The song's lyrics tell of the rivalry and contest of skill between Ole Bull (named for Ole Bournemann Bull, a famous violinist) and Dan Tucker (title character of the blackface hit of the same name). The song also satirizes the low pay earned by early minstrel performers: "Ole Bull come to town one day [and] got five hundred for to play."
The song's lyrics describe a rivalry between Ole Bull, a violinist named after Ole Bournemann Bull, and Dan Tucker, the protagonist of a blackface musical. The song also criticizes the low pay earned by early minstrel performers.