Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedNobody
Vaudeville1900sPictured: Bert Williams (public domain) · source
C majKey
More in C major → · More “Public Domain” →
Key from published sheet music / hymnals
The verdict
Public Domain
In the public domain — but check the Rights Status below; a specific host's copy can carry its own caveat.
Used by independents?
Yes — it’s in the public domain — free for any independent artist to use, with no clearance needed.
Composer & lyricist
Music by Bert Williams, lyrics by Alex Rogers
First performed
February 1906, in the Broadway production 'Abyssinia'
Williams' own recordings
Recorded twice by Williams himself — 1906 (Columbia) and 1913
Rights Status
Licenses explained →Public domain is not one blanket badge — each source can carry its own caveat
The compositionPublic domain
1906 Columbia recordingPublic domain
Cultural Impact
Documented covers, adaptations, and cultural echoes — each with a real, dated source
His signature song, for life
Williams became so identified with the song that he was expected to perform it in nearly every appearance for the rest of his career.
Wikipedia · read it →
Covered across generations
Later performed/recorded by Ry Cooder (1978) and Johnny Cash on American III: Solitary Man (2000); stage revivals by Avon Long (1976) and Billy Daniels (1977).
Wikipedia · read it →
A direct tribute
Duke Ellington composed and recorded 'A Portrait of Bert Williams' in 1940, a tribute written specifically in Williams' honor.
Wikipedia · read it →
Complex historical context
Williams performed this, like most of his stage work, in blackface — a condition of access to segregated vaudeville circuits. Historians describe him using the material's irony to subvert the era's stereotypes rather than reinforce them.
Wikipedia · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?Yes — free to use without clearance
Listen & Access
Where this recording is hosted — we link out to the source
Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR)
Columbia matrix 3423 — the actual Bert Williams recording, confirmed pre-1923
Library of Congress (National Jukebox — Bert Williams)
Browse his broader recorded catalog; general collection page, not item-specific
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Key added from published sheet music / hymnals (documented source)
Jul 2026Page created