Several sources trace its origins to the English folk song "The Derby Ram" (Roud 126).
[1] In its originally copyrighted version, the song had seven verses, telling the story of Buster Beebe, whose adventures led him to a jail sentence and the loss of his money through gambling.
"In contrast to the slower, sadder spirituals that are played on the way to a burial... it’s a joyous tune that suggests the deceased should have no regrets because he "rambled all around, in and out of town"".
"[2]"Traditionally, at New Orleans jazz funerals, brass bands play slow, mournful hymns as the deceased’s body is carried out of the church and placed in a hearse or horse-drawn carriage.
Once the priest or minister finishes performing his benediction and the congregation begins to leave the cemetery, the band strikes up a more up-beat selection of songs in celebration of the deceased’s life.