Carve Dat Possum

"Carve Dat Possum"
Cover of "Carve Dat Possum", 1875
Song
Published	1875
Writer(s)	Sam Lucas
Language	English

"Carve Dat Possum" is a minstrel song written in 1875 by Sam Lucas. Very popular in its time,^[1] it tells of hunting and preparing a possum to eat. The chorus:

Carve dat possum, carve dat possum, children,

Carve dat possum, carve him to de heart;

Carve dat possum, carve dat possum, children,

Carve dat possum, carve him to de heart.^[2]

The song, as published by Lucas, is in 2/4 time.

References

1. Johnson, Black Manhattan, p. 118: "One of the most popular of the minstrel songs of the seventies was 'Carve dat 'Possum,' written by Sam Lucas."
2. Lucas, "Carve Dat Possum".

Bibliography

• Johnson, James Weldon. Black Manhattan: Account of the Development of Harlem. New York: Alfred A Knopf (1930).
• Lucas, Sam. "Carve Dat Possum" (sheet music). Boston: John F. Perry & Co. (1875).

External links

• "Carve Dat Possum" Internet Archive—Peerless Quartet with Harry C. Browne (Columbia 2590).
• "Carve Dat Possum" Library of Congress.
• "Carve Dat Possum" Stephen Railton & the University of Virginia.