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His Name Was Coalhouse Walker Lyrics by Original Broadway Cast of Ragtime: The Musical

Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

1998

[PEOPLE OF HARLEM]
His name was Coalhouse Walker
[MAN 1]
Was a native of St. Louis some years before
[WOMAN 1]
When he heard the music of Scott Joplin
[MAN 2]
In St. Louis
[WOMAN 2]
Bought himself some piano lessons
Working as a stevedore
[MAN 3]
Here was a music
That truly inspired him
[WOMEN]
Dancers required him
[MEN]
Club owners hired him
[PEOPLE OF HARLEM]
The strivers of Harlem
Respected and admired him
[MAN 4]
For turning Harlem into art
[COALHOUSE]
But Coalhouse had a broken heart...
(spoken)
The good Lord looked down, saw me lonely and loveless and thought to Himself: "Enough is enough. I'm putting
Sarah in Coalhouse's life."
(sung)
And he did
(spoken)
This wasn't a woman. This was an angel, a gift of God. Coalhouse loved this woman, but not wisely and not too well. She left me without a word or trace. There was no pity for me. 
[SARAH'S FRIEND, spoken]
None whatsoever, Coalhouse. 
[COALHOUSE]
Now she is haunting me
Just like a melody—
The only song I seem to know
Sarah, my life has changed
Sarah, I miss you so
Sarah, I did you wrong
Sarah, where did you go?
(spoken)
And then this morning, the miracle happened. I found out where she is and I'm going to do my damnedest to see she takes me back. Ladies and gentlemen, the Gettin' Ready Rag!
Credits
Original Broadway Cast of Ragtime: The Musical

Original Broadway Cast of Ragtime: The Musical

About “His Name Was Coalhouse Walker” by Original Broadway Cast of Ragtime: The Musical

Read the complete lyrics to "His Name Was Coalhouse Walker" by Original Broadway Cast of Ragtime: The Musical from the album "Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1998. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Theatre, Broadway, Pop.

"His Name Was Coalhouse Walker" is performed by Original Broadway Cast of Ragtime: The Musical. from the album "Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1998 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "His Name Was Coalhouse Walker", explore more songs by Original Broadway Cast of Ragtime: The Musical using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"His Name Was Coalhouse Walker" is credited to Original Broadway Cast of Ragtime: The Musical. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"His Name Was Coalhouse Walker" appears on "Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1998.

Visit the Original Broadway Cast of Ragtime: The Musical artist page at /artist/original-broadway-cast-of-ragtime-the-musical for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.