"Li'l Liza Jane" or "Little Liza Jane" is a song that dates back to the Antebellum South and is closely related to a suite of other songs with similar titles, including "Oh! Liza Poor Gal," "Goodbye Liza Jane," and "Steal Miss Liza." Songs in the "Liza Jane" family have become perennial standards (as both instrumentals and tunes with lyrics) in traditional jazz, folk music, and bluegrass, as well as appearing in numerous other genres including rock and roll, blues, and R&B. Numerous scholars and musicologists have written about the song, and it is one of the standards of the New Orleans brass band tradition, where it thrives today. According to a 2023 book, Poor Gal: The Cultural History of Little Liza Jane, many "Liza Jane" variants have enjoyed "big audience" moments throughout American history. For instance, "Li'l Liza Jane" became a sensation in the World War I era when a version was placed in a songbook given to all American servicemen and again in 1960 when Harry Belafonte performed a version as part of his CBS television special New York 19[1] .
In his book, Poor Gal, scholar Dan Gutstein indicates that "Little Liza Jane" and "a suite of closely related folk songs likely originated among enslaved people during celebratory dances or 'frolics' on southern plantations."[2] Gutstein cites ten narratives from the Works Progress Administration Slave Narrative Collection in establishing the song's origins.[3] During the Civil War, some "Liza Jane" songs likely "leaked out" from the folk repertoire of enslaved people and were adopted by regiments from both sides of the war, including the 43rd United States Colored Troops Regiment, the 23rd North Carolina Regiment (known as the Pee Dee Guards), and the Indiana 67th Regiment.[4]
After the war concluded, some "Liza Jane" variants were popularized in burnt cork minstrelsy—most notably an early version of "Goodbye Liza Jane," which was published as sheet music by bandleader Eddie Fox in 1871.[5] However, the best-known variant "Little Liza Jane" likely remained fixed in folk tradition until a variety of writers and performers popularized the melody and certain lyrics in the early 20th century; these individuals would include the writer Anne Virginia Culbertson, the composer Ada de Lachau, the actress Ruth Chatterton, bandleader Earl Fuller, and banjoist Harry C. Browne.[6] Even as many "Liza Jane" variants therefore appeared in nineteenth century and early twentieth century popular culture, Gutstein attributes their ultimate origins as being the name Liza Jane "affixed to 'snotches' of folk melodies or as several 'one-verse songs' among enslaved people on plantations in several states."[7] This may account for the many different titles (such as "Little Liza Jane" and "Goodbye Liza Jane") as well as a wide variety of lyrics.
"Li'l Liza Jane" was first published as lyrics (without notated music) in 1904 by Anne Virginia Culbertson as part of her book At the Big House[8] . A different version of the song was published as sheet music in 1916 by Sherman, Clay & Co of San Francisco, California, with compositional credit going to Countess Ada de Lachau (Ada Louise Metz, 1866–1956). The tune was featured as entr'acte entertainment during the 1916-1917 Broadway show Come Out of the Kitchen[9] .
In addition to "Liza Jane" songs appearing in a World War I songbook (Songs of Soldiers and Sailors U.S.) and in Harry Belafonte's widely watched television special, they also appeared in the early talking film Coquette, an early Mickey Mouse cartoon, the popular Fibber McGee and Molly radio show, and hit televisions series such as The Andy Griffith Show and Gunsmoke; these are just a few of the appearances that would help popularize "Liza Jane" songs[10] .
Drawing on minstrelsy versions of the Goodbye Liza Jane" variant, Tin Pan Alley composer Harry Von Tilzer published sheet music in 1903 entitled "Goodbye, Eliza Jane." This version of the song became a "hit" through sheet music sales and cylinder recordings by the likes of Bob Roberts, Arthur Collins, and Billy Murray[11] . Gutstein indicates that the versions of "Goodbye Liza Jane" that circulated later in the 20th century and those that are still popular today -- including titles such as "Black Them Boots," "Going Down to Cairo," and "Charlotte Town" -- descend from late nineteenth century / early twentieth century play party tradition, are nonracial in character, and do not share anything with minstrelsy versions except for the title. Notably, a version by Bob Wills was performed by Wills and his bandmates in the 1945 film Blazing the Western Trail. In addition to Wills, many musicians recorded the play party version (i.e., the nonracial version) of "Goodbye Liza Jane" including Judy Henske, Pete Seeger, and Nora Brown[12] .
As noted, the song's origins go back to the Antebellum South. Lucy Thurston remembered a song with the refrain "Ohoooooooo lil Liza, lil Liza Jane" being sung by enslaved people in the area of Covington, Louisiana before the American Civil War. While the melody is not preserved in the written interview, the lyrics and their rhythm strongly suggest a relationship to the Culbertson and de Lachau lyrics published decades later.[13] Thurston is one of ten women and men to document "Liza Jane" songs in their Works Progress Administration interviews, referring to a wide variety of lyrics and dance traditions, including stealing partners ring games[14] . In 1919, musicologist Natalie Curtis Burlin documented a stealing partners version of "Little Liza Jane" that had been popular for decades among students at Hampton Institute, now Hampton University. As part of the game, couples would dance in a circle, with an extra man in the middle. The extra man would "steal a partner" from one of the couples thereby forcing the man without a dance partner to assume the spot in the center of the circle, and so on, as the process repeated[15] .
Earl Fuller's Jazz Band featuring Ted Lewis on clarinet recorded a version of the tune for Victor Records in September 1917 that sold well and helped establish the tune as an early jazz standard. Fuller's band recorded it as an instrumental other than an ensemble vocal chant "Oh, Li'l Liza, Little Liza Jane" on part of the chorus.
The 1918 recording with singing and banjo by Harry C. Browne for Columbia Records helped establish the number in old time country music, although it was not the first recording of the number as has sometimes been claimed.
Fats Domino recorded the song in November 1958 for his album Let's Play Fats Domino (1959).
New Orleans' Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns recorded "Li'l Liza Jane" in 1956. It reappeared for the 1959 album debut Having a Good Time with Huey 'Piano' Smith & His Clowns.[16]
Bing Crosby included the song in a medley on his album 101 Gang Songs (1961).
The Ebony Hillbillies recorded "Liza Jane" on the albums - Sabrina's Holiday and I Thought You Knew.
Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys had a hit with their 1947 recording.
Nina Simone performed the song for many years. It first appeared on her 1960 album Nina Simone at Newport.
The 1964 record "Liza Jane" by "Davie Jones with The King Bees" is David Bowie's first record. Although composer credit was given to Leslie Conn, it is an arrangement of this old standard.
The Band recorded a version in 1968 called "Go Go Liza Jane".
Alison Krauss & Union Station's record won a 1998 Grammy Award in the Best Country Instrumental Performance category.[17]
The New Orleans Nightcrawlers version entitled "Funky Liza" appears on their 2001 album, Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Otis Taylor recorded a version of this song for his 2008 album. Recapturing the Banjo. An album dedicated to black musicians playing traditional blues banjo music. Also on the album are Keb' Mo', Corey Harris, Alvin Youngblood Hart, and Guy Davis.
Dr. John recorded a version of this song for his 1972 album Dr. John's Gumbo.
"Li'l Liza Jane" is also the subject of a forthcoming documentary film, Li'l Liza Jane: A Movie About a Song,[18] featuring the harmonica playing of Phil Wiggins, and contextual interviews.