1927
Jazz-Boys
Composed by 
John Alden Carpenter
John Alden Carpenter Text by 
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes Four Negro Songs Song Collection
"Jazz-Boys" is the third song in Carpenter's Four Negro Songs.
Text
The lyrics of “Jazz-Boys” come from the following poem:
Harlem Night Club
by Langston Hughes
Sleek black boys in a cabaret.
Jazz-band, jazz-band,–
Play, plAY, PLAY!
Tomorrow…who knows?
Dance today!
White girls’ eyes
Call gay black boys.
Black boys’ lips
Grin jungle joys.
Dark brown girls
In blond men’s arms.
Jazz-band, jazz-band,–
Sing Eve’s charms!
White ones, brown ones,
What do you know
About tomorrow
Where all paths go?
Jazz-boys, jazz-boys,–
Play, plAY, PLAY!
Tomorrow…is darkness.
Joy today!
–The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes, p. 90
Sheet Music
Four Negro Songs
John Alden Carpenter
1. Shake Your Brown Feet, Honey!
2. The Cryin' Blues
3. Jazz-Boys
4. That Soothin' Song
2. The Cryin' Blues
3. Jazz-Boys
4. That Soothin' Song