Whoop Her Up!, 1910. Will Marion Cook, 1869-1944. Music Division, Library of Congress. Call number: M1508.C
Will Cook's reputation as a leading songwriter for black musical theater led to the performance of many of his works by singers such as Irene Bently, Fannie Brice, and Marie Cahill in stage productions by white performers. Whoop 'er Up! (With a Whoop, La! La!) was sung by Cahill in two separate musicals, The Boys and Betty (1908) and Judy Forgot (1910).
With lyrics by Andrew B. Sterling, Whoop 'er Up! is a rousing waltz about a college student and a less-than-innocent young woman he meets on the train to New York. The musical setting incorporates frequent use of the raised fourth at the beginning of each phrase of the verse. The chorus includes both accents and a sforzando for comic effect on "with a whoop."
The piece was published in 1910 by Harry Von Tilzer, New York. The present edition, copyrighted by Cook, alters the original "Whoop 'er up" to "Whoop her up" in both the title and the lyrics. The edition is missing a glissando on the word "whoop" in the vocal and piano parts found in the original publication (m. 42).