"Buffalo Gals" is a traditional American song, written and published as "Lubly Fan" in 1844 by the blackface minstrel John Hodges, who performed as "Cool White." The song was widely popular throughout the United States. Because of its popularity, minstrels altered the lyrics to suit the local audience, so it might be performed as "New York Gals" in New York City or "Boston Gals" in Boston. The best-known version is named after Buffalo, New York.

The chorus is:

Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight?

Come out tonight, Come out tonight?

Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight,

And dance by the light of the moon.

The English singing game "Pray, Pretty Miss" may have been an inspiration for the lyric, according to Frank Brown in "Collection of North Carolina Folklore." The tune is reminiscent of "Im Grunewald, im Grunewald ist Holzauktion," a music hall song from Germany.

A 1944 recording set to the same tune, titled "Dance with Dolly" became a hit in the United States.

A 1960 hit by Ray Smith, "Rockin' Little Angel" is based on the same melody.

A different song by the same name, juxtaposing extensive scratching with calls from square dancing, was released by Malcolm McLaren on his 1983 album Duck Rock.

Cinema and Television

• The song is played in the classic Christmas movie It's a Wonderful Life.
• Performed as "New Orleans Woman," the song is featured in the 131st episode of the TV series Bonanza ("Thunder Man").
• The last line from the song is sung by a man and a woman in the production logo for the Bedford Falls Company. The name of the company and the logo are both based on the movie It's a Wonderful Life.
• The song was also featured in the hit TV sitcom "Two and a Half Men," in the episode where Allen's ex-wife has a support group that Charlie wins over.
• The song was also featured on Cow and Chicken and Johnny Bravo
• An instrumental version is the theme for a saloon scene in the classic film, "High Noon."
• The song was sung by "The Raiders" in the Civil War film "Andersonville"
• The melody was adapted for Tweety's song "I Tawt I Taw a Putty Tat" (not to be confused with a later song) in the Merrie Melodies cartoon A Gruesome Twosome.
• In The Simpsons, Homer Simpson sings 'Buffalo Gals' in Moes Tavern to earn 25 cents to buy beer with.

Literary

"Buffalo Gals, Won't You Come Out Tonight" is a short story by Ursula K. Le Guin, featured in the collection Buffalo Gals and Other Animal Presences.

External links

• Buffalo Gals by John Renfro Davis