Ken Emerson, author of "Doo-Dah!", indicates that Foster's fictional Joe was inspired by a servant in the home of his father-in-law, Dr. McDowell of Pittsburgh.
Ken Emerson, author of "Doo-Dah!", writes that the song is one of the most memorable as well as one of the most infamous compositions in any genre. He points out that Foster's fictional Joe was inspired by a servant in the home of Dr. McDowell of Pittsburgh.