I'M HAPPY WHEN THE BAND PLAYS DIXIE
(Earl J. Benham / William J. Vanderveer,   1907)


Have you ever felt a strange sensation, 
When the band begins to play, 
Have you noticed how you'll march along, 
And follow the band all day, 
Like a soldier boy you're sure to fall in line to hear the music sweet, 
Troubles you forget now you're marching yet oh it surely is a treat, 
When they play, "My country tis of thee" 
every body cheers the good old band, 
But there's one more tune they'll play it soon 
it's a song of dear Dixie land.

Thro' dear Dixie old 
Hi Henry with his minstrel show was booked to play, 
With his singers grand and one fine band, 
in town he stayed just one day, 
On the billboard fence he advertised 
that thro' the streets they would parade, 
To be water boy was my greatest joy 
to the opera house I made, 
There they dressed me up as Uncle Sam 
and handed me the flag to wave,
Dixie they played loud to please the crowd 
then for dear Dixie land we raved.

Chorus
I'm happy when the band plays Dixie, 
It's the land that I love so dear, 
Where the sweet magnolias rare, 
Scent that good old southern air 
Now for dear Dixie I will cheer, 
Sweet strains of that old grand song Dixie, 
Bring back thoughts of my childhood days, 
I wish I was in Dixie, I do, I do 
I'm happy when the band plays Dixie.