La Pas Ma La

"La Pas Ma La" is a composition published by minstrel performer Ernest Hogan in 1895 and recognized as the first published ragtime work.

[better source needed][1] With his troupe, the Georgia Graduates, Hogan created a comedy dance called the "Pasmala" consisting of a walk forward with three steps back, and in 1895 composed and published a song based on this dance.

The song's chorus was: Despite being recognized as the first published ragtime work, the copyright for You've Been a Good Old Wagon but You Done Broke Down – another contender for the title – was registered in January of 1895 (Greenup Music Co.)source, a few months prior to La Pas Ma La (September of 1895, J. R. Bell)source, suggesting You've Been a Good Old Wagon in fact was the first of the two.

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