8. ^ Willian, Michael (2006). "George Calls on Mary". The Essential It's a Wonderful Life: A Scene-by-Scene Guide to the Classic Film. Chicago Review Press. pp. 43–45. ISBN 9781569764282. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
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