Darktown Strutters Ball    Sheldon Brooks…1917

'Darktown Strutters' Ball.' One of the earliest traditional jazz songs to become a standard. The words and music, by Shelton Brooks, were inspired by a ball at the 1915 Pacific-Panama Exposition in San Francisco. The music, in arrangements for band and for orchestra, was first published 18 Jan 1917 by Will Rossiter, Chicago.
This may be one of  thefirst ever jazz records

        D7                                    Am7       D7
You better be ready about half past eight

G7     Dm7   G7              
Now dear  -  ie don’t be late -

    G7        C    C6     C         F#dim   G7               
I want to be there when the        band starts playing   Re -

C                                                A7
member when we get there honey

        D7                                Am7           D7                                
The two steps I’m gonna have them all 

              F6                             B7
Goin to dance out both my shoes

                    C              E7          A7 
When they play the Jelly Roll Blues

      D7                              G                Dm7     G7   C        G7 C
Tomorrow night at the Darktown Strut - ter’s Ball