BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//InvisionCommunity Events 4.7.23//EN METHOD:PUBLISH CALSCALE:GREGORIAN REFRESH-INTERVAL:PT15M X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT15M X-WR-CALNAME:RMCommunityCalendar NAME:RMCommunityCalendar BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London TZURL:http://tzurl.org/zoneinfo/Europe/London X-LIC-LOCATION:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20250330T020000Z RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=-1SU END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20251026T020000Z RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=10;BYDAY=-1SU END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Negro Spirituals + Work Songs DTSTAMP:20250806T005615Z SEQUENCE:0 UID:445-7-c3fe8195a3dde498d013e477e2142422@aalbc.com ORGANIZER;CN="richardmurray":troy@aalbc.com DESCRIPTION:\n  \n\n\n\n The Negro Spirituals predate the USA\, as do t he Work Songs. Imagine what has been lost is how the NEgro Spirituals plus work songs changed from the early 1500s to circa 1865\, when the war betw een the states ended. I don't even know how that knowledge can be obtained as written records for black art were not allowed by the white enslavers. ....\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n NEGRO SPIRITUALS\n\n\n\n The Project Gutenberg eBo ok of Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes\nThis ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the wo rld at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it \, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg Lice nse included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are no t located in the United States\, you will have to check the laws of the co untry where you are located before using this eBook.\nTitle: Religious Fol k-Songs of the Southern Negroes\n\nAuthor: Howard Washington Odum\n\nRelea se date: March 8\, 2012 [eBook #39078]\n\nLanguage: English\n\nCredits: Pr oduced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at\nhttp://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images\ngenerously made available by The Int ernet Archive.)\n\n*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RELIGIOUS FOLK -SONGS OF THE SOUTHERN NEGROES ***\nReligious Folk-Songs\nOF THE\nSouthern Negroes\n \n\nBy HOWARD W. ODUM\nFellow in Psychology\, Clark University\ n\n \n\nA DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF\nCLARK UNIVERSITY\, WOR CESTER\, MASS.\, IN PARTIAL\nFULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE\nDEGRE E OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY\, AND ACCEPTED\nON THE RECOMMENDATION OF G. STAN LEY HALL\n\n \n\nReprinted from the Am. Jour. of Religious Psy. and Ed.\nJ uly\, 1909. Vol. 3\, pp. 265-365.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n[Pg 1]\n\nRELIGIOUS FO LK-SONGS OF THE SOUTHERN NEGROES[1]\n\nBy HOWARD W. ODUM\nFellow in Psycho logy\, Clark University.\n\nTo know the soul of a people and to find the s ource from which flows the expression of folk-thought is to comprehend in a large measure the capabilities of that people. To obtain the truest expr ession of the folk-mind and feeling is to reveal much of the inner-conscio usness of a race. And the knowledge of those evidences which are most repr esentative of race life constitutes the groundwork of a knowledge of socia l and moral tendencies\, hence of social and moral needs. The student of r ace traits and tendencies must accept testimony from within the race\, and in the study of race character the value of true expressions of the feeli ngs and mental imagery cannot be overestimated. Thus it is possible to app roximate knowledge of a race. To bring a people face to face with themselv es and to place them fairly before the world is the first service that can be rendered in the solution of race problems.\n\nTo preserve and interpre t the contributions of a people to civilization is [Pg 2]to add to the sci ence of folk-history. Posterity has often judged peoples without having so much as a passing knowledge of their inner life\, while treasures of folk -lore and song\, the psychic\, religious\, and social expression of the ra ce\, have been permitted to remain in complete obscurity. Likewise peoples have lived contemporaneously side by side\, but ignorant of the treasures of folk-gems that lay hidden and wasting all about them. The heart and so ul of the real people are unknown\, science is deprived of a needed contri bution\, and the world is hindered in its effort to discover the full sign ificance of the psychological\, religious\, social and political history o f mankind. That which is distinctly the product of racial life and develop ment deserves a better fate than to be blown away with changing environmen t\, and not even remain to enrich the soil from which it sprang. Justice t o the race and the scientific spirit demand the preservation of all intere sting and valuable additions to the knowledge of folk-life. The successful study of the common development of the human intellect in primitive thoug ht is thus advanced. The exact form of expression itself constitutes a con tribution to knowledge and literature.\n\nThe value and importance of folk -lore are gladly recognized. Its successful study and a more comprehensive recognition of its worth have revealed new problems and new phases of tho ught. Not only its relation to civilization as an historical science and a s it bears definitely upon peoples of modern cultural areas is recognized\ , but its essential value in the study of psychological\, anthropological\ , and sociological conditions has called forth the most careful study that has been possible to give it. On the scientist’s part\, knowledge has b een increased\, while on the other hand\, the peoples of the world have be come more united in the appreciation of the kindred development of human t hought. The vast contributions to folk-science and their relation to scien tific interest\, bear testimony to this truth. And perhaps even more with folk-song\, a greater work is to be done. As a part of folk-lore it repres ents less of the traditional and more of the spontaneous. Its collection a nd study is now being pursued with more zeal and with marked success. And the hope may well be expressed that with the growing interest in folk-song may come an increased knowledge of all that is nearest and truest to the phyletic as well as the genetic concept of a people\, and that with this k nowledge may come effective efforts toward race adjustment and new aids in the solution of race problems.\n\n[Pg 3]The situation of the Southern neg ro is unique. His problems are peculiarly intricate. The problem of the re lations between the whites and blacks is far-reaching. Social conditions a re changing and it is of paramount importance that every step taken shall be well founded and in the right direction. The political\, the social\, a nd the economical position of the negro\, his education\, his religion\, h is tendencies—these are themes that demand definite and accurate compreh ension above all else. Truths have too often been assumed. Passion and pre judice have often hindered the attainment of noble ends which were earnest ly sought. A true knowledge of actual conditions\, if properly set forth\, must convince the sincere observer as to the proper relations which shoul d exist between the two races. Nothing else should do it\; nothing else ca n do it. And any evidences that will assist in fixing the real status of t he negro should be welcomed by both the whites and the blacks\; progress m ay then be encouraged from the proper starting point. In revealing much of what he is rather than what he appears to be\, the folk-songs of the Sout hern negro are superior to any superficial study made from partial observa tions. The insight into negro character gained from their folk-songs and p oetry accompanied by careful and exhaustive concrete social studies may be accepted as impartial testimony. And on the other hand\, the changing eco nomic and educational conditions\, the increasing influence of the white m an upon the negro\, and the rapid progress that is being made on every han d in the South indicate that if the present-day folk-songs of the negro ar e to be preserved\, they must be collected now. Should they be permitted t o become a lost record of the race?\n\nIn the present work some of the pop ular songs that are current among the negroes of the Southern States are g iven. They are highly representative. They may be classified into two gene ral divisions: The religious songs or spirituals\, and the secular songs. The secular songs are again divided into two classes\, the general social songs\, and work-songs\, phrases and “shanties”. For the most part col lections of negro folk-songs in the past have been limited to the old spir ituals. The present-day religious songs and the social productions are equ ally interesting and valuable. The particular nature and characteristics o f these songs are discussed in connection with the examples. They are flex ible and have various forms\, they consist of broken and unbroken melodies \, they have stately and rapid minor cadences. Musical notes[Pg 4] can giv e only a skeleton of the real melody that accompanies the words\; the pecu liar qualification of the negro singers to render their melodies defies ar t to exactly symbolize it. The words of the songs are given as they are su ng\, and the reader must needs employ an imagination kindred in vividness to that which is reflected in the songs themselves if he would comprehend their essential qualities. The characteristic quality is often found in an improvised arrangement of words which makes the dominant feeling that of mingling words and cadencies successfully. The meaningless phrases and ref rains do not hinder the expression of feeling through the minor chords. Si mple emotion\, inherent melody\, and colloquial language are combined with fine and differentiating imagery and humor in an under-meaning common to the folk-song. An element of melancholia may be felt underlying many of th e songs. But with all alike\, vigor of expression\, concreteness and natur alness of mental imagery\, and simplicity of language and thought are comb ined with striking folk-art. The negro’s projective mental imagery assum es that the hearer’s comprehension can easily grasp the full picture of description\, moral maxims\, and dramatic dialogues\, all combined in a si ngle verse\, and that he can do it without confusion. Here may be seen muc h of the naked essence of poetry with unrefined language which reaches for the negro a power of expression far beyond that which any modern refineme nt of language and thought may approach. Rhythm\, rhyme\, and the feeling of satisfaction are accompanying inherent qualities. The natural poetic sp irit and the power of the imagination in the negro are worthy of study.\n\ nIn addition to these general qualities of the negro folk-songs\, it need only be suggested here that the best conception of his religious\, moral\, mental and social tendencies is reflected in them. That which the negro w ill not reveal concerning his religion\, his religious songs tell better t han he could possibly do. His social nature and unconscious ideals bubble out from his spontaneous social songs. In the expression of his natural fe elings and emotions he gives us the reactions of his primitive thought wit h environment. That which is subsequently treated at length may be anticip ated in the approach to a careful consideration of the fullest spirit of t he negro folk-songs\, namely\, that it is important to note that the facul ty of the negro to think\, not exactly as the white man\, or to think in t erms of modern[Pg 5] science and literature\, but in terms of his own psyc hological conditions\, is pronounced. The negro is a part of a nation at t he same time that he is a distinct people\; he\, perhaps\, has more anthro pological importance than historical standing. His present status is an es sential consideration of each of these relations to the civilization of to -day. The emotions\, the religion\, social aspirations and ideals—in fin e\, the character of a people is accustomed to be expressed in their liter ature. The negro has no literature save that of his folk-song and story. M ay these not speak for him\, both the good and the bad\, in the following chapters?\n\nThe work here presented is not exhaustive but representative. The songs are not those of a single plantation\, community or section of the Southern States. They are not the songs of the coast negroes or of the river type. But they are sung popularly as much in Georgia as in Mississi ppi\, as much in Florida as in Tennessee. They are distinctly the represen tative average songs that are current among the common mass of negroes of the present generation. They belong to the negroes who have been constantl y in contact with the whites and to those who have had less association wi th the refinement and culture of the white man. They have been collected c arefully and patiently under many difficulties. Many of them are sung only when the white man does not hear\; they are the folk-song of the negro\, and the negro is very secretive. Not only are they not commonly known by t he whites but their existence is only recognized in general. They are as d istinct from the white man’s song and the popular “coon songs” as ar e the two races.\n\nThe scope of investigation is large and the field is a broad one\; the supply of songs seems inexhaustible. Yet the student may not collect them hurriedly. He who has not learned by long observation and daily contact with Southern conditions the exact situation will make litt le progress in gathering valuable data. While all contributions to the tot al of negro folk-songs have been very valuable\, still it is true that the y have been too long neglected and the studies made have been too partial. The nature of the negro’s songs is constantly changing\; the number is continually increasing. They should be studied as the conditions of the ne groes are investigated. They are the product of our soil and are worthy of a distinct place in literature. In the following work the effort is made to present the best of the negro’s[Pg 6] songs and to interpret impartia lly the exact spirit of their essential qualities. In the following pages the effort is made to note many of the negro’s mental characteristics as studied in the interpretation of the scope\, meaning and origin of his so ngs\, and the essential qualities of his religion as found in the analysis of his\n\n \n\nReligious Songs and Spirituals.\n\nThe religious songs of the negro have commonly been accepted as characteristic music of the race. The name “spirituals” given them long years ago is still current\, wh ile these songs\, composed by the negroes\, and passing from generation to generation with numerous modifications\, retain many of their former char acteristics. In former days the spirituals were judged to be the most beau tiful production of the race and the truest representation of the negro’ s real self. Some of these songs have been published\, and for a time thei r emotional beauty and simplicity of expression won for the negro a defini te place in the hearts of those who had not hitherto known him. He was oft en judged by these songs alone\, reported only imperfectly and superficial ly\, and forthwith came many expressions of delight and enthusiasm for the future possibilities of the negro. These expressions indicate not only th e power of the singing of negro spirituals upon those who heard them\, but also many of the characteristics of the old and present-day spirituals.\n \nThe following expressions represent a summary of past judgments and crit icism of negro spirituals.[2] The hymns of a congregation of “impassione d and impressible worshippers” have been “full of unpremeditated and i rresistible dramatic power.” Sung “with the weirdest intonations”\, they have indeed appeared “weird and intensely sad”—“such music\, touching and pathetic\, as I have never heard elsewhere”\, “with a mys tical effect and passionate striving throughout the whole.” And again\ , “Never\, it seems to me\, since man first lived and suffered\, was his infinite longing and suffering uttered more plaintively.” Besides being a relaxation to the negroes these quaint religious songs were “a stimul us to courage and a tie to[Pg 7] heaven.” Or again\, “I remember that this minor-keyed pathos used to seem to me almost too sad to dwell upon\, while slavery seemed destined to last for generations\; but now that their patience has had its perfect work\, history cannot afford to lose this po rtion of the record. There is no parallel instance of an oppressed race th us sustained by the religious sentiment alone. These songs are but the voc al expression of the simplicity of their faith and the sublimity of their long resignation.” Such songs “are all valuable as an expression of th e character and life of the race which is playing such a conspicuous part in our history. The wild\, sad strains tell\, as the sufferers themselves could\, of crushed hope\, keen sorrow and a dull\, daily misery\, which co vered them as hopelessly as the fog from the rice swamps. On the other han d the words breathe a trusting faith in rest for the future to which their eyes seem constantly turned. The attitude is always the same\, and\, as a comment on the life of the race\, is pathetic. Nothing but patience for t his life—nothing but triumph for the next.” “One can but feel that t hese quaint old spirituals with their peculiar melodies\, having served th eir time with effectiveness\, deserve a better fate than to sink into obli vion as unvalued and unrecorded examples of a bygone civilization.” Many have thought that these songs would pass away immediately with the passin g of slavery and that the old system of words and songs “could not be pe rpetuated without perpetuating slavery as it existed and with the fall of slavery its days were numbered.” And “if they be found neither touchin g in sentiment\, graceful in expression\, nor well balanced in rhythm\, th ey may at least possess interest as peculiarities of a system now no more forever in this country.”\n\nThe negro found satisfaction in singing not only at church but perhaps even more while he performed his daily tasks. Those who heard the old slaves sing will never forget the scenes that acco mpanied the songs. After the lighter songs and brisk melodies of the day w ere over the negroes turned toward eventide to more weird and plaintive no tes. The impressions of such singing have been expressed: “Then the mela ncholy that tinges every negro’s soul would begin to assert itself in dr eamy\, sad and plaintive airs\, and in words that described the most sorro wful pictures of slave life—the parting of loved ones\, the separation o f mother and child or husband and wife\, or the death of those whom the he art cherishes. As he drove his lumbering ox-cart[Pg 8] homeward\, sitting listlessly upon the heavy tongue behind the patient brutes\, the creaking wheels and rough-hewn yokes exhibiting perhaps his own rude handiwork\, th e negro slave rarely failed to sing his song of longing. What if his words were rude and its music ill-constructed? Great poets like Schiller have e ssayed the same theme\, and mighty musicians like Beethoven have striven t o give it musical form. What their splendid genius failed adequately to ex press\, the humble slave could scarce accomplish\; yet they but wrought in the same direction as the poor negro\, whose eyes unwittingly swam in tea rs\, and whose heart\, he scarce knew why\, dissolved in tenderness as he sang in plaintive minor key one or another of his songs.”\n\nThe above q uotations have been given promiscuously\, and while others might be added\ , these suffice to give the general attitude toward the songs of the negro es in the ante-bellum days and since. One other will be added\, giving the expression of a present-day negro leader toward the songs of the slave\, as the best interpretation that has come from within the race. In his intr oduction to Twenty-four Negro Melodies by Coleridge-Taylor in The Musician s Library\, Booker Washington says: “The negro folk-song has for the neg ro race the same value that the folk-song of any other people has for that people. It reminds the race of the ‘rock whence it was hewn\,’ it fos ters race pride\, and in the days of slavery it furnished an outlet for th e anguish of smitten hearts. The plantation song in America\, although an outgrowth of oppression and bondage\, contains surprisingly few references to slavery. No race has ever sung so sweetly or with such perfect charity \, while looking forward to the ‘year of Jubilee.’ The songs abound in scriptural allusions\, and in many instances are unique interpretations o f standard hymns. The plantation songs known as the ‘Spirituals’ are t he spontaneous outbursts of intense religious fervor\, and had their origi n chiefly in the campmeetings\, the revivals and in other religious exerci ses. They breathe a child-like faith in a personal father\, and glow with the hope that the children of bondage will ultimately pass out of the wild erness of slavery into the land of freedom. In singing of a deliverance wh ich they believed would surely come\, with bodies swaying\, with enthusias m born of a common experience and of a common hope\, they lost sight for t he moment of the auction-block\, of the separation of mother and child\, o f sister and brother. There is in the plantation songs a[Pg 9] pathos and a beauty that appeals to a wide range of tastes\, and their harmony makes abiding impression upon persons of the highest culture. The music of these songs goes to the heart because it comes from the heart.”\n\nIt will th us be seen that emphasis has been placed almost entirely upon the emotiona l beauty of the negro songs. They have been portrayed as the exponents of sadness in the race\, and the feelings of the black folk have been describ ed with no little skill. Observation for the most part has been made by th ose who have heard the negro songs but have not studied them. No careful a nalysis has been attempted. Perhaps casual observers have been mistaken as to the intensity of the emotions expressed and have given undue emphasis to its practical relation and effect upon the individual and upon the race . The judgment of those who have not known the negro\, and to whom his sin ging is a revelation\, leads to sweeping generalizations. On the other han d\, those who have known the negroes in many walks of life\, and have come to know him better than any others\, have often emphasized a single phase of the negro folk-song. There can be no doubt as to the beauty and weirdn ess of the negro singing\, but a careful analysis of the general emotional feeling predominating\, together with careful interpretation of all thing s concerned\, make comparisons less dangerous and expressions less extrava gant. Slavery has passed\, four decades of liberty for the slave people ha ve signalized the better civilization\, and there still remains among the negroes the same emotional nature\, the same sad\, plaintive\, beautiful\, rhythmic sorrow-feeling in their songs.\n\nSome of the qualities of the n egro’s emotions as seen in his singing will be noted subsequently. Omitt ing for the present this feature of his songs\, and qualifying the stateme nt by interpreting his nature and environment\, it may be affirmed that al l that has been said of the spirituals is true. They are beautiful\, child like\, simple and plaintive. They are the negro’s own songs and are the peculiar expression of his own being\; much may be said concerning them. M any of the spirituals are still popular among the negroes\, and often take the place of the regular church hymns. The less intelligent negroes sing them\, and they are sung freely by the more intelligent class. Ministers o f all denominations take advantage of their peculiar power to sway the fee lings of the negroes into accustomed channels. Many of the old[Pg 10] spir ituals that were common in slavery are still current and are sung with but little modification\; others are greatly modified and enlarged or shorten ed. Traces of the slave songs may be found in the more modern spirituals t hat have sprung up since the war. The majority of the songs have several v ersions\, differing according to localities\, and affected by continual mo dification as they have been used for many years. Some have been so blende d with other songs\, and filled with new ideas\, as to be scarcely recogni zable\, but clearly the product of the negro singers. Besides the old and the mixed songs\, there are many that are entirely new\, arising out of va rious circumstances and developing with successive renditions.\n\nThe spir ituals current among the Southern negroes to-day are very much like those that were sung three or four decades ago. The differences may be seen in t he comparisons that follow in the examples given: There are more rhymed wo rds in the present-day negro song than there was in the earlier ones\; con sequently there is often less meaning in a line or stanza. The tendency se ems to be more toward satisfactory sound impression than for spontaneous f eeling expression as in the older spirituals. Meaning and words in general are often sacrificed in the effort to make rhyme\, to make the song fit i nto a desired tune\, to bring about a satisfying rhythm\, or to give promi nent place to a single well-sounding word or phrase. It would thus seem th at the religious songs composed in the usual way by the negroes of the pre sent generation have less conviction\, and more purposive features in thei r composition. The dialect of the older songs is purer than those of the p resent-day negro. One finds little consistency in the use of dialect in th e songs that are sung now\; rarely does one hear the lines repeated in exa ctly the same form. Dialect or the common form of the word\, it would seem \, is used according as feeling\, the occasion\, or the necessity for rhym e or rhythm permits or demands. Many of the negro songs that are the most beautiful in their expression would appear expressionless were they robbed of their dialect and vividness of word portrayal. The imagery and dialect give the songs their peculiar charm\; the more mechanical production that is apparently on the increase may be sung to the same melody\, but the so ng itself has little beauty. However\, the negroes themselves prefer the o ld songs and almost invariably return to the singing of the more primitive ones that have become a part of their heritage.[Pg 11] In those cases whe re the tunes differ from the old melodies\, the song has assumed a charact eristic nature\, either from its origin and composition\, from constant us age by the negroes\, from local qualities\, or from unusual combinations. And in these original creations of the negro religion are found the truest expression of nature and life as it is reflected in the negro of to-day\; it is not the expression of complex life\, but of simple longing. In the outbursts of joyous song and melody the note of victory is predominant\; i n the sadder-toned songs\, sung in “plaintive\, rhythmic melody”\, the prevailing note is that of appeal. In either case there is some sort of c onviction back of the song\, and it becomes the expression of primitive hu man life. They set forth the more simple thoughts of an emotional and imag inative worship. They magnify the personal and the spectacular in religion . They satisfy the love of melody\, rude poetry\, and sonorous language. S imple thought is expressed in simple rhyming phrases. Repetition of simila r thoughts and a single chorus\, with simple and pleasing music which lend s itself easily to harmonious expression\, are characteristic. The music i s specially adapted to the chorus-like singing which is produced by the cl ever and informal carrying of many parts by the singers. The song often re quires a single leader\, and a swelling chorus of voices take up the refra in. It is but natural that these songs should be suited to protracted serv ices as good “shoutin’ songs” or “runnin’ speerichils.” The sa me rhythm makes them pleasing to the toilers who are disposed to sing reli gious songs while they work and promotes a spirit of good fellowship as we ll as being conducive to general “good feelin’.” The united singing of children is also beautiful. Throughout these characteristic songs of th e negro\, the narrative style\, the inconsequential\, disjointed statement s\, the simple thought and the fastidious rhymes are all expressive of the negro’s mental operations.\n\nAll of the negro’s church music tends t o take into it the qualities of his native expression—strains minor and sad in their general character. The religious “tone” is a part of the song\, and both words and music conform to the minor key. The negroes deli ght in song that gives stress and swell to special words or phrases that f or one reason or another have peculiar meanings to them. For the most part \, all religious songs are “spirituals” and easily merge into satisfyi ng melodies when occasion demands. With the idea gained from[Pg 12] the mu sic of the songs must be joined the church scenes and its personalities fr eely mingled with the music. The preaching\, praying\, singing and with it shouting and unity of negro worship—perfection of rhythmic sing-song\, these with the throbbing instinct of the people make the negro music what it is. The negroes sing their regular denominational hymns with the same f eeling\, often\, as they do the spirituals\, and while mention must be mad e of their church hymns as such\, they often reach in singing them a clima x similar to their most fervent outbursts\, and freely mingle them with th e old songs. In addition to the tune in which the hymn is written the negr o puts his own music into the singing\, and his own interpretation into th e words. This together with the “feeling-attitude” which is unconsciou sly his\, and the satisfaction which he gets from his singing\, places neg ro church music in a class of its own. A glance at the part which singing plays in the negro’s church services will aid in the interpretation of h is songs.\n\nChurch services are opened with song\; a leader may occupy hi s place at a central table or chair\, select a song and begin to sing. Or they may wait for the “speerit” and a leader from the pews may begin t o sing\, others join in the song\, while the congregation begins to gather in the church. The leader often lines his song aloud\, reading sometimes one\, sometimes two lines\, then singing. He often puts as much music-appe al into the lining of the song as he does in the singing. The rhythmical\, swinging tone of the reader adds zest to the singing which follows. Most of the negroes who sing know a great many songs—in fact\, all of their r egular songs—if they are given a start by the leader. On the other hand\ , the congregation often gives the leader a start when he lags\, and both together keep the song going until they are ready to stop singing or to be gin another song.\n\nIf the service is prayer meeting or a class meeting t he leader usually continues the songs throughout the singing part of the e xercises\; at regular preaching services the preacher reads the regular hy mns and leaves the beginning and the final songs to the leaders. In the cl ass meeting\, the general congregation led by song-leaders sing\, as a rul e\, while the class leaders are engaged with their classes. Now a woman on this side\, now a man or woman on the other side of the church begins the song and others join in the doleful tunes\; so too\, while collections ar e being made the singing is kept up continuously. The[Pg 13] process is th e same: a leader begins to sing\, another joins in the singing\, then anot her and another until the majority of those present are singing. Most negr oes who attend church participate in the singing\, although many will not do so regularly\, preferring to remain quiet for a time\, then to burst ou t into song. The negroes have been proverbial for their good singing\, and undoubtedly they have won a deserved reputation. A group of five or ten n egroes singing at a mid-week prayer meeting will often appear the volume o f song equivalent to that of many times their number of white people singi ng. The comparison\, however\, is not a fair one\, for the music is entire ly different. One can scarcely appreciate the singing of the negroes until he has heard them on various occasions and in different capacities. Let h im listen on a quiet Sunday evening from a position on a hill to the singi ng of four negro congregations\, each clearly audible. It would appear to be the rhythmical expression of deep human feeling and longing in an unres trained outburst of ten thousand souls. Inside the church one may watch th e leaders as they line the songs and listen to their rich\, tremulous voic es\; he may see the others respond and listen to the music of each peculia r voice. The voice of the leader seems to betray great emotions as he read s the lines and begins to sing. He appears literally to drink in inspirati on from the songs while his soul seems to be overflowing as he sings the w ords telling of grace and redemption. However\, he manifests the same kind of emotion when he sings one song as when singing another\, the same emot ion when he reads the words wrongly as when he has read them correctly\; i t makes little difference to him. He is consumed with the music and with t he state of feeling which singing brings to him. After all\, perhaps one f eeling dominates his whole being while he sings\, and there can be no song to him which does not accord with this.\n\nA complete analysis of the neg ro church music in its detail is worthy of the efforts of any one who coul d describe it. And while the folk-song is of more importance in the presen t work than the music of these same songs\, a few further details that are apparently characteristic of the negroes will not be amiss. The singing b egins slowly and with time-honored regularity but is followed by the agree able and satisfying effect made by the joining in of varied voices. Many t imes the singers begin as if they would sing a simple subdued song\, or a hymn with its written music. But in a short while\, apparently not[Pg 14] being able to resist the impulse to give their feelings full sway\, their voices fall into that rhythmical swing peculiar in a large degree to the n egroes\; all measures alike become stately. The average negro is proud of his stylish choir because it represents a step towards a model which the n egroes wish to follow: but they do not like the choir’s singing as well as their own informal song. In general the negro’s song will characteriz e his natural self wherever he sings or hears it sung\; he is loath to giv e it up. And while some pastors have testified that there were no members in their church who would not sing the church songs\, it is very evident t hat many of the younger negroes do not enter fully into the spirit of the old songs and they must necessarily undergo radical changes and rapidly pa ss away.\n\nBefore coming to the further study of the negro spirituals\, i t will be well to inquire into the nature of the favorite standard church hymns commonly used by the negroes in their church services. A comparison may then be made with the popular folk-songs. The favorite songs and most common themes sung by the negroes may best be seen at their prayer meeting s or class meetings\, or at such gatherings as require no formality. One m ay attend week after week and hear the same songs and feel the same pathos emanating from the songs which the worshippers have learned to sing and l ove. They enjoy singing of heaven and rest and luxury where ease abounds a nd where Sabbaths have no end. They love to sing the praises of the Delive rer who shall free them from life’s toils. They have chosen the “goo d old” songs that have vividness and concrete imagery in them\; they hav e placed a new feeling into them and a different interpretation. The meani ng of the words and the sentiment of the song are transcended by the expre ssion in the singing. The accustomed manner\, together with their responsi ve feeling\, absorb whatever of pure devotion might have existed in their attitude—the sinking itself becoming devotion. The negro looks always to some future state for happiness and sings often:\n\nThis earth\, he cries \, is not my place\;\nI seek my place in heaven.\n\nThe negroes sing with a peculiar faith the common stanzas of their hymns: “We’ve seen our fo es before us flee\,” “We’ve seen the timid lose their fears”\, “We’ve seen the prisoners burst their chains”\,[Pg 15] “We’ve s een the guilty lose their stains.” So\, too\, they conceive\, as of old\ , of the eternal rest and sing\, with its full stanzas:\n\nHow sweet a Sab bath thus to spend\,\nIn hope of one that ne’er shall end.\n\nThe singin g of these hymns is beautiful and impressive\, testifying to the truth tha t their favorites appeal to the fitness of worship and accord with the ide al of rhythmical perfection as expressed in the feeling of the worshipper. \n\nThe general state of feeling which accompanies the song thus has much to do with the song itself. The singing with its results is the most satis fying and agreeable part of the worship to the negro’s nature. It satisf ies his social wants and relieves to some extent his child-like psychophys ical cravings. His worship is music to his soul\, whether it be in the wor d-music of the sermon and prayer\, or in the natural outburst of his song\ , or in the rhythm of all combined. It is all freedom from restraint and t he gratification of impulse and the experience of sustained languor. Altho ugh the negro expends a great deal of energy in his singing\, it is nevert heless rest for him as he feels it. Unrestrained expression goes far towar d relieving him of his troubles\, sometimes real\, sometimes imaginary. Wh at the negro imagines to be total confession and contrite submission has a very soothing effect upon him\; the songs reach the climax of this state of feeling. Many negroes may be seen\, with their heads resting backward a nd eyes closed\, singing vigorously their favorite songs\; often they lean forward\, sway back and forth\, apparently in a complete state of passivi ty. Tears and shouts of joy are not inconsistent with the saddest strains of pathos. Their senses are all turned toward the perception of one attitu de\, and besides a wonderful tranquility of feeling\, they also feel and s ee visions. At such a time the negro is at ease and is at liberty to give full expression to his feelings among his own people\, without incentive t o action and without interruption. Is it surprising that after a day’s w ork\, while he has passed the hours away in emptiness of thought or in mis guided thinking and with perverted notions\, he finds sweet rest in some m elodious songs and rhythmic verses as he rests his body in the pew? Is it surprising that he is unwilling to leave the church until a late hour or t hat he does not tire of singing? For what has he to attract him at home wh ere he[Pg 16] unwillingly begins to think of work again? It is little surp rising that after the outburst of song and shouts which reveals so much of the negro’s nature that his attitude is one of listlessness and apathy when he has finished.\n\nThis revelation of emotions which the negro shows in his singing but manifests the reality of his religion. And although th e greater part of his feeling in religion is pleasurable excitement\, it i s\, nevertheless\, for this very reason the one reality in life to him. A study of the emotional element does not\, then\, detract from the beauty a nd value of the negro’s song\; it does aid in interpreting that part of his songs that arise spontaneously and also shows something of their origi n and growth. Indeed without a knowledge of the negro’s nature and envir onment\, one would scarcely realize the fullest appreciation of his folk-s ongs. In proportion as the investigator becomes acquainted with the people and circumstances which have furnished unique folk-songs\, to that degree will he be eager to search out their origin and be able to interpret them intelligently as they are fundamentally related to the race.\n\nThe negro has found much material upon which to base his songs and many sources fro m which he has selected a wide range of subject-matter. His religion is of ten synonymous with his song\, and he has sung with little restraint the v arious religious experiences common to such a religion. The sermon and pra yers\, even the songs themselves suggest new themes for an imaginative and religious being to sing. So\, too\, the Church\, the Christians and the “world” have furnished themes for his song. Sin\, evil and the devil are ever-present subjects for religious thought. The scenes of everyday li fe form continuous allegories to be imaged with the assistance of the negr o’s definite self-feeling. But perhaps nowhere has the negro found more acceptable subject-matter for his song than in the Scriptures\; his songs abound in references to scriptural characters and often portray individual s and scenes with unusual concreteness. A perusal of the negro’s songs t hus reveals the most common themes\, but it is more difficult to locate th e accidental circumstances which gave rise to particular forms of a song\, or to ascertain the temperamental nature which originated many of the bes t known spirituals. In general\, it may be said that the folk-song of the negroes has found its rise in every phase of negro life. It is scarcely po ssible to trace the origin of the first spirituals and plantation songs.[P g 17] The American negroes appear to have had their own songs from the ear liest days of slavery. And while their first songs were undoubtedly founde d upon the African songs as a basis\, both in form and meaning\, little tr ace of them can be found in the present songs: negro folks produce spontan eous song. The linguist and the anthropologists are able to find the paral lel and apparent origin of many words\, that have been used by the Souther n negroes in their lore and song\, among the peoples of Africa\, but there is now no practical relation between these words and the meaning of the w ords in their present usage. The origin of folk-song has always been an in teresting theme\, proving full of fascination for him who finds it\, nymph -like\, vanishing from his grasp. Still the song of a people is ever prese nt and appear\, almost like myths\, to have sprung into life in some way a nd at some time which no one can exactly tell. Many a bard of the common l ife has intensified their meaning and made them a part of that life.\n\nHo wever\, many of the negro folk-songs may be explained when one has observe d the negro in many walks of life\, or has found the origin from which the y arose. Many of the old spirituals were composed in their first forms by the negro preachers for their congregations\; others were composed by the leaders of the church singing: others were composed by the slaves in the v arious walks of life\, while still others were first sung by the “mamm ies” as they passed the time in imaginative melody-making and sought har mony of words and music. A great many of these songs never became current because they lacked the pleasurable features that appealed most to the neg roes. Those that proved satisfactory were seized upon and their growth and popularity dated from the moment they were heard. With the negroes of to- day songs have arisen in much the same way. The difference of environment must necessarily make a difference in the nature of the songs\; at the sam e time the coloring of present-day life is much in evidence in some of the old songs composed by the slaves but sung by the negroes of the present g eneration. Some suggestions as to the natural origin and growth of negro s ongs may be both interesting and valuable.\n\nThe negroes have always been known as full of feeling and very expressive. Their natures demand not on ly some expression of their emotions but this expression must be easy and rhythmic\, at the same time that it is intense and continuous. The negro ’s musical nature[Pg 18] easily turns these expressions into melody\, an d a word\, phrase or exclamation becomes a song in itself. The song is com pleted by the imaginative mind and the sense of fitness in sound. Worshipp ers often follow the preacher through his sermon in a mental state of song and when he has finished they burst out into song\, singing no other than an elaborate sentence which the preacher has used in his sermon. When thi s is joined to a familiar chorus and tune\, and then varied\, a song has o riginated. Sometimes the song is remembered and sung again\; sometimes\, l ike the words of the preacher\, it simply becomes a part of the satisfacti on of the hour and is forgotten. A negro preacher recently reached a clima x in his discourse in the phrase\, “Oh\, with the wings of the morning\, I’d fly to that heavenly land.” He repeated this a number of times an d made gestures with his arms suggestive of flying. His black robe added t o the forcefulness of the suggestion and the impression became a part of t he song of that church. So with praying\, the pathetic appeal and word-mus ic of a p-l-e-a-s-e My Lo-rd is often the inspiration for a song when a ha ppy phrase from the prayer becomes an addition to a song that follows. Eve n more than preaching and praying\, shouting gives rise to song among the negroes\; during exciting times in worship the negroes often sing unheard of songs nor do they ever recall them again. It is indeed a mixed scene of song and motion\, each contributing largely to the other\, while the spec tator looks on in wonderment at the astonishing inventiveness of the worsh ippers. The general motion\, expressions of the face\, words and harmonies \, rests and rhythm\, sense of fitness and even of humor\, repetition—th ese make an occasion that defies limitation to its expression. If a single personality dominates the whole in an expression that appeals to the pres ent sense of fitness\, he is the author of a new song. Such a personality in the person of a visiting minister recently shouted out during such a sc ene: “Oh\, the hearse-wheel a-rollin’ an’ the graveyard opening—h- a\, ha\,” but got no further for his refrain was taken up by the chorus and the next day was a new version of the well-known song.\n\nSuch occasio ns might be cited in great numbers. Not infrequently a negro who has assum ed the position of song leader sings a line while the others join in with a chorus of singing and shouting. When the leader has given all the lines that he knows\, he will often continue in the simplest manner possible\, a s if he had known them for a long[Pg 19] time\, to improvise lines\, which often have little meaning\, but which fit into the tune and sound well. T his process may be continued indefinitely\, sometimes with repetition of l ines already uttered but slightly varied and the emphasis placed on the di ffering particular. It thus happens that the songs need not have a limit. The necessity of the occasion becomes the cause for the invention of the s ong. Itinerant worshippers are often thus gratified to sing to new congreg ations. As a rule the negroes always give attention and respect to strange rs so that the man or woman who comes to them is at liberty to sing old or new songs\, and they often become skilled in improvising songs. The new s ongs are then learned and begin their history as folk-song. Again\, negroe s often feel themselves called upon to introduce new features into some of their songs and conceive of various novelties. The negro’s feeling towa rd leadership puts a premium upon such a practice. In this effort\, a song that is little known among the negroes will be changed in some particular s\, printed on a sheet of paper and distributed as the song of brother or sister So and So. The song may be found in a hymn book. However\, songs en tirely new and the efforts of their own poetic attempts are often thus cir culated. This gives rise to a new class of negro spirituals\, examples of which may be seen in the following pages.\n\nA number of popular spiritual s apparently had their rise in the effort of the church to satisfy the phy sical cravings of the negroes. The church deemed the fiddle and the dance instruments of the devil\, and although the negro was and is passionately fond of dancing\, he was forbidden by the church to do so. The church need ed some kind of substitute for the rhythm and excitement of the dance that would satisfy and still be “in the Lord.” Consequently marching servi ces were often instituted. The benches were piled up together and marching room left for the worshippers. They had various orders for this service a nd many forms of it have been known to exist. Sometimes they marched two b y two\, a “sister and brother in the Lord”\, sometimes they marched si ngly\, and at other times they marched in a general “mix-up.” At first they followed a leader to a simple melody\, keeping step and working into a rhythmic swing. Then as they became more excited they became more expre ssive and with the elaboration of the march into a dance their songs becam e marching songs. Often they thus marched\, with intervals for rest\, unti l the hours of[Pg 20] the morning. Sometimes they all sang\; sometimes the leader sang the leading part and all joined in the chorus with more satis factory effect. In the march the negroes swayed back and forth\, to and fr o\, and found the usual satisfaction that comes from absolute lack of rest raint. As the songs given in the following pages indicate\, the negroes of ten imagined themselves to be the children of Israel\, while their marchin g songs represented Moses leading them out from under the bondage of Phara oh\, or they considered themselves as marching around the wall of some bes ieged city. Victory would be theirs sooner or later. This is not confined to the songs composed by the slavery negroes\, but is common in the later songs. Such scenes are often portrayed by negro preachers of the present d ay and very appropriate applications\, as they think\, are made. The march songs that have been found current to-day were composed since the war. Of ten the negroes enacted similar scenes without the formal putting away of the benches in the church\, and the same general results were the outcome. Shouting scenes in negro worship to-day are very much similar to the old marches except that they are more promiscuous. The “strange\, sweet harm onies and melodies” of the old songs are still good shouting songs.\n\nI ndividuals have composed spirituals while at work or while wandering from place to place\, as a simple outgrowth of the circumstances. The expressio n\, so common in negro songs\, “O my Lord”\, seems to have been introd uced into a number of songs in this way. The single expression repeated it self forms a favorite melody that is often sung. A group of negroes sing w hile working\; one sings a new verse of the song: “Where you git dat ?” “I made hit maself\, didn’t you know I’m a songster?” And he did make it\, and thus gratified\, tries other attempts\; with him others begin and they have become “songsters”. Negroes\, in order to verify a boast that they know a certain song to exist\, have been known to compose on the moment just such a song\, mixing all sorts of songs together with the ideas that arise. Others who have been offered an attractive price for songs have composed them without scruples of conscience and when asked to sing them\, have done so with perfect ease. They were paid for the songs\ , thinking that they had “fooled that white man”\, who valued his song thus composed as much perhaps as an old spiritual that was still current. What the negro composed accidentally he learned to sing\, and thus[Pg 21] introduced a real song in his community\, which was to be soon carried to other localities. The negro is going to sing whether he has a formal song or not. The following song originated with two negro laborers\, apparentl y in a dialogue. The lines may be sung to any tune and put to any chorus.\ n\nThe church bell a ringin’\, how sweet I do declar’.\nWhy don’t yo u go to meetin’ an’ pray all day long?\nI’m goin’ to church an’ pray all day long.\nOf course I’m a sinner but prayin’ might do me goo d\nAn’ if I do succeed I sure will tell the news.\n\nAnother song that w as composed spontaneously in the effort to dignify his conversation is the following. It will be seen that for the most part it is composed of phras es common to other songs\, and it is only the combination that is new.\n\n Walk right and do right an’ trust in the Lord—\nLay down all yo’ sin ful ways an’ trust in the Lord.\n\nI am goin’ to trust in the Lord\,\n I am goin’ to trust in the Lord\,\nI’m goin’ to trust in the Lord ti ll I die.\n\nMy God he’s a wonderful God an’ trust in the Lord\,\nHe w ill answer yo’ prayers don’t care wher’ you are\,\nAn’ trust in th e Lord.\n\nThe next example was composed by a negro man after he had recen tly “come through.” He always loved to talk of what he had seen\, what he knew would happen and how he could get out of difficulties. Along with this he had an unusually imaginative mind and told many ingenious stories . Here is the song:\n\nThe devil come down to the worl’ one day\nAn’ I heard him holler\, hoo-ray\, hoo-ray!\nCome out\, I’m havin’ a holida y.\n\nThat was the word I heard him say\,\nBut I knowed if I danced to his holiday\,\nThere’d be something doing an’ the devil to play.\n\nThe a bove song is difficult to classify. It would seem to be very much like som e rhymes that the negro had seen published in a newspaper but for all his purposes it was a good song and it mattered little where he had obtained t he ideas. It was indeed his own song. One[Pg 22] other example of an effor t to compose a new song shows the tendency of the negro to mix his serious themes with ridiculous expressions.\n\nThere was a man by the name of Cy\ ,\nHe never prayed an’ he never try\,\nSo when ole Cy was come to die\,\ nHe hollow out\, “in hell I’ll cry.”\n\nIn hell ole Cy did cry\,\nIn hell ole Cy did cry\,\nIn hell ole Cy did cry\,\nNow don’t you die like ole Cy die.\n\nThe song is a variation of two or three secular songs and becomes a religious song because of its chorus. It is actually sung in the churches. The “author” continued\,\n\nOle Cy did lead a mighty bad li fe\,\nHe was always after some other man’s wife\,\n\nwhich clearly showe d the trace of the secular element\; this phrase is applied to many of the notorious characters in the negro secular songs. Still there was an oppor tunity for the moral and the song represents the peculiar gratification wh ich the negroes find in having composed something more or less original.\n \nEnough has been said to give a definite idea concerning the actual and p ossible origin of some of the negro folk-songs. Further examples will be g iven when the discussion of the negro’s secular song has been reached. T he psychology of negro music and song is not difficult to explain in the l ight of the facts already suggested. His plaintive appeals in prayer\, his emotional and religious nature\, his primitive expression\, his love of r hythm and melody\, his feelings and misguided imagination\, his interpreta tion of life and Scripture\, his faith in dreams and visions quickly exagg erated into fabrications\, his whole nature but reveals within him what we call the musical nature of the race. With the negro\, motion and song ins tinctively go together. Systematic movement is more conducive to singing t han a careless\, haphazard motion. Movement and song give rhythm that is n ot to be found under other circumstances. Regularity and rhythm in movemen t\, emphasis and rhythm in music\, these give the negro songs essential pl easure-giving qualities that appeal strongly to the negro’s entire being . If his music is primitive and if it has much of the sensuous in it\; if his songs and verse are full of primitive art having[Pg 23] many qualities of possible worth\, nevertheless they are not thereby rendered less disti nct.\n\nIn no way can a better insight into the negro’s religion be obta ined than by a careful study of his songs. An analysis of those songs that have been preserved will give us at once a better conception of his folk- songs and his religion. The references are reproduced in their exact forms in order that they may serve as an aid in the study of the verse containe d in the common songs of the negroes from the time of slavery to the prese nt day. Only the chief conceptions which have been portrayed in negro song are here given\; further analysis may be made in connection with the song s themselves. The devil is prominent in the religious songs of the negroes . He is the constant terror and proverbial enemy of the race. He is alive\ , alert\, and concrete. He represents the demon trickster incarnate in the form of a man. He is the opposite of God but always less powerful. He is the enemy against whom the battle is always on\; it is a personal battle\, but he is usually outwitted or disappointed. Here are some pictures of “Old Satan” as found in the songs of the slave and the negro of to-day :[3]\n\nEf you want to see ole satan run\,\nJes’ fire off dat gospel gun .\n\nOle satan is a liar an’ conjurer\, too\,\nAn’ if you don’t mi nd he’ll conjure you.\n\nOther forms are\n\nAn’ if you don’t mind he’ll cut you in two\,\nAn’ if you don’t mind he’ll cut you throug h.\n\nOle satan lak a snake in the grass\,\nAlways in some Christian’s p ath\,\n\nor\n\nIf you don’t mind he’ll git you at las’.\n\nOle satan weahs a mighty loose ole shoe\,\nIf you don’t min’ gwine a slip it on you.\n\nOle satan like dat hunting dog\,\nHe hunt dem Christians home to God.\n\nO shout\, shout\, de debbil is about\,\nO shut yo’ do’ an’ k eep him out.\n[Pg 24]\nAll de debbils in hell can’t pluck me out\,\nAn ’ I wonder what satan’s a grumblin’ erbout\,\nHe’s boun’ in hell an’ can’t get out\,\nBut he shall be loose an’ hab his way\,\nY onder at de great reserection day.\n\nI went down de hillside to make a on e prayer\,\nAn’ when I get dere ole satan wus dere\,\nO what you think h e said to me?\nSaid\, “Off frum here you better be.”\n\nOld satan tole me to my face\,\n“I’ll git you when a you leave this place\;”\nO br other dat scere me to my heart\,\nI was ’feared to walk a when it wus da rk.\n\nI started home but I did pray\,\nAn’ I met ole satan on de way\;\ nOle satan made a one grab at me\,\nBut he missed my soul an’ I went fre e.\n\nI tell you brother you better not laugh\,\nOle satan’ll run you do wn his path\,\nIf he runs you lak he run me\,\nYou’ll be glad to fall up on yo’ knee.\n\nWe shout so fas’ de debbil look\,\nAn’ he gits away wid his cluven foot.\n\nOle satan is mad an’ I am glad\,\nHe missed the soul he thought he had.\n\nWhat make ole satan hate me so?\n’Cause he go t me once an’ let me go.\n\nOle satan tole me not to pray\;\nHe want my soul at jedgement day.\n\nI wrestle wid satan and wrestle wid sin\,\nStepp ed over hell an’ come back agin.\n\nOle satan tremble when he sees\,\nTh e weakest saint upon his knees.\n\nGo ’way satan I doan min’ you\;\nYo u wonder\, too\, you can’t come through?\n\nOh brother\, breth’ren\, y ou better be engaged\,\nFor de debbil he’s out on a big rampage.\n\nI pl ucked one block out o’ satan’s wall\,\nI heard him stumble an’ saw h im fall.\n\nOle satan thought he had me fas’\,\nBroke his chain an I’m free at las’.\n\nI met ole satan in my way\;\nHe say\, young man\, you too young to pray.\n[Pg 25]\nThe devil tries to throw down everything that ’s good\,\nHe’d fix a way to confuse the righteous if he could\,\nThan ks be to God-er-mighty he can’t be beguiled\,\nOle satan will be done fi ghting after awhile.\n\nThe negroes have many other phrases which they app ly to satan and picture him in other relations. “Ole satan is a mighty b usy ole man\, an’ throw rocks in my way.” “What makes ole satan foll ow me so? Satan ain’t got nothin’ fer to do with me.” As a busy man he also has his “shield and sword”\, not only gives trouble but gets i nto trouble. Says the negro: “I heard de debbil howlin’ when I come out’n de wilderness an’ I gib de debbil battle.” “Now stan’ back \, satan\, an’ let me go by ... why doan de debbil let a me be?” “Ol e satan mighty busy\, he follow me night an’ day. Ole satan toss ball at me\, he think the ball hit my soul\, the ball for hell an’ me for heave n.” “Ole satan gettin’ in mighty rage”\, for “satan’s ca mp’s afier.” “Satan mount de iron gray hoss an’ ride half way to p ilot bar.” But “We’ll shout ole satan’s kingdom down\, gwine a pul l down satan’s kingdom\, gwine a win ag’in de debbil.” Victory is th e negro’s for he exclaims: “I saw dem bindin’ satan”\, and “I sa w ole satan’s kingdom fallin’.” But while satan is a great schemer a nd is very busy and “wash his face in ashes”\, “put on leather apr on”\, his greatest attribute is the liar. The negro cannot give too insi stent warning:\n\nWhen I got dere Cap’n satan wus dere.\nSayin’ “You ng man\, dere’s no use to pray\,\nFor Jesus is daid an’ God gone awa y.”\nAn’ I made ’im out a liar an’ went on my way.\n\nWith these p ictures and warnings the negro song gives a final bit of advice. “If you ain’t got de grace ob God in yo’ heart\, den de debbil will git y ou sho’”\, then the singer rests securely in the knowledge that he is filled with the grace that holds against the devil.\n\n“King Jesus” wa s the original name most commonly given to Christ in the spirituals. Besid es this He was the bosom friend of the negro. He comes in to intercept sat an and to save the individual from hell. He is very real and no one is mor e vividly described than He. He bears many relations to his people.\n\nNow my Jesus bein’ so good an’ kind\,\n[Pg 26]My Jesus lowered his mercy down\,\nAn’ snatch me from de doors of hell\,\nAn’ took me in with him to dwell.\n\nOh\, Jesus tole you once befo’\nTo go in peace and sin no mo’.\n\nI heard o’ my Jesus many one say\,\nCould move po’ sinner’ s sins away.\n\nDen Jesus he come ridin’ by\,\nGib me wings to ride an ’ fly.\n\nJesus Christ the first and las’\,\nNo man wuks lak him\;\nHe built a platform in de air\,\nHe meets de saints from eve’where.\n\nVir gin Mary had one son\,\nThe cruel Jews had him hung.\n\nMe an’ my Jesus goin’ live at ease\,\nMe an’ my Jesus goin’ do as we please.\n\nIf y ou want er die like Jesus died\,\nFold yo’ arms an’ clasp yo’ eyes.\ n\nI tell you breth’ren an’ I tell you twist\,\nMy soul done anchored in Jesus Christ.\n\nUp on de hillside King Jesus spoke\,\nOut of his mouth come fire an’ smoke.\n\nYer say yo’ Jesus set you free\;\nWhy don’t you let yo’ neighbors be?\n\nOther shorter lines give equally concrete pictures and mention equally definite attributes.\n\nYou’ll see my Jesus come to wake up de nations underground.\nKing Jesus died for every man.\n An’ de son He set me free.\nI got my Jesus as well as you.\nIf you want to see Jesus go in de wilderness.\nGwine serve my Jesus till I die.\nI cal l my Jesus king Emanuel.\nHe pluck my feet out’n de miry clay.\nHe sot d em on de firm rock of age.\nChrist hab bought yo’ liberty.\nKing Jesus ’ settin’ in de kingdom.\nDe win’ blow eas’ an’ de win’ blow wes’ from Jesus.\nOh yonder comes my Jesus\, I know him by his shinin ’.\nHear my Jesus when he call you? Hear my Jesus callin’?\nI’m go in’ to hebben where my Jesus dwell.\nO I walk and talk with Jesus.\n[Pg 27]Jesus loosen de man frum under de groun’.\nJesus ain’t comin’ her e to die no mo’.\nThe son of man he dunno where to lay his weary head.\n \nSee what wonder Jesus done:\nJesus make dumb to speak.\nJesus make de cr ipple walk.\nJesus gib de blin’ deir sight.\nJesus do mos’ anything.\n I want to do (or die) like Jesus.\nJesus stan’ on de udder side Jordan.\ nJesus settin’ on de water side.\nJesus is our captain\, Jesus got de he llum.\nJesus mount (ride) a milk-white hoss.\nYou had better follow Jesus. \nDaddy Peter set out for Jesus.\nJesus will bring you milk an’ honey.\n Mas’ Jesus is my bosom friend.\nGwine follow King Jesus\, I really do be lieve.\nKing Jesus he was so strong\, my Lord\, till he jar down de walls ob hell.\nGwine to write to my Jesus.\nKing Jesus settin’ in de heaven.\ nKing Jesus on de mountain top.\nO Jesus is a mighty man. Ride in kind Jes us\, who set po’ sinner free.\nFor Jesus came an’ lock de do’.\nDe J ews kill po’ Jesus.\nJesus call you—Jesus waitin’.\nI wus los’ in de wilderness\; Jesus hand me de candle down.\nMas’ Jesus gib me little broom fer to sweep my heart clean.\nJesus fed me when I was hungry\, he cl othed me when I was naked\, he gave me drink when I was dry.\nJesus rose a n’ flew away on Sunday morning.\nChrist was there four thousand years ag o\, drinking of the wine.\nJesus he wore the starry crown. Did you see Jes us when he wore the starry crown?\nJesus he wore long white robe.\nKing Je sus speaks an’ de chariot stops.\nKing Jesus is the Rock.\nWell did you say you love Jesus?\nJesus done bless my soul an’ gone to glory.\nWon’ t you ride on Jesus? O yes.\nI look fer Jesus all o’ my days.\nJesus is a listening all the day long.\n\nThe scenes of the crucifixion seem to imp ress the negroes very forcibly and their songs abound in references to His suffering. Some of these expressions are full of feeling\, and are touchi ng in their sentiment.\n\nThey nail my Jesus down\n[Pg 28]They put him on the crown of thorn (thorny crown).\nO see my Jesus hangin’ high!\nHe loo k so pale an’ bleed so free:\nO don’t you think it was a shame\,\nHe h ung three hours in dreadful pain?\n\nNext to Jesus and often synonymous wi th Him is God. He is “My Lord”\, “My God”\, “Lord God-er-mig hty”\, and “king Jehobah”\, and represents the personal God and the ruler of the world.\n\nUpon de mountain Jehobah spoke\,\nOut o’ his mout h come fire an’ smoke.\n\nMy God a walkin’ down hebbenly road\,\nOut o’ his mouth come two edged sword.\n\nIf yo’ find yo’ way to God\,\ nThe gospel highway mus’ be trod.\n\nDe father he look upon de Son an’ smile\,\nDe Son he look on me\,\nDe Father redeem my soul from hell\,\nDe Son he set me free.\n\nI’m a chile of God wid my soul set free.\nFor Ch rist hab bought my liberty.\n\nI’m goin’ home fer to see my Lord.\nMy Lord did give me ease.\nEver since my Lord set me free.\nI believe it for God he tole me so.\nO my Lord’s comin’ ag’in\,\nIt may be las’ tim e. I don’t know.\nI goin’ to do all I can fer my Lord\; I goin’ to m ourn\, pray\, weep all I can fer my Lord.\nThe Lord is a listenin’ all t he day long.\nMy Lord is a talkin (preachin’) at de jedgement day.\nDe L ord goin’ to wake up the dead.\nMy Lord come down wid de key an’ unloc k de jail house do’.\nO\, my Lord’s a doctor in a weary lan’\;\nMy Lord’s a preachin’ and teachin’\, and walkin’ in a weary lan’.\ nMy Lord calls me by the thunder\; by the lightning.\nDat mus’ be my Lor d in the cloud.\n\nMy Lord says there’s room enough.\nI’m goin’ to t ell God ’bout my trials.\nThank God-a-mighty\, My God’s been here.\nWh en I talk I talk wid God.\n\nGwine to chatter wid de Fadder.\nMy Fadder ca ll an’ I mus’ go.\nMy righteous Lord shall fin’ you out.\nLook to de Lord wid a tender heart.\n[Pg 29]O de Lord He plant de garden dere and ra ise de fruit for you to eat.\nO de Lord He comfort sinner.\nGod did go to Moses house an’ tell him who He wus.\nGod an’ Moses walked and talke d an’ God did sho’ him who He wus.\n\nGod sits in Heaven an’ answers prayer.\nI gwine tell God how you sarved me.\nLook in my God’s right ha nd.\nHis chariot wheels roll round.\nGod’s goin’ call dem chilluns fru m de distant lan’.\nMy Lord’s a-ridin’ all the time.\nDe Lord has be en here an’ de love come tricklin’ down.\nMe an’ my God goin’ to walk an’ talk.\nO God don’t talk lak a nat’ral man.\nMy Lord God-er mighty come a steppin’ down\, come a steppin’ down on a sea ob glass.\ n\nHeaven for the negro is an eternal resting place where he shall occupy the best place. It is a place of glory and splendor in the material sense. Nor does he think that he will fail to miss his home when he dies. Hell i s a place for thieves and sinners and liars\, but such persons are far rem oved from him. His religion is the panacea for all evils and all sins\, an d when he has the “love of God in his heart” nothing can doom him\, fo r has he not been “washed in the blood of the lamb?” and had not the “blood done sign his name”? His ideas of heaven are those which his m ind naturally conceives of as applying to a home\; his conclusions from th e Scriptures are not unusual. A few of the references to heaven will give a better conception of the negro’s reality and vividness of interpretati on.\n\nI want to go to heaven when I die\,\nTo shout salvation as I fly.\n \nYou say yer aiming fer de skies\,\nWhy don’t yer quit yer tellin’ li es.\n\nI hope I git dere bye an’ bye\,\nTo jine de number in de sky.\n\n When I git to heaven gwine to ease\, ease\,\nMe an’ my God goin’ do as we please\,\nSettin’ down side o’ de holy Lamb.\n\nWhen I git to heav en goin set right down\,\nGwin-er ask my Lord fer starry crown.\n\nNow wai t till I gits my gospel shoes\,\nGwin-er walk ’bout heaven an’ carry d e news.\n\nWe’ll walk up an’ down dem golden streets\,\nWe’ll walk a bout Zion.\n[Pg 30]\nGwine sit in de kingdom\, I raly do believe\, where s abbaths have no end.\nLook way in de heaven—hope I’ll jine de band —Sittin’ in de kingdom.\nI done bin to heaven an’ I done bin’ trie d.\nDere’s a long white robe in de heaven for me\,\nDere’s a golden cr own\, golden harp\, starry crown\, silver slippers in heaven for me I know .\nO yes I’m gwine up to see my Lord\; gwine all de way up to see my rob e\; O de heaven is shinin’\, shinin’.\nGwine shout in hebben\, gwine h ab a big meetin’.\nIf you want to go to heaven come along wid me.\nTake my flight up to de skies in de mornin’.\nO de heaven gates are open.\nGw ine up to heaven where my Jesus dwells.\nMy Jesus walkin’ de hebbenly ro ad.\nDe bell is ringin’ in odder bright worl’.\nIf you touch one str in’ de whole hebben ring.\nDe sun gib light in de hebben all round.\nI w ish I wus in de kingdom settin’ side o’ my Lord.\nNo more hard trial i n de kingdom\; no more tribulation\, no more parting\, no more quarreling\ , backbiting in de kingdom\,\nNo more sunshine fer to bu’n you\; no more rain fer to wet you.\nEv’y day will be Sunday in heaven.\nSweet music i n heaven jes beginning to roll.\nGoin feast off’n milk an’ honey.\n\nT he negro does not dwell upon thoughts of hell as he does of heaven. Even i f he has “stepped over hell an’ come back ’gain\,” he does not rev eal so much of its character. Some conceptions\, however\, are definite en ough.\n\nO hell is deep an’ hell is wide\,\nO hell ain’t got no bottom or side.\n\nI’d rather pray myself away\,\nThan live in hell an’ burn one day.\n\nO when I git to hebben\, I’ll be able to tell\,\nHow I shun ned dat dismal hell.\n\nEv’y since my Lord done set me free\,\nDis ole w orl’ bin a hell to me.\nWhen I come to find out I’s on de road to hell \, I fleed to Jesus.\n\nThe negro song finds little satisfaction in his va rious ideas of hell. “This ole world’s a hell to me\,” says the negr o\; but “hell is a dark and dismal place\,” so that the only immediate conclusion which he[Pg 31] can reach is that he must “shun de gates of hell” and make for the home beyond the Jordan.\n\nA rich variety of refe rences to scriptural characters is seen in the majority of the negro spiri tuals\, both of the past and of the present. The negro portrays the conduc t of heroes in the past with imaginative skill. Their songs are often runn ing-stories of scripture\, in which the effort is made to include as many characters as possible and at the same time draw conclusions which have su itable morals\, but these songs may be better studied in the examples that follow. Some of the typical references to the Scriptures will show the av erage interpretation given them by the negroes.\n\nO\, sisters\, can’t y ou help me sing\,\nFor Moses’ sister did help him.\n\nWhere wus Ezekiel when de church fell down?\nDown in de valley wid his head hung down.\n\nEz ekiel said he spied de train a comin’\,\nHe got on board an’ she never stop runnin’.\n\nGod made Adam an’ Adam wus first\,\nGod made Adam out o’ the dust o’ the earth.\n\nWell God show Noah de rainbow sign\,\ nNo more water but fire nex’ time.\n\nMose live till he got old\,\nBurie d in de mountain so I’m told.\n\nMary wept and Martha mourned\,\nJesus C hrist laid de corner stone.\n\nMary wore the golden chain\,\nEvery link wa s in Jesus’ name.\n\nJudas was a deceitful man—\nWell he betrayed the innercent lam’.\n\nJohn wrote a letter an’ he wrote it in haste\,\nIf yer want to go to heaven\, you better make haste.\n\nJohn declar he saw a man\,\nWid seben lamps in his right han’.\n\nThe negroes wonder “whe r’s sister Mary\, Martha\, Brudder Moses\, brudder Daniel (and the other s) gone.” So\, too\, “Sister Hannah\, Hagar\, brudder Moses” and the rest “took dey seat.” And again\, “Wondah whar good ole Daniel\, doubtin’ Thomas\, sinkin’ Peter” and others. Moses “smote de wat er” and the negro says:\n\nI want to go where Moses trod\,\nFor Moses go ne to de house o’ God.\n\n[Pg 32]Peter is commanded again and again to “go ring dem bells”\; “Daddy Peter go to Jesus”\, “Fisherman Pe ter out at sea”\, the latter perhaps being the origin of “sinkin’ Peter.” Elijah is one of the favorites of the Old Testament. “Elijah g wine ride in de chariot in de mornin’”\, and Isaiah who “mounted on de wheel o’ time” is a kindred character to Ezekiel and Elijah. Jaco b’s ladder and struggle is vivid enough to be sung. “I’m gwine climb up Jacob’s ladder”\; “Rastlin’ Jacob\, let me go.” “Jacob t remblin’ on a limb.” Noah’s victory is the common theme. “Dey call Brudder Noah a foolish man”\, but that makes no difference for “de Lo rd tole Noah fer to build him ark”\, and “de ole ark a moverin.” The negro remarks characteristically: “God placed Adam in de garden\, ’ was ’bout de cool o’ day.” Gabriel is proverbial and the attitude of the singer is always ready “fer to hear Gabriel blow his horn.” “ Don’t you hear Gabriel’s trumpet in de mornin’”? “Little David p lay on de harp” has been a shining example for many another “David” who loved to blow on his harp. “Father Abraham sittin’ down side o’ de holy Lamb”\, is almost synonymous with Christ. Prominent among the cl ear impressions made by the Scriptures is that of the delivery of Daniel\, the Hebrew children and Jonah. However\, one must read the songs in order to get the full significance of the references.\n\nAlthough the negro bas es everything in his religion upon the Bible\, and his songs and sermons a nd exhortations abound in quotations from the “Holy word”\, he has com paratively little to say of the Bible itself as a book. He thinks sometime s that it is a “cumpass” and also bases his convictions on the truth o f the Bible. He asks “How do you know? For my Bible hit tell me so.”\n \nFor in dat Bible you will see.\nJesus died fer you an’ me.\nMatthew\, Mark\, Luke an’ John\nTell me where my Master’s gone.\n\nGo read de fi fth of Matthew\nAn’ read de chapter through\,\nIt is de guide to Christi ans\nAn’ tell ’em what to do.\n\nNow take yo’ Bible an’ read it th rough\,\nAn’ ev’y word you fin’ is true.\n\nAs the Bible is the comp ass\, so sometimes the Holy Ghost is thought[Pg 33] of as the pilot. The H oly Ghost is too vague for the negroes to fathom and is not tangible enoug h for their imaginations. But he says: “If this ain’t de holy Ghost I don’t know”\, but goes little further.\n\nJust as the negro expects to talk and walk with God and Jesus\, so he looks forward to seeing the an gels in Heaven. He wants to see them with their white robes and hear them sing\; he even says they mourn. “Bright angels hoverin’ on de water by de light”\, are but a part of the angel band which he hopes to join. “Join de hebben wid de angels” is his watchword and by it he sees in h is child-like fancy all the beauties of ideal creatures.\n\nI’m gwine to keep a climbin’ high\,\nTill I meet dem angels in de sky.\n\nDem pooty angels I shall see—\nWhy doan de debbil let a me be?\n\nO when I git to heaven goin’ sit an’ tell\,\nThree archangels gwine er ring dem bells. \n\nTwo white angels come a walkin’ down\,\nLong white robes an’ starr y crown.\n\nWhat’s dat yonder dat I see?\nBig tall angel comin’ after me.\n\nThe negro makes a terrible picture of the day of judgment. For him it means everything that could possibly happen at the end of the world. It is the destruction of the sinner and the glory of the righteous. Nor does he hesitate to affirm that the Christian in heaven will shout amen to the sinner’s damnation. The sinner will see his mother and friends in heave n while he is doomed to hell. It serves as a warning theme for the song mo re than it indicates reality of thought. But here is a part of his picture :\n\nMy Lord what a morning when de stars begin to fall\,\nYou’ll see de worl’ on fire\,\nYou’ll see de moon a bleedin’ an’\nDe moon will turn to blood\,\nDen you’ll see de elements a meltin’\,\nYou’ll see de stars a fallin’\,\nO yes\, de stars in de elements a fallin’\,\nA n’ de moon drips way in blood\,\nWhen God goin’ call dem childuns from de distant lan’\,\nDen you see de coffins bustin’\,\n[Pg 34]Den you s ee de bones a creepin’\,\nDen you see po’ sinner risin’\,\nDen you h ear de tombstones crackin’\,\nAn’ you see de graves a bustin’\,\nH ell an’ seas gwine give up their daid\,\nDen you see de forked lighten in’\,\nDen you hear de rollin’ thunder\,\nEarth shall reel an’ totte r\,\nHell shall be uncapped\,\nDe dragon be loosed\,\nDon’t you hear the m sinners cryin’?\n\nSuch a scene vividly told of at a revival and sung to the associations of the moment is too much for the average negro\; the sinner cries for mercy and turns to a Christian\; the latter sings: “Far e you well po’ sinner” and\n\nA mighty sea of glass mingled wid fier\, \nGood-bye\, brother\, I’m goin’ higher.\n\nAlong with the scenes whic h are associated with the resurrection and judgment go the sadder strains of the “mourners”\; “weepin’ mournin’\, cry’n’”—these wi ll be much in evidence. A study of the songs that follow will give some id ea of the emotional nature of the themes and music. The negroes sing sympa thy. “Weepin’ Mary\, weep no mo’”—“Mary wept\, Martha crie d”\, why can’t they too? “Now ain’t dis hard trial and tribulati on?” He sings often in his songs of hard times and trials. “When you s ee me\,” he says\, “pity me.” “Nobody knows de trubble I seen” but “I boun’ to leave dis worl’\; Fare you well\, dere’s a better day comin’.” His prayers are more pathetic than his songs\; his appea ls interpret the spirit of song and of worship. But one would scarcely loo k for a more pathetic wail than that of the negro who sings\n\nSometimes I hangs my head an’ cries\,\nBut Jesus goin’ to wipe my weep’n’ eye s.\n\nIf the negro loves to mourn and if his songs are full of sadness and pathos\, he also loves to shout and vigorously defends the right to shout as much as he pleases. His songs have many “Hallelujahs” in them\; ma ny notes of victory may be read in the songs of his choice. They often sin g\, however\, the songs which should be the most joyous in the same sad an d plaintive tone of the sadder ones. They forget the words. In many\, howe ver\, the shouting takes away any sadness and these livelier songs voice t he light and sensuous emotions equally[Pg 35] as well as the more serious ones tell of hardships. The negro maintains that always and everywhere\, “You’ll hear the Christian shout.” “De richest man I ever seed\, his heart was fill wid Jesus an’ Holy Ghost.” “I got de glory in m y soul” he says and\n\nI real’y do b’lieve widout a doubt\,\nDat de church hab a mighty right to shout.\n\nI tell you what I lak de bes’\,\n It is dem shoutin’ Mefodes’.\n\nIf the negro’s mother and sister and father and preacher and the others\, as the songs put it\, “died a shou tin’\,” why he is “goin’ die shoutin’ too.”\n\nGwine hab hap py meetin’\,\nGwine shout in hebben\,\nGwine shout an’ nebber tire\,\n O slap yo’ han’s chilluns\,\nO pat yo’ feets chilluns\,\nI feels de spirit movin’\nO now I’m gittin’ happy.\n\nOf true love and devotion to God one finds little definite and concrete expressions as compared wit h other themes. The negro is constantly affirming his love for “his Je sus” and offering his eternal allegiance in a general way. But in the av erage instance the testimony is subordinated to some special word or phras e which receives the greater part of the significance in the song. What do es he mean when he asks: “Does yo’ love continue true?” or when he i nsists: “I wants to know\, does you love yo’ Jesus?” The negroes are often heard to say that they want to do something “for the Lord”. In the same way they sing “I goin’ to weep all I can for my Lord\, I go in’ pray all I can for my Lord\, I goin’ do all I can for my Lord.” In each case the relation of the negro and his God are ideal and he concei ves of his own deeds as being\, not the practical every-day life\, but as coming in the future when there will be nothing unpleasant about them. It was doubted if the negro’s ideas of God and Heaven and his relation to t hem were truly expressed in his songs. A series of experiments were made w ith negro children\, wherein questions were answered by them at the time t hey were given\, others being carried to their homes or teachers. Their id eas of hell and heaven\, God and the angels are almost identical. Perhaps some of them were gained from[Pg 36] the songs\; some of them were certain ly not\; all seemed to agree with each other and with those of the race in a remarkable way.\n\nNature contributes something to the negro spirituals . Certain parts of nature are symbolic and serve to convey the picture of a vivid imagination as nothing else can do. The wonders of God and the ter rors of the judgment must be seen in their relation and effect upon the fo rces of nature. Certain natural phenomena inspire awe and reverence\; they add thus to the conception of his religious fear. Other references to nat ure convey\, as they only could\, pleasing features of life\, hence of hea ven and God. The negro refers to the “break o’ day”\, the “set tin’ o’ the sun”\, the “cool o’ de evenin’” and each is very expressive. Morning and evening are common\; he prays in the evening perh aps\; in the morning he is going to heaven. The hillside\, the mountain an d mountain top\, the valley\, signify and typify the experiences of the Ch ristian of the past and present\; the heavenly breeze comes from the valle y. The negro sees a paradise and a wilderness\, a sunshine and a storm. Bu t\n\nDere’s a tree in paradise\,\nChristians call de tree ob life\,\n\na nd he faithfully believes “I specs to eat de fruit off’n dat tree”. The earth trembles and is jarred\; the sky is “shook.” The river is “chilly an’ cold\, wide an’ deep.” The “rock” is better than t he miry clay and “nebber mind de sun—see how she run.” The stars\, m oon\, and world fall\, bleed\, and burn. The thunder and the lightning are in the stormy cloud\; Jesus may be\, too. Satan is a snake in the grass a nd a hunting dog. Young lambs and “de sheep done know de road.” The su mmer\, spring\, flowers and the field are mentioned. The negro wishes he h ad wings like Noah’s dove. He is sometimes awed:\n\nI looked toward dat northern pole\,\nI seed black clouds of fire roll.\n\nWith his vivid imagi nation the negro feels much of the thought expressed in the folk-song. Thu s sin and the sinner are intimately connected with life and death\, religi on and repentance. How skillfully the songs express the folk-feeling may b etter be inferred in the further analysis of the following\n\n [Pg 37]\n\n Types of Negro Spirituals.\n\nAn exact classification of negro songs\, eit her as to subject-matter or as to form\, is scarcely possible. There is li ttle unity of thought in their content\; their metres conform to no consis tent standards. A single favorite stanza\, regardless of its meaning\, is constantly being sung in a dozen different songs. It is a distinct folk-so ng\; and it matters little to which one it belongs\; it serves its purpose in any one of them. So in the form of the verse\, a single tune is adapte d to lines that differ widely in length\; likewise a single line is not in frequently made to fit into any tune that is desired. Again\, no final ver sion of any song can be given. The lines are rarely sung in exactly the sa me form. There are ordinarily as many versions of a line as there are comb inations of the words without spoiling the effect of the rhyme or emphatic word. The stanzas have no order of sequence\, but are sung as they occur in the mind of the singer\; a song does not have a standard number of stan zas\, but the length depends upon the time in which it is wanted to sing t hat particular song. In the songs that follow the most common versions are given. In giving the dialect no attempt is made at consistency\; for the negro of the present generation has no consistency of speech. He uses “t he” and “de”\, “them” and “dem”\, “gwine ” and “goin’”\, “and” and “an’”\, together with many oth er varied forms\, which will be noted in a later chapter\; nor does it mat ter that each of the forms is used in the same line or stanza. In the old songs that are here quoted for comparisons\, the exact form of speech in w hich they have been published is used. In the miscellaneous songs gathered here and there\, what may be called the average dialect is used. The song s that form the basis of this work are those that are found among the pres ent-day negroes of the South\; in many cases the corresponding song of ear lier days is given in order that a better study of the folk-songs may be m ade and the many points of resemblance noted. In all instances the basis o f the chapter is the present-day song\, and these should not be confused w ith those that have already been published. The words of the chorus and re frain are italicized. Further particulars will be pointed out in connectio n with the several songs.\n\nPerhaps no better beginning can be made towar ds general classification of the religious songs of the negroes than by in troducing some[Pg 38] that combine several characteristics\, but still hav e a general theme predominating. Sin is an important factor in the religio us life of the negro and his songs refer to it in many forms. The three ge neral tones which pervade the theme are: A note of victory over sin and th e conception of it as being in the past or belonging to some other person\ ; the conception of sin as being present and the singer as being in its gr asp\; and thirdly\, the “sinner-man” himself and warnings given him. T he very popular song\, “All my Sins Done Taken Away” is typical of the first class mentioned above. There is no reason why the stanzas given bel ow should come in the order presented\, except that they are heard in this arrangement as much as in any other. The stanzas consist of two rhymed li nes with the refrain. These\, however\, are usually extended to four\, the first two and refrain being sung slowly and in a more or less plaintive t one\, while the repetition of the same lines with the rhymed line and refr ain are rapid and joyous. The common version follows.\n\nI’m goin’ to heaven an’ I don’t want ter stop\,\nYes\, I’m goin’ to heaven an’ I don’t want ter stop\,\nAll o’ my sins done taken away\, taken away\;\nI’m goin’ to heaven an’ I don’t want ter stop\,\nAn’ I don’t want ter be no stumblin’ block\,\nAll my sins done taken away\, taken away.\n\nInstead of repeating the chorus line at the end of the fir st two lines that are sung\, the negroes often vary the song by repeating the last half of the line\, as in the following stanza:\n\nWell “M” fo r Mary\, an’ “P” for Paul\,\nWell “M” for Mary\, an’ “ P” for Paul\,\nAn’ “P” for Paul\;\nWell “M” for Mary a n’ “P” for Paul.\n“C” for Chris’ who died for us all\,\nAll o’ my sins done taken away\, taken away.\n\nThe chorus is again varied f rom “all my sins” to “all o’ my sins” or “all of my sins\, ” “done taken away\,” or “bin taken away\,” while the entire lin e is sometimes changed in a single stanza. Sometimes it is sung as given a bove\; at other times the line goes: “All my sins done taken away\, bi n’ taken away\,” or omitting either “done” or “bin” it is sung equally well as “All my sins taken away\, taken away\,” while in the grand chorus at the climax of song the chorus goes:\n\n[Pg 39]Yes all o’ my sins bin taken away\,\nYes all my sins done taken away\,\n\nYes all o’ my sins done taken away\,\nYes all my sins done taken away\,\nGlory\, glory to His name-e\,\nAll my sins done taken away\, taken away.\n\nThis last chorus may be repeated whenever the singers do not think of words to fit in with the songs\, although this is rarely necessary. The following s tanzas are sung in the same manner as those just given.\n\nIf I had er die d when I wus young\,\nI never would a had dis rist to run\,\nAll o’ my s ins done taken away\, taken away.\n\nWell you oughter bin dere to see de s ight\,\nThe peoples come runnin’ both cullud an’ white.\n\nMy feet got wet in de midnight dew\,\nAn’ de mornin’ star was a witness\, too.\n\ nIf you doan b’leave I bin redeem\,\nJes follow me down to Jordan stream .\n\nWhen a sinner see me it make him laugh\,\nThank God-a-mighty\, I’m free at las’.\n\nMary wept an’ Martha mourned\,\nMary wept all ’roun d the throne.\n\nMary wept an’ Martha mourned\,\nAll because deir brothe r done daid an’ gone.\n\nMary wept an’ Martha cried\,\nAll ’cause de y brother done gone an’ died.\n\nI’m goin’ to ride on de mornin’ t rain\,\nAll don’t see me goin’ ter hear me sing.\n\nI’m gwine to hea ven on eagle’s wing\,\nAll don’t see me goin’ ter hear me sing.\n\nM y mother’s sick an’ my father’s daid\,\nGot nowhere to lay my weary head.\n\nI went down in de valley to pray\,\nMy soul got happy an’ I sta yed all day.\n\nA number of other versions are common. Instead of “Mary wept all ’round the throne” is sung “all ’round God’s hebbenly throne.” Instead of the morning star as a witness the old songs have it “angels witness too.” Instead of in the valley\, the old songs also had “on de mountain” and also inserted “I didn’t go dere to sta y.” This[Pg 40] version is sung in some of the songs still. “The Sabba th has no End” is the name of a favorite somewhat similar to “All my s ins done taken away.” It has a number of forms for the chorus.\n\nI went down in de valley\,\nI didn’t go ter stay\,\nMy little soul got happy\n An’ I like to a stayed all day.\n\nI thought I had religion\, I b’liev e\nI thought I had religion\, I b’lieve.\nI thought I had religion\, I b’lieve\,\nDat Sabbath hath no end.\n\nI wouldn’t be a sinner\,\nTell you de reason why—\nFeard de good Lord might call me\,\nAn I wouldn’t be ready ter die.\n\nGwine rock trubbel over\, I b’lieve\,\nRock trubbe l over\, I b’lieve\,\nRock trubbel over\, I b’lieve\,\nDat Sabbath has no end.\n\nOle Satan’s mighty busy\,\nFixin’ up his snares\,\nHe’ll ketch all dem mourners\,\nIf dey don’t keep deir prayers.\n\nYer better get ready\, I b’lieve\nYer better get ready\, I b’lieve\,\nYer better get ready\, I b’lieve\,\nDat Sabbath has no end.\n\nThe singer is a lit tle more definite in his convictions in “I am de light uv de Worl’”. He is no longer a sinner and looks forward to the time when he will “cr oss de ribber.”\n\nHallaluyer\, good Lord\,\nI am de light uv de worl’ \,\nHalleluyer\, good Lord\,\nI am de light uv de worl’.\n\nEver since m y Lord done sot me free\,\nDis ole worl’ bin a hell to me\,\nI am de lig ht uv de worl’.\n\nI looked toward dat Northern pole\,\nI seed black clo uds of fier roll\,\nI am de light uv de worl’.\n[Pg 41]\nI gwine ’clar e de word\,\nI am de light uv de worl’\,\nI’m gwine ’clar de word\,\ nI am de light uv de worl’.\n\nDer ain’t but one train on dis track\,\ nGoes straight to heaven an’ run right back.\nI am de light uv de worl ’.\n\nEver since I bin in de worl’\,\nI am de light uv de worl’\,\nE ver since I been in de worl’\,\nI am de light uv de worl’.\n\nWhen I c ross Jordan I’ll be free\,\nGwine a slip an’ slide dem golden streets\ ,\nI am de light uv de worl’.\n\n’Way up in de kingdom\, Lord\,\nI am de light uv de worl’\,\n’Way up in de kingdom\, Lord\,\nI am de light uv de worl’.\n\nThe negro is not troubled because he cannot see his Lord \; he has heard Him speak and believes that He has gone “on to glory.” His personal relation with Jesus is satisfactory and he sings His praises often as he tells of his own experiences. Says he:\n\nOne day\, one day\, while walkin’ along\,\nJesus done bless my soul\;\nI heard a voice an ’ saw no one\,\nJesus done bless my soul.\n\nO go an’ tell it on de mo untain\,\nJesus done bless my soul\;\nO go an’ tell it in de valley\,\nJ esus done bless my soul.\n\nHe done bless my soul an’ gone on to glory\, Good Lord\,\nJesus done bless my soul\;\nDone bin here an’ bless my sou l an’ gone on to glory.\nJesus done bless my soul.\n\nIn one of the old plantation songs a similar idea is given of the blessing\, but in a differ ent version.\n\nOne day when I wus walkin’ along\, Oh yes\, Lord\,\nDe e lement opened\, an’ de Love came down\, Oh yes\, Lord\,\nI never shall f orget dat day\, Oh yes\, Lord\,\nWhen Jesus washed my sins away\, Oh yes\, Lord.\n\nAnother chorus inquired: “O brothers where were you? O sisters [Pg 42] where were you? O sinners\, O Christians\, O mourners\, etc.\, whe re were you?” for “My good Lord’s bin here\, bin here\, bin here\; M y good Lord’s bin here\, An’ he blessed my soul an’ gone.” So the negro exhorters often conclude their services\, saying that the Lord has b een to the meeting and gone. Said one deacon who was exhorting for a large collection: “De good Lord’s done bin with us to-night—I knows he ha s\, done been here an’ gone\, an’ now we wants to git down to bizness\ , I wants some money.”\n\nAgain\, the negro fresh and enthusiastic from his religious experience and having “come through” sings with some rel ief:\n\nI have been tryin a great long while\,\nLord\, I jus’ got over o n yo’ side.\n\nLord\, I jus’ got over-er\,\nLord\, I jus’ got over\, \nLord\, I jus’ got over-er\,\nI jus’ got over on yo’ side.\n\nI p ray’d an’ I pray till I come over\,\nLord\, I jus’ got over on yo’ side.\n\nSo also he “weeps” and he “mourns” and “cries” til l he “gets over on the Lawd’s side.” Then he sings “O de sunshin e\,”\n\nO the sunshine\, O the sunshine\,\nO sunshine in my soul this mo rnin’\,\nYes the sunshine\, the sunshine\,\nYes sun shine in my soul.\n\ nDown in the valley\, down on my knees\,\nSunshine in my soul\,\nThere I m et that heavenly breeze\,\nSunshine in my soul.\n\nOle devil like a snake in the grass\,\nSunshine in my soul\,\nHe’s always in some sister’s pa th\,\nSunshine in my soul.\n\nWhile the song is also sung at times with mo re dialect\, it lends itself more readily to the above form. Very much mix ed and somewhat similar to those already given is “Bless the Name.”\ n\nI’ve got to go to judgment\, I don’t know how soon\,\nLord bless th e name\, Lord bless the name\,\nI’ve got to go to judgment to hear my si ns\,\nLord bless the name\, Lord bless the name.\n[Pg 43]\nMy Jesus fed me when I’s hungry\, gave me drink when I’s dry\,\nLord bless the name\, Lord bless the name\,\nMy Jesus clothed me when I was naked\,\nLord bless the name\, Lord bless the name.\n\nIn the same song and with the same tun e are sung the shorter lines that follow. The chorus is often sung “Lo r’ bless the name”\, and is a form of the phrase “Bless the name of the Lord.” It is used as a refrain after each line or it may be omitted. \n\nMary wept and Martha mourned\,\nLord bless the name\, Lord bless the n ame\,\nJesus Chris’ laid the corner of stone\,\nLord bless the name\, Lo rd bless the name.\n\nMary wore the golden chain\,\nEvery link was in Jesu s’ name.\n\nYou may talk about me just as you please\,\nI’ll talk abou t you when I git on my knees.\n\nGod made man an’ man was sure\,\nThere was no sin an’ his heart was pure.\n\nGod made Adam an’ Adam was first \,\nGod made Adam out o’ the dust o’ the earth.\n\nThe old slave songs also had other interpretations of man’s creation which differ slightly in particular from the last stanza quoted. One form occurs in\n\nGod made man an’ he made him out o’ clay\,\nSettin’ on de golden altar\,\nA n’ he put him on de earth but he did not stay\,\nSettin’ on de golden altar.\n\nA favorite chorus for the old spiritual was: “What you gwine d o when de lamp burns down?” So there was also another version of the wee ping of Mary and Martha:\n\nMary wept an’ Martha cried\,\nTo see deir Sa viour crucified\,\nWeepin’ Mary weep no mo’\,\nJesus say he gone bef o’.\n\nIt proves an interesting task to follow the development and chang es in a song that has survived from slavery days. In “Free\, free my L ord”\, one of the verses was quite a puzzle. During the recent summer th e following stanza was heard:\n\n[Pg 44]The moon come down like a piper’ s stem\,\nThe sun ’fuse to shine\,\nAn’ ev’y star disappear\,\nKing Jesus set me free.\n\nInquiry was made in order to see if the words had no t been misunderstood. The older negroes gave this version and insisted tha t it was correct\, but none of them could explain what it meant. It was th ought that perhaps it was a figure applied to the moon’s rays or that th e loss of the sun might have meant the peculiar appearance of the moon. An yway\, they maintained\, this was the “way we got de song an’ guess it must be right.” The words of the original song were\,\n\nThe moon run d own in purple stream\,\nThe sun forbear to shine\,\nAn’ ev’y star disa ppear\,\nKing Jesus shall be mine\,\n\nof which there seemed to be several versions. Other verses that are found to-day are:\n\nAs I went down in de valley one day\,\nI fell upon my knees\,\nI begged and cried fer pardon\, \nThe Lord did give me ease.\n\nFree\, free\, my Lord\,\nFree\, free\, my Lord\,\nFree\, free\, my Lord\,\nTo march de heaven’s highway.\n\nThe Lo rd called Moses\,\nMoses refuse to answer\,\n\nFree\, free\, etc.\n\nMy mo ther look at de son an’ smile\,\nMy Father look at me\,\nMy mother turn my soul from hell\,\nKing Jesus set me free\,\n\nis an unusual variation a nd interpretation of the old song\; just how and when the negro inserted t he idea of mother would be difficult to ascertain\; perhaps it came from “master\,” or more likely it was introduced by them while they interp reted father and son as names of the ordinary members of a human family. T he original form seems to have been\,\n\nDe Father\, he looked on de Son a nd smiled\,\n[Pg 45]De Son\, he looked on me\;\nDe Father\, he redeemed my soul from hell\;\nAn’ de Son\, he set me free.\n\nThe chorus\, too\, ha s been much confused and is given as “Children light on dat cross\, God bless you forever mo’.” The song is not a common one among the negroes and is not known\, apparently\, among the younger ones. In contrast with this favorite of the older negroes may be given a favorite of the younger generation\, “Glad I got religion.” The repetition represents pretty w ell the relative depth of the feeling which the convert feels. But he love s to sing it for its pleasing sound and for the faith it gives him in his own religious state. The song is a long and continued chorus and may well be taken as a type of the song which reflects the negro’s feeling of imm unity from sin.\n\nI’m so glad\, so glad\; I’m so glad\, so glad\,\nGl ad I got religion\, so glad\,\nGlad I got religion\, so glad.\n\nI’m so glad\, so glad\; I’m so glad\, so glad\,\nI’m glad all over\, so glad\ ,\nI’m glad all over\, so glad.\n\nI’m so glad\, so glad\; I’m so gl ad\, so glad\,\nGlad I bin’ changed\, so glad.\nGlad I bin’ changed\, so glad.\n\nAnd so he continues singing\; he is glad that he is goin’ to heaven\, he is glad that he is not a sinner\, glad he has been set free\, and many other such states. Then when he has finished he begins all over again\, if he wishes and sings: “Sister\, ain’t you glad? Brother\, ain’t you glad?” and goes through with as many of these as he wishes\, preacher\, mourner\, auntie\, and the others.\n\nThe “sinner-man” is the theme for many verses of the negro favorites. Directed at him are warn ings and admonitions. He is told what he must do and when\; how he must do and why. He is told of the experiences of the Christians and he is told o f the doom of the damned. The negro rejoices over his own safety and boast s of the sinner’s destruction\; at the same time he constantly refers to the “po’ sinner” in a sympathetic way. But the sinner must be warne d:\n\nGod knows it’s time\, it’s time\, it’s time\,\nThat a sinner w as makin’ up his min’\nIt’s time\, it’s time he was makin’ up his min’ to die.\n\nA sinner was walkin’ off his time\, his time\,\n An’ when my God call him he did not have the time\,\nGod know it was tim e\, it was time\, it was time for him to die.\n\n[Pg 46]Again the words of the righteous to the sinner are driven home by repetition\, and\, by a da rk and dismal picture\,\n\nO hell is deep an’ hell is wide\,\nO hell is deep an’ hell is wide\,\nO hell is deep an’ hell is wide\,\nO hell a in’t got no bottom or side.\n\nWell before I lay in hell all day\, hell all day\,\nWell before I lay in hell all day\, hell all day\,\nWell before I lay in hell all day\, hell all day\,\nI goin’ to sing an’ pray myse lf away\, self away.\n\nO sinner don’t you let this harves’ pass\, h arves’ pass\,\nO sinner don’t you let this harves’ pass\, harves’ pass\,\nO sinner don’t you let this harves’ pass\, harves’ pass\,\nD o you die an’ got to hell at las’\, hell at las’.\n\nThe sinner may be a gambler or a dancer or a rogue or a drunkard. But each name has the s ame signification in the religious phraseology of the negro song. There ar e various ways of repenting and of serving the Lord just as there are as m any ways of offending and sinning against him. “Workin’ on the Build ing” appeals to the average negro.\n\nIf I wus a sinner man\, I tell you what I’d do\,\nI’d lay down all my sinful ways an’ work on the buil ding\, too.\n\nI’m workin’ on the building fer my Lord\,\nFer my Lord\ , fer my Lord\,\nI’m workin’ on the building fer my Lord\,\nI’m wo rkin’ on the building\, too.\n\nIf I wus a gamblin’ man\, I tell you w hat I’d do\,\nI’d lay down all my gamblin’\, an’ work on the build ing\, too.\n\nIf I was a ho-munger\, I tell you what I’d do\,\nI’d lay down all my munglin’ and work on the building\, too.\n\nAnd so he sings for the dancer and the drunkard and the “cussin’ man.” So in anothe r song the negro sings of the sinners and mourners.\n\nIf I wus a mourner jus’ like you\,\n‘u-m-u’\,\nI’d go to church an’ try to come thru’\,\n‘um-u’.\n\nWhen I was a mourner\, um-u’\, jus’ lak you \,\nI prayed an’ prayed till I come thru\, um-u’.\n\nUpon de mountain King Jesus spoke\, um-u’\,\nOut of his mouth come fier an smoke\, um-u ’.\nNow mourner won’t you please come on\, um-u’\,\nAn’ join us in that heavenly lan’\, um-u’.\n\n[Pg 47]In the “Downward road is cr owded” a mournful picture is given of the sinner who failed to repent. H is example is held up for the contemplation of those who are following in his steps.\n\nYoung people who delight in sin\,\nI tell you what I lately seen\,\nA po’ godless sinner die\,\nAn’ he said: “In hell I soon ’ll lie.”\n\nHark\, the downward road is crowded\, crowded\, crowded\, \nYes the downward road is crowded with onbelievin’ souls.\n\nHe call hi s mother to his bed\,\nAn’ these is the dyin’ words he said\,\nMother\ , mother\, I long farewell\,\nYour wicked son is damned in hell.\n\nHe dan ce an’ play hisself away\,\nAn’ still put off his dyin’ day\,\nUntil at las’ ole death was sent\,\nAn’ it ’us too late fer him to repent .\n\nThey also sing of mother and sister being called to the bedside. The old plantation song of the same name had a similar chorus but the stanzas were quite different.\n\nWhen I wus a sinner\,\nI loved my distance well\, \nBut when I come to fin’ myself\,\nI was hangin’ over hell.\n\nOle Satan’s might busy\,\nHe follers me night an’ day\,\nAn’ every whe re I ’pinted\,\nDere’s something in my way.\n\nThe Lord will come to j udge the world and wake up the dead. It is the supreme ambition of the sin ger to be ready to meet his Lord when He comes. Just what form the Lord wi ll take the negro does not say\; perhaps it will be in a cloud or fire or He will come as in the days of Moses. “My Lord’s comin’ again” giv es a general conception.\n\nO my Lord’s comin’ again\,\nO my Lord’ s comin’ again\,\n(Talk about it:)\nYes my Lord’s comin’ again\,\nIt may be las’ time\, I don’t know.\n\nWell he’s comin’ to judge t he worl’\,\nWell he’s comin’ to judge the worl’\,\n[Pg 48](Talk ab out it:)\nYes my Lord’s comin’ to judge the worl’\,\nIt may be las ’ time\, I don’t know.\n\nWell you had better put off lyin’ shoes\,\ nWell you better put off lyin’ shoes\,\n(Talk about it:)\nBetter put off lyin’ shoes\,\nFor it may be las’ time\, I don’t know.\n\nAnd so he sings “Better put off dancin’ shoes”\, “better put off gambli n’ shoes”. For the sinner’s shoes will not be suitable to “walk on the cross”. He sings: “God’s goin’ to wake up the Dead” and mak es a beautiful melody out of the simple repetition.\n\nGoin’ to wake up the dead\,\nGoin’ to wake up the dead\,\nGod goin’ to wake up the dead \,\nWho’s a sleepin’ in the grave\,\nGod is goin’ to wake up the dea d.\nYou had better min’ my brother how you walk on the cross\,\nGod’s goin’ to wake up the dead\;\nIf yo’ right foot slip\, then yo’ soul be los’\nGod goin’ wake up the dead.\n\nThen “you better min’ my s ister\, my brother\, my mother\, my preacher” are sung. The old song con tained words similar to the lines just given\, with the chorus: “De youn g lambs mus’ fin’ de way”:\n\nMy brudder better mind how you walk on de cross\,\nFor yo’ foot might slip an’ yo’ soul git lost\,\n\nBett er mind dat sun\, and see how she run\,\nAn’ mind don’t let her catch ye wid yer works undone.\n\nBut the sinner sometimes gets confused\, it wo uld seem\; sometimes he heeds the preacher’s warnings\, sometimes he sco ffs at them. Often he does not hear them. More rarely he inquires into con ditions. In the lines which follow the negroes make each a stanza\, repeat ing three times. It perhaps represents the retort of the “sinner man.” \n\nSome goin’ thru’ Jordan\, some tryin’ to go ’round.\nThe M ef’dis’ they say sprinklin’\, de Baptis say’ baptize.\nNow Lord th e sinner man so hard to believe\,\nNow Lord sinner man want you to show hi m de way\n\nBut the sinner gets little reply to his inquiries. “Time is comin’ when sinner mus’ die” and there is none so pitiable as the lo st sinner.\n\n[Pg 49]Sinner\, die\, sinner die\,\nSinner dies wid his head hung down\,\nSinner die\, sinner die\,\nSinner die in de midnight dew.\n\ nSinner die\, sinner die\,\nSinner die\, with achin’ heart\,\nSinner die \, sinner die\,\nSinner die with weary min’.\n\nStump’ty up an’ st ump’ty down\,\nTime is comin’ when sinner mus’ die\,\nHurry home\, h urry home\;\nTime is a comin’ sinner mus’ die.\nDon’t you let that s inner change yo’ min’\,\nTime is comin’ sinner mus’ die.\nHurry ho me\, hurry home\;\nTime is comin’ sinner mus’ die.\n\nThe plantation s ong of some years ago\, sometimes called “O sinner\, you better get re ady”\, had the same line refrain\, “Time is a comin’ dat sinner mus’ die.” The repetition of “sinner die”\, is a new addition. In the old song were lines similar to those quoted:\n\nO sinner man you bette r pray\,\nFor it look a like judgment every day.\n\nI heard a lumb’ring in de sky\,\nDat make a me tink my time was nigh.\n\nI heard of my Jesus a many one say\,\nCould ’move poor sinner’s sins away.\n\nYes\, I’d r ather pray myself away\,\nDan to lie in hell an’ burn a one day.\n\nI th ink I heard my mother say—\n’Twas a pretty thing to serve the Lord.\n\ nO when I git to heaven I’ll be able fer to tell\,\nO how I shun dat dis mal hell.\n\nIn addition to the line-refrain which was sung after each lin e of the song\, an additional chorus followed at intervals\; this chorus h ad “ready my Lord” where the new one has a short line\, “Hurry hom e”.\n\nOh\, sinner\, you’d better get ready\, ready my Lord\,\nOh\, si nner\, you’d better get ready.\n\nAn interesting type of song is that in which an imaginary conversation is carried on between two parties. If the song is correctly[Pg 50] rendered the leader or one part of the chorus si ng the first part or take the words of one of the speakers\, while the oth er chorus take up the other speaker’s words. Both then join in the grand refrain\, which in the following song is “Lord\, I’m on my way”.\n\ nSinner\, what you goin’ to do\nWhen de devil git you?\nWhat you goin’ do\nWhen de devil git you?\nWhat you goin’ do\nWhen de devil git you?\n Lord\, I’m on my way.\n\nI’m goin’ run to the rocks.\nWell\, they can’t hide you.\nGoin’ run to the rocks—\nThey can’t hide you\;\nR un to the rocks\,\nWell\, they can’t hide you\,\nLord\, I’m on my way. \n\nI’m goin’ to run to the water\;\nAn’ water goin’ to cry “f ire”\,\nGoin’ to run to the water\,\nAn’ water cry “fire”\,\nRun to the water\,\nAn’ water cry “fire”\,\nLord\, I’m on my way.\n\n And so the sinner will then “run to the mountain\,” and “De mountain fly open” or “De mountain cry mercy.” The sinner must needs be hope less at his death and there is neither mercy nor pity for him. It is the i dea of the negro that at the great day “we won’t be bothered with them any mo’”. A sad picture he makes of the poor\, and forsaken man who d ies “with achin’ heart”\, with “weary min’”\, and with his “ head hung down”. Consequently it is not surprising to find appeals of al l sorts made to the sinner man\; now he is told of his doom\, now of possi ble salvation\, now of the joys of being saved\, now of immediate satisfac tion. Sung like the above song is “Come\, sinner\, come”.\n\nWon’t y ou come\, won’t you come?\nCome\, sinner\, come\;\nGreat day of wrath is comin’\,\nCome\, sinner\, come.\n\nLook over yonder what I see\;\nCome\ , sinner\, come\;\nTwo tall angels comin’ after me\,\nCome\, sinner\, co me.\n\n[Pg 51]In the same manner he sings\, “Won’t you come an’ se e yo’ Lord?” and “Ole Satan like a snake in de grass\, Always in som e sister’s path\,” “Ole Satan weahs mighty loose ole shoe\, Ef you don’t min’ gwine slip it on you”. “Up on hill side King Jesus spo ke\, Out of his mouth come fier an’ smoke”\, “Down in de valley\, do wn on my knees\, Ask de Lord to save me if He please”\, and others. The plantation song asked\,\n\nO whar you runnin’\, sinner?\nI do love de Lo rd\;\nDe Judgment day is comin’\,\nI do love de Lord\;\n\nYou’ll see d e worl’ on fire\,\nI do love de Lord\;\nYou’ll see de element a melt in’\,\nI do love de Lord.\n\nBesides these stanzas there were sung the v arious other warnings such as have been given in the idea of Judgment and Resurrection already noted. In the old slave song the sinner asks:\n\nMy L ord\, My Lord\, what shall I do?\nAn’ heaven bell ring an’ praise God. \n\nWhat shall I do for hiding place?\nI run to de sea but de sea run dry. \nI run to de gate but de gate shut fast.\nNo hiding place for sinner dere .\nFor I am gone an’ sent to hell.\n\nInstead of the regular refrain whi ch is sung by the chorus of voices in response to a line by the leader\, t he negroes often respond with “um-m’” in a general mingling of chant \, humming\, and “amens”. For the most part they do this with closed l ips\; the volume is surprisingly strong\, however\, and makes a stirring e ffect. The meaning of the expression is something like “Yes?” or “Of course\, we know it is true” or “Sure\, you talkin’ brother”. The singer says: “I look for Jesus all my days”\, and the chorus answer s\, “um-u’” and he then continues\,\n\nAn’ when I found him this i s what he said\,\num-u’\nYo’ sin forgiven an’ you soul set free\,\ num-u’\n\nI pray all night\, an’ I pray all day\, um-u’ um-u’\,\nT hen my Lord taken my sins away\, um-u’\, um-u’.\n[Pg 52]\nNex’ day \, nex’ day while walkin’ along\, um-u’\, um-u’\,\nI heard a voi ce an’ saw no one\, um-u’\, um-u’\,\nIt said\, sinner man\, you bett er come home\, um-u’\, um-u’.\n\nOne day I was walkin’ long dat lone some road\, um-u’\, um-u’\,\nKing Jesus spoke unto me an’ lifted off dat load\, um-u’.\n\nAgain\, “Brother\, you’d Better be a Prayi n’”\, while mostly repetition makes a long song when sung to its lim it. “Sister”\, “Sinner”\, “Backslider”\, “Mourner”\, “ Children”\, each serves to make a complete stanza of eight lines:\n\nBro ther you’d better be a prayin’\,\nBrother\, you’d better be a pray in’\,\nMy brother\, you’d better be a prayin’\,\nAn’ I’ll be car ried above\,\nAn’ I’ll be carried above\,\nAn’ I’ll be carried a bove\,\nI’ll see king Jesus in his reign\,\nAn’ I’ll be carried abov e.\n\nThe chorus song\, “Wheel in middle of Wheel” is most likely a va riation of the old song “Wheel in a wheel” which was “run by love\, by faith\,” and was sometimes conceived as a chariot wheel upon which “gwine take a ride\, On de chariot wheel”\, for “de chariot’s co min’\, O my Lord”. Sometimes the wheel was conceived as being a “Lit tle wheel a-turnin’ in my heart”\, in which case it signified some sor t of feeling. The phrase means nothing more than a chorus in the present-d ay song.\n\nO sinner man\, how can it be?\nWheel in de middle of wheel\,\n If you don’t serve God\, you can’t serve me\,\nWheel in de middle of w heel.\n\nIn the wheel\, in the wheel\,\nWheel in de middle of wheel\,\nIn the wheel\, in the wheel\,\nWheel in the middle of wheel.\n\nWell don’t you know it’s prayin’ time?\nWheel in middle of wheel\;\nLay down yo ’ way an’ go to God\,\nWheel in middle of wheel.\n\nWell don’t you k now it’s mournin’ time?\nWheel in middle of wheel\;\nHe’ll hear yo ’ prayers an’ sanctify\,\nWheel in middle of wheel.\n\n[Pg 53]Jesus an d God are represented as “Listenin’ all the day long”\, and the sinn er is directed to pray. The plantation songs called to him: “Where you g oin’ sinner? O come back\, don’t go dat way.” And one of the singers affirmed that “about the break o’ day” his sins were forgiven and “his soul set free.” The song “Jesus is a listenin’” seems at s ome time to have been considerably corrupted. The negroes have sung it: “I’ve been a listenin’ all day long\, and all night long\, to hear s ome sinner pray.” However\, the correct version now seems to be:\n\nJesu s is a listenin’ all the day long\,\nHe keep listenin’ all the day lon g\,\nHe keep listenin’ all the day long\,\nFor to hear some sinner pray. \n\nIf I was a sinner I would please him\,\nI would pray an’ pray a day\ ,\nAn’ when I got to heaven\,\nSo he could say he heard me pray.\n\nBut in “Bear yo’ Burden\, sinner”\, another version is given of the same idea. This song is a popular one\, while the figures used give a definite conviction.\n\nThe Lord is a listenin’ all the day long\,\nBear yo’ b urden sinner\,\nIf you will only pray\, he will bear you on\,\nBear yo’ burden in the heat o’ the day.\n\nBear yo’ burden\, sinner\,\nBear y o’ burden\, sinner\,\nBear yo’ burden in the heat o’ the day.\n\ nI’m goin’ home fer to see my Lord\,\nBear yo’ burden\, sinner\, \nAn’ don’t you wish you could go ’long\,\nBear yo’ burden\, let i n the heat.\n\nThe way to bear yo’ burden is to get down on yo’ knees\ ,\nBear yo’ burden\, sinner\, let in the heat\,\nAsk God to forgive you if you please\,\nBear yo’ burden in the heat of the day.\n\nThis last st anza is an improvisation made by a young negro of some twenty-five years\, although he claimed that it belonged to the song that was regularly sung\ , maintaining that they only forgot to sing it in the church on that speci al occasion. “True Religion” gives one view of the requisites of him w ho will be saved. The song[Pg 54] is based in form on a current secular so ng\, and belongs to the class of colloquies.\n\nWell you must have that tr ue religion\,\nYou must have true religion an’ yo’ soul converted\,\nY ou must have that true religion.\nOr you can’t cross there.\n\nWhere are you goin’\, sinner\,\nWhere are you goin’\, I say?\nI goin’ down to de river of Jorden\,\nAn’ you can’t cross dere.\n\nHe continues\, “ Where are you goin’ gambler\, backslider\, drunkard\, liar\, hypocrite ?” and answers each with\, “An’ you can’t cross there\,” while t he entire chorus\, “You must have that true religion\,” is often repea ted after each. The sinner is asked still other questions\, one of which i s given in the song “Waitin’”.\n\nWhy does you tarry\, sinner\,\nWhy does you wait so long?\nFor my Lord is a waitin’\,\nWhy don’t you com e to His call?\n\nHe is waitin’\, Lord\,\nHe is waitin’\, Lord\,\nHe i s a-waitin’ fer the good Lord\,\nTo come\, My Lord.\n\nBut when my Lord get here\,\nYou want have time to pray at all\,\nFor he is goin’ to judg e you\,\nAn’ hell you be bound.\n\nThe negro preacher often rebukes his flock for talking about each other in uncomplimentary terms. Sometimes the “sisters” who do not like the preacher retort variously\, “I heard you talkin ’bout So and So\, you know I did” or “We gwine talk ’bo ut you\,” or “Yes\, you knows it.” Slander and gossip are fast runne rs and the average negro assumes that somebody is talking about him or som ething which he has done. Out of this has grown the song “Talk about m e” and others.\n\nYes\, I know you goin’ talk ’bout me\,\nYes\, I kn ow you goin’ talk ’bout me\,\n\nFor you talk ’bout my father when he’s on his knees a prayin’\,\nAn’ I know you goin’ talk ’bout m e.\n\nSo likewise he sings “I know you’re goin talk about me” becaus e[Pg 55] “you talk about my mother when she’s on her bed a-dyin’”\ ; he actually sings father\, brother\, mother\, sister\, mourner\, preache r\, to both “on his knees a prayin’”\, and “on bed a dyin’.” A very popular stanza which is regularly sung in a number of songs goes: “You may talk about me just as you please\, I’m goin’ to talk about you when I git on my knees.”\n\nThe old slave and plantation song aske d: “Who’ll jine de Union?” saying\, “Say\, ef you belong to de u nion ban’\, den here’s my heart an’ here’s my hand.” There have been societies known as “The Union” or “Union Band” both in the ch urch and outside. The name “Union” itself is a favorite one among the negro societies and organizations. It was thought in the old days that a u nion band would march to heaven and that these only would be enabled to re ach the destination. It is almost certain that a number of references in t heir songs referred to the Union army in and after the war. However\, the exact origin of the song as it is now sung has not been found\, but appear s to be a general corruption of several old songs.\n\nGet in the Union\, J esus is a listenin’\,\nGet in the Union\, Jesus die.\nWell\, won’t you get in the Union?\nJesus is a listenin’\, Jesus die.\n\nWhere was Ezeki el when the church fell down?\nDown in de valley wid his head hung down.\n \nHypocrite\, hypocrite\, God do despise\,\nTongue so keen till he will te ll lies.\n\nUpon the mountain Jehober spoke\,\nOut of his mouth come fier an’ smoke.\n\nWith this chorus are sung also as already given\, “Satan \, the snake in the grass”\, “Ole satan weah mighty loose ole shoe”\ , etc. The “Hallelujah” so common among the old songs is less frequent ly heard now: it will be found to some degree in the shouting songs and so ngs of heaven.\n\nNot the least among the warnings to the sinner were to b e reckoned the times when “Gable” should blow his horn. “Gable” ha s been proverbial among the negroes\; Gabriel and the trumpet are\, howeve r\, significant in the same way among the whites in vulgar reference. Many ideas of “Gable’s” trumpet have appeared in the negro songs. Someti mes it is “blow louder\, Gable.” “How loud mus’ I blow?”[Pg 56] Reference has already been made to these lines. The song “Blow\, Gable\, blow” has changed considerably from the old plantation songs of the sam e name.\n\nBlow Gable\, at the judgment\,\nBlow Gable\, at the judgment ba r.\nFor my God is a talkin’ at the judgment\,\nFor my God is a talkin’ at the judgment bar.\n\nNow won’t you blow Gable at the judgment?\nFor my God is a preachin’ at the judgment bar.\n\nNow won’t you blow Gable at the judgment bar?\nWell\, I’m goin’ to meet my preacher at the jud gment bar.\n\nIn the same manner\, making a four-line stanza of each one\, are sung\, “Goin’ to meet brother\, mother\, sister\, etc.”\, and also “My God is a walkin’\, tryin’\, etc.\,” at the judgment bar. So\, too\, it is “prayin’ time\, mournin’ time\, singin’ time\, shoutin’ time\, tryin’ time\, etc.\, at the judgment bar.” This son g may be given as the last one of the class peculiar to warnings and admon itions to sinners. It closes with still other verses that give vivid pictu res of the judgment bar.\n\nWell\, sinners\, keep a prayin’ at the judgm ent bar.\nWell\, it’s too late to pray at the judgment bar.\nWhy didn’ t you take heed at the judgment?\nSome come crippled at judgment.\nOh\, I look fer my mother\, brother\, sister\, at de judgment.\n\nBoth the sinner and the seeker has a “hard time” during some time in his experience. The duties of everyday life\, too\, often seem hard. Now on his knees\, no w shouting\, now sorrowful and now glad\, the negro comes from “hanging over hell” to die and “set by de Fadder’s side.” The average negro appears to pity himself\, and his song intensifies the feeling. The songs that follow may be classed as those that give the state of uncertainty an d doubt\, together with pity mingled now and then with the note of triumph . In “Oh\, what a hard time”\, sisters\, brothers\, children\, preache rs\, seekers—all have the same difficulties.\n\nOh\, what a hard time\, Oh\, what a hard time\,\nOh\, what a hard time—All God’s children have a hard time.\nOh\, what a hard time\, oh\, what a hard time\,\nOh\, what a hard time\, my Lord had a hard time\, too.\n\nSo in another division wil l be given the song “My Trouble is Hard”\,[Pg 57] the idea of which se ems to be derived from the old plantation songs\, though the new song is e ntirely different from the old ones. The plantation negroes used to sing “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen”\, in which they were “someti mes up\, sometimes down\, sometimes almost to de groun’.” Others sun g it “Nobody knows the trouble I see\, or I’ve had”\, and asked: “ Brother\, sister\, preacher\, will you pray for me?” In the same patheti c tone the “Sinner man” gives another phase of the feeling.\n\nMy mo ther’ n yo’ mother both daid an’ gone\,\nMy mother’ n yo’ mother both daid an’ gone\,\nMy mother’ n yo’ mother both daid an’ gon e\,\nPo’ sinner man he so hard to believe.\n\nMy folks an’ yo’ folks both daid an’ gone\,\nPo’ sinner man he so hard to believe.\n\nMy bro ther ’n yo’ brother both daid an’ gone\,\nPo’ sinner man he so har d to believe.\n\nIn the same way “my sister”\, etc.\, completes the so ng\, with favorite lines\, “Down in de valley”\, “Upon mountain Jeho ber spoke”\, etc.\, being inserted as often as they desire. “Hanging o ver hell” gives more intensity to the feeling of the sinner. He says:\n\ nWhen I wus hangin’ over hell\, over hell\,\nWhen I wus hangin’ over h ell\, over hell\,\nWell\, I had no one to pity poor me\, poor me.\n\nWell\ , my mother sick an’ my father daid\, father daid\,\nWell\, my mother si ck an’ my father daid\, father daid\,\nWell\, I ain’t got no one to pi ty poor me\, poor me.\n\nWell\, I ain’t got no one to pray for me\, to p ray for me.\n\nI ain’t got no one to feel for me\, feel for me.\n\nLikew ise he has no one to “cry” for him\, to “mourn” or to “care” f or him. It will be noticed that the negroes insert the word “well” fre quently. There is no regularity or rule for its use\; it apparently gives the song a more plastic turn and makes it seem more conversational. In som e of their songs they insert in the same way\, “says”\, and “er”\, “a”\, “an”\, at will. The struggle is well represented by the song “Keep inchin’ along”\, which was also common in the old plantation melodies\; the chorus is the same\, while the words are entirel y different from the older song.\n\n[Pg 58]Keep er-inchin’ erlong\, keep er-inchin erlong\,\nJesus’ll come bye’m bye\,\nKeep er-inchin’\, ke ep er-inchin erlong\,\nJesus’ll come bye’m bye.\n\nDe road is rocky he re below\,\nBut Jesus’ll come bye’m bye\,\nBut Jesus leads me as I go\ ,\nJesus’ll come bye’m bye.\n\nSometimes I hangs my head an’ cries\, \nBut Jesus’ll come bye’m bye.\nAn’ He gwi’ wipe mer weepin’ eye s\,\nBut Jesus’ll come bye’m bye.\n\nUh\, run ’long mourner an’ git yo’ crown\,\nBy yo’ Father’s side set down.\n\nI’m glad th at I’m bo’n ter die\,\nFrum trouble here my soul gwi’ fly.\n\nIn the same hopeful strain the negro sings “Boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat Mornin’\,” which has a large number of stanzas\, none of which have an y similarity of meaning to the general theme.\n\nYonder come er sister all dressed in black\,\nShe look lak er hipercrit jes’ got back\,\nI’m boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat mornin’.\n\nCross me over\,\nGreat Jeh over\,\nMy Lord\, I’m boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat mornin’.\n\nSe e dat Christian on his knees\,\nHe’s gwin’ ter cross dem jasper seas \,\nI’m boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat mornin’.\n\nSwing low chario ts in er line\,\nCarry me ter glory in due time\,\nI’m boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat mornin’.\n\nAin’t but the one thing grieve my min’\ nSister goin’ to heaven an’ leave me behin’\,\nI’m boun’ ter c ross Jord’n in dat mornin’.\n\nIt is a favorite theme of the negroes t o sing much of their “Lord” and “God”. Much has been noted of the names and attributes which Deity holds in the negro’s songs. As his frie nd the negro believes that God is always true\; consequently he sings his loyalty to Him. The old plantation song “Tell Jesus” had as its chor us: “Tell Jesus done done all I can\, Tell Jesus done done all I can\, T ell Jesus done done all I can\, I can’t do no more”. Very much like it is the song[Pg 59] “For my Lord” that is much in demand among the pre sent-day negroes.\n\nI goin’ to do all I can fer my Lord\,\nI goin’ to do all I can fer my Lord\,\nI goin’ to do all I can fer my Lord\,\nI go in’ to do all I can fer my Lord\,\nI do all I can till I can’t do no m ore\,\nI goin’ do all I can fer my Lord.\n\nIn the same way he sings “ I goin’ weep all I can till I can’t weep no more”\, “I goin’ pra y all I can till I can’t pray no more”\, and “sing” and “m ourn” and “work” for his Lord. The phrases “till I can’t do no mo’”\, and the others are characteristic of the negro’s prayers. He usually closes his church prayers\, “Now Lord\, when we’s done pr ayin’ an’ can’t pray no mo’\; when we’s done meetin’ an’ can’t meet no mo’”\, etc. The closing scene\, the final act of life \, seems to appeal to the negro with wonderful dramatic power. It is in th e end that he himself will be great\; it is then that God and Jesus and th e angels will be made manifest\, and it is there in the new home that his condition will be one of ease and rest\, at the same time that it is one o f prominence. He sings “Gwi’ lay down my life fer my Lord”.\n\nDe Lo rd giv’ me mer trumpet an’ tole me ter blow\,\nHe giv’ me mer cummis sion an’ tole me ter go.\n\nFer my Lord\, fer my Lord\,\nFer my Lord\, g wi’ lay down my life fer my Lord.\n\nYou can hinder me here but you ca n’t hinder me dere\,\nFor de Lord in Heaven gwi’ hear my prayer.\n\nDe enemy’s great but my Cap’n is strong\,\nU’m fightin’ fer de cit y an’ de time ain’t long.\n\nWhen I git dar I’ll be able fer to tell \,\nHow I whipped ole Satan at de door ob hell.\n\nMer head got wet wid de midnight dew\,\nDat mornin’ star was shinin’ too.\n\nSo again the neg ro magnifies his Lord in “a weary Lan’” and makes both a striking pi cture and a pleasing song. His Lord is not only “a walkin’ in a wear y lan’”\, but he is also a “doctor”\, a “preacher” and a “ shelter”. Thus he pictures him “walkin’” “talkin’” “ preachin’”\, and “healin’” in the weary land.\n\nMy Lord’s a walkin’ in the weary lan’\,\n[Pg 60]In a weary lan’\, in a weary lan’\,\nYes\, my Lord walkin’ in weary lan’\,\nHe’s a shelter in a mighty storm.\n\nLikewise he is a healer in a mighty storm or in the time of storm. It is but natural that the negro should call upon the Lord to r emember him. The old plantation song “Do Lord remember me” was apparen tly based upon the idea of being remembered at Christmas times\; indeed th e negroes always ask to be remembered at such a time by the “whitefolk s”. They were always remembered and often their homes were made happy. T he song asked: “O do Lord remember me\, O do Lord remember me\, O do rem ember me until de year roll round\, Do Lord remember me.” The song now c urrent is most likely not the same song but an entirely different one.\n\n Do my Lord remember me\,\nDo my Lord remember me\,\nDo my Lord remember me \,\nDo Lord remember me.\n\nUpon de housetop an’ can’t come down\,\nDo Lord remember me.\nUpon de house an’ can’t come down.\nDo Lord rememb er me.\n\nWhen I am hungry do feed me Lord\,\nDo Lord remember me.\nWhen I am thirsty do give me drink\,\nDo Lord remember me.\n\nThe negroes someti mes call the following song the “riddle song”\, asking “who is the Rock”\, while the answer comes back\, like the Psalmist\, “King Jesus is the Rock”.\n\nLead me to the Rock\, lead me to the Rock\,\nLead me t o the Rock that is higher an’ higher.\nO\, Lead me to the Rock\,\nYes\, lead me to the Rock that is higher an’ higher.\n\nKing Jesus is the Rock \, yes\, King Jesus is the Rock\,\nKing Jesus is the Rock that is higher a n’ higher\,\nO King Jesus is the Rock\,\nYes\, King Jesus is the Rock th at is higher an’ higher.\n\nStanding on the Rock\, yes standing on the R ock\,\nStanding on the Rock that is higher an’ higher.\nO\, standing on the Rock\,\nYes\, standing on the Rock that is higher an’ higher.\n\nAs Jesus is the Rock so the negroes have sung “Dere’s no one[Pg 61] lak ’ Jesus”. The chorus-line was common in the old songs\; the verses of the song of to-day are different.\n\nI think I heard a rumblin’ in de sk y\,\nDar’s no one lac Jesus.\nIt mus’ be mer Lord passin’ by\,\nDa r’s no one lac Jesus.\n\nStan’ still\, walk study\, keep de faith\,\ nDar’s no one lak’ Jesus.\n\nSister Mary went up on de mount’n top \,\nDar’s no one lak’ Jesus.\nShe sung a li’l song an’ she never d id stop\,\nDar’s no one lak’ Jesus.\n\nShe argued wid de Fadder an’ chatter’d wid de Son\,\nDar’s no one lak’ Jesus.\nShe talk’d erbou t the ole worl’ she cum frum\,\nDar’s no one lak’ Jesus.\n\nThe song “Gi’ me Jesus” was said to have been the product of “over-fre e spirit and super-religiousness” just after the war. The negro claims t hat the white man took him at his word when he sang\, “Gi’ me Jesus\, You may have all this worl”\, and has left him nothing in this world but Jesus. At least this is one view of the song\, which is represented as a bargain which the white man wants the negro to keep. The song is a typical and well known one\, said to have been first sung by a blind negro preach er.\n\nIn de mornin’ when I rise\,\nIn de mornin’ when I rise\,\nIn de mornin’ when I rise\,\nGiv’ me Jesus.\n\nGiv’ me Jesus\,\nGiv’ me Jesus\,\nYou may hab’ all dis worl’\,\nGiv’ me Jesus.\n\nEf it’s midnight when I rise\,\nEf it’s midnight when I rise\,\nEf it’s midnig ht when I rise\,\nGiv’ me Jesus.\n\nJes’ fore day when I cried\,\nGi v’ me Jesus.\n\nWhen I wade death’s cold stream\,\nGiv’ me Jesus.\n\ nThe negro says that if you love Jesus\, it seems to him that you[Pg 62] “can’t keep it”\, and that you are duty bound to let the world know it. The custom is a common one of asking “members” at the class meeti ng and revival services whether or not they “love the Lord”. It is the duty of the class leader to see to the religious welfare of the members. The song “Love the Lord” represents this phase of worship.\n\nWell\, d id you say that you love Jesus?\nDid you say that you love the Lord?\n\nYe s\, I say that I love Jesus.\nYes\, I say I love the Lord.\n\nAll I wants to know is\, “Does you love Jesus?”\nAll I wants to know is\, “Does you love the Lord?”\n\nYes\, I say that I love Jesus\,\nYes\, I say I lo ve the Lord.\n\nIf you love Jesus\, you can’t keep it\,\nAll I want to k now is\, “Does you love the Lord?”\n\nYes\, my mother\, I love Jesus\, \nYes\, my mother\, I love the Lord.\n\nThe chorus then varies from “Yes \, I say” to “Yes\, my mother”\, “Yes\, my sister”\, “Yes\, my brother”.\n\nIn striking contrast to his earthly life\, the negro sin gs of his heavenly home. It will be seen in the study of his social songs that home plays a small part in their subject matter. It is true that the negro has little love of home or devotion to loved ones. Perhaps for this very reason he expects to have a better home in the beyond. He wants that which is ideal and impractical\; he wants that which will come without eff ort. If in slavery days he had no home\, it was natural that he should loo k to Heaven for his home. This conception\, intensified by the negro’s e motional nature and self-pity\, is still prominent. Not only is his home t o be a happy one\, but it is to be exclusive\; only the fortunate\, of who m he is the chiefest\, may go there. This class of songs—of Heaven and h ome—is perhaps as large as any. The negro sings:\n\nI got a home where l iars can’t go\,\nDon’t you see?\nJus’ between the heaven an’ earth \,\nWhere my Saviour bled an’ died\,\nI got a home where liars can’t g o\,\nDon’t you see?\n[Pg 63]\nI got a home where sinners can’t go\,\ nDon’t you see?\nJus’ between the earth an’ sky\,\nWhere my Saviour bleed an’ die\,\nDon’t you see?\n\nWhen the earth begin to shake\,\n Don’t you see?\nYou better get a ticket or you’ll be late\,\nDon’t y ou see?\n\nIn the same way the singers repeat\, using the words “drunkar ds\,” “hypocrits”\, and other sinners. Sometimes instead of saying “I got a home where the drunkards can’t come”\, the sinner will s ay “where the drunkards can’t find me”. Another version of the same song is found in different localities:\n\nI got a home in the Rock\,\nDo n’t you see?\nJust between the heaven an’ earth\,\nWell\, yes\, I got a home in the Rock\,\nDon’t you see?\n\nJudas was a deceitful man\,\nD on’t you see?\nWell he betrayed the innercent Lam’\,\nWell he lost a h ome in the Rock\,\nDon’t you see?\n\nWell the sun refuse to shine\,\nD on’t you see?\nThe sun refuse to shine\,\nAn’ the sun refuse to shine\ ,\nDon’t you see?\n\nGod don’t talk like a natural man\,\nDon’t you see?\nGod don’t talk like a natural man\,\nHe talk so sinners can unders tan’\,\nDon’t you see?\n\nWell I don’t want to stumble\,\nDon’t yo u see?\nWell I don’t want to fall\,\nI read that writin’ on de wall\,\ nDon’t you see?\n\nThe “Home in the Rock” and the “Rock of ages” mean little to the negroes\; they are suitable terms and appeal to their sense of sound. Like other peoples\, the negroes have inserted them into t heir religion as forceful symbols. Interesting comparisons may be made[Pg 64] in a later chapter. The chorus of “Heaven” hummed in a monotone\, with lips sometimes closed\, makes a beautiful song\, and one that appeals much to both old and young negroes.\n\nYou got a robe\, I got a robe\,\nA ll God’s children got a robe\,\nGoin’ try on my robe an’ if it fits me\,\nGoin’ to wear it all round God’s heaven.\n\nHeaben—heaben\, ev’ybody goin’ to heaben\nAn’ I’m goin’ dere\, too.\n\nGambler s dere an’ gamblers here\,\nI’m so glad dat God declare\,\nDere ain’ t no gamblers in heaven.\n\nThis version and wording is rather that of the children\, who are very fond of singing it. They continue “Heaven so hi gh you can’t go over it”\, “Heaven so low you can’t go under i t”\, “Heaven so deep you can’t go through it”\, and “Heaven so w ide you can’t go round it”. The most common form of the song is a vari ation of the above. Sinners\, gamblers\, dancers\, liars\, drunkards are e verywhere\, but not in Heaven.\n\nWell there are sinners here and sinners there\,\nAn’ there are sinners everywhere\,\nBut I thank God that God de clare\,\nThat there ain’t no sinners in heaven.\n\nHeaven\, Heaven\,\nEv erybody talkin’ ’bout heaven an’ goin’ there\,\nHeaven\, Heaven\ ,\nGoin’ to shine all ’round God’s heaven.\n\nWell there are drunkar ds here an’ drunkards there\,\nAn’ there are drunkards everywhere\,\nB ut I’m so glad that God declare\,\nThere ain’t no drunkards in heaven. \n\nHeaven\, Heaven\,\nPreachers all preachin’ ’bout heaven an’ go in’ there\,\nHeaven\, Heaven\,\nGoin’ to shine all ’round God’s he aven.\n\nAs has been indicated\, many of the negro songs consist of single lines repeated in couplets or by fours in order to give length to the sin ging. The most simple sentences that could be devised may serve as a good song. The negro happens to think of an ordinary truth\; he then sings it t o his tune and chorus.\n\n[Pg 65]I’m goin’ to be a Christian if I keep a prayin’ on\,\nI goin’ to be a Christian if I keep a prayin’ on\,\ nI goin’ to be a Christian\, I’m goin’ to be a Christian\,\nI goin ’ to be a Christian if I keep a prayin’ on.\n\nAn’ when I git religi on\, I goin’ to keep a prayin’ on.\n\nI goin’ to see my Jesus if I k eep a prayin’ on.\n\nI goin’ to see my mother if I keep a prayin’ on .\n\nIn the same way he is “going to see” his father\, brother\, maste r\, preacher\, singing each line four times\, altering them as he desires and putting in any chorus that appeals to his fancy. The next song shows a typical variation of a line\, and the negro sometimes sings the second ve rsion with more determination than the first.\n\nLord\, I want to go to he aven fer to stan’ my trials\,\nLord\, I want to go to heaven fer to st an’ my trials\,\nYes\, I want to go to heaven fer to stan’ my trials\, \nGreat Judgment day.\n\nWell\, I’m goin’ to heaven fer to stan’ my trials\,\nAn’ I’m goin’ to heaven fer to stan’ my trials\,\nYes\ , I’m goin’ to heaven fer to stan’ my trials\,\nGreat Judgment day.\ n\nThe darkeys used to sing\, “Hail\, hail\, hail\, I’m gwine jine sai nts above\, I’m on my journey home”. So\, too\, in many of their songs the “promise Lan’” was held out as the goal of future happiness. So it is to-day. “On my journey home” and “Goin’ to Heaven” repres ent the common conception.\n\nSister when you pray you mus’ pray to de L ord\,\nFor I hab some hopes ob glory\,\nI feel like\, I feel like I’m on my journey home\,\nI feel like\, I feel like\, I’m on my journey home.\ n\nI’ll away\, I’ll away to de promise lan’\,\nMy Father calls me\ , I mus’ go\,\nTo meet Him in de promise lan’.\n\nI have a father in t he promise lan’\,\nGo meet him in de promise lan’\,\nI feel like\, I f eel like I’m on my journey home\,\nI feel like\, I feel like I’m on my journey home.\n\nSo\, too\, the singer has a mother\, a sister\, an aunti e and others in the “promise lan’”. Likewise he says instead of “s ister when you pray\,” etc.\, brother\, member\, mourner\, sinner\, prea cher\, and the others.[Pg 66] As a rule morning signified to the negroes t he time for going to heaven and for the resurrection. The morning star shi ning as a witness to his conversion\, and the midnight dew typified the ea rly morning time of his religion. “In the morning” is sung as of old.\ n\nI have been tempted\, O yes\,\nAn’ I have been tried\, O yes\,\nI hav e been to the river an’ been baptize\,\nAn’ I want to go to heaven in the morning.\n\nWon’t you ride on Jesus?\nRide on Jesus\, ride on crowni ng King\,\nFor I want to go to heaven in the morning.\n\nIf you see my mot her\, O yes\,\nPlease tell her for me\, O yes\,\nThat the angels in heaven done change my name\,\nAn’ I want to go to heaven in the morning.\n\nSo if you see “brother John\, sister Nancy\,” and others makes the song complete. The song once so popular\, “Yes\, I’ll be dere\, When gen’ ral roll call” is still heard occasionally. Many of these songs have bee n corrupted and changed\, consolidated and revised into new songs. Such a song is “Study war no mo’”\, which combines the old camp meeting\, “down by the river side”\, and a new element of peace\, the origin of which is not known.\n\nWell there’s goin’ to be a big camp meetin’\ ,\nWell there’s goin’ to be a big camp meetin’\,\nWell there’s g oin’ to be a big camp meetin’\,\nDown by the river side.\n\nWell\, I ain’t goin’ to study war no mo’\,\nWell\, I ain’t goin’ to stud y war no mo’\,\nWell\, I ain’t goin’ to study war no mo’.\n\nWell such a shoutin’ an’ prayin’\nDown by the riverside.\n\nWell I goin ’ to meet my sister\,\nDown by the riverside.\n\nWell the brothers got t o shoutin’\,\nDown by the riverside.\n\nSaid the old singers: “Some o’ dese mornin’s\, hope I’ll see my mother\, hope I’ll jine de b an’\, hope I’ll walk bout Zion\, Talk wid de angels\, Talk my trouble over” while they looked “away to hebben”. Now the negro sings:\n\n[P g 67]Gwine to weep\, gwine to mourn\,\nGwine to git up early in de morn\,\ nFo’ my soul’s goin’ to heaven jes’ sho’s you born\,\nBrother Ga briel goin’ to blow his horn.\n\nGoin’ to sing\, goin’ to pray\,\n Goin’ to pack all my things away\,\nFo’ my soul’s goin’ to heave n jes’ sho’s you born\,\nBrother Gabriel gwine ter blow his horn.\n\ n“Pray come an’ go wid me” sings the Christian\, for “I’m on my journey home to the New Jerusalem”. If refused he says\, “Now don’t let me beg you to follow me\, for I’m on my journey home”\, and finall y he sings\, “Well\, brother come an’ go wid me.” If the sinner need s other exhortation he may listen to the mixed song “Dry bones goin’ t o rise ergain”\, in which there is first warning\, then hope of glory.\n \nSome go ter meetin’ to sing an’ shout\,\nDry bones goin’ ter rise again\;\nFore six month deys all turned out\,\nDry bones goin’ ter rise again.\nO little chillun\, O little childun\,\nO lit’le childun\, dry bo nes goin’ rise ergin.\n\nTalk erbout me but taint my fault\,\nDry bones goin ter rise ergin\;\nBut me an’ Godermighty goin’ walk an’ talk\,\ nDry bones goin’ ter rise ergin.\n\nEf you want ter go to heaven when yo u die\,\nDry bones goin’ rise ergin\;\nJes’ stop yo’ tongue from t ellin’ lies\,\nDry bones goin’ ter rise ergin.\n\nIn the old plantatio n song Ezekiel was represented down in a valley “full of bones as dry as dust” and\n\nHe gib de bone a mighty shake\,\nFin’ de ole sinners too dry to quake\,\n\nDeath for the Christian is shouting: death for the sinn er is doom. “When I git to heaven\, goin’ shout on my knees” gives a n accurate picture of what the negro conceives to be happiness. But he not only expects to shout while on earth and when he gets home\, but even whe n he dies. For says he\,\n\nMy mother dies a shoutin’\, an’ I goin’ die shoutin’\, too\,\nYes\, my mother died a shoutin’ an’ I goin’ die shoutin’\, too.\n[Pg 68]\nMy mother died a shoutin’\, my mother di ed a shoutin’\,\nYes\, my mother died a shoutin’ an’ I goin’ die shoutin’\, too.\n\nStill his mother is not the only one who has died sh outing\; he sings in the same way of father\, preacher\, brother\, sister and others\; the slave song included “Missus” and “Marster” or “Massa”. But shouting must not be all. The negro and his brothers\, s isters\, mother are all to die “mournin’”\, and “prayin’”. I n “Join de Heaven wid de Angels” the rich voice of one or two leaders and the swelling chorus produce an effect scarcely surpassed.\n\nO join on \, join my Lord\,\nJoin de heaven wid de angels\;\nO join on\, join my Lor d\,\nJoin de heaven wid de angels.\n\nWhat kin’ er shoes is dem you wear ?\nJoin de heaven wid de angels\;\nDat you kin’ walk upon de air\,\nJoin de heaven wid de angels.\n\nOh\, God don’t talk like a nat’al man\,\n Join de heaven wid de angels\;\nHe talk to de sinner\, he understan’\,\n Join de heaven wid de angels.\n\nI’m Baptis’ bred an’ I’m Bapt is’ bo’n\,\nJoin de heaven wid de angels\;\nAn’ when I die dey’s a Baptis’ gone\,\nJoin de heaven wid de angels.\n\nJes’ so de tree fa ll jes’ so it lie\,\nJoin de heaven wid de angels\;\nJes so de sinner lib’ jes’ so he die\,\nJoin de heaven wid de angels.\n\nThe song has b een found in several forms among which one has it that John is to be in de heavens with the angels. In fact the probable origin of “join on” see ms to have been “John saw de heaven wid de angels”. In one of the old songs the singer answers\,\n\nDem shoes I wears is gospel shoes\,\nView de lan’\, view de lan’\;\nAn’ you can wear dem if you choose\,\nView de lan’\, view de lan’.\n\nThere are other references\, too\, besides the above\, to the denominations of the negro churchmen. It has already b een seen that the negro likes “bes’” the “shoutin’ Mefodes ’”. So he says “There’s fire in de[Pg 69] eas’ an’ fire in d e wes\; An’ fire among de Methodes’”. He is loyal and proclaims: “ Methodist\, Methodist is my name\, Methodist till I die\, I’ll be baptiz e in the Methodist name\, An’ I’ll lib’ on the Methodist side”. In the same way he is Baptist and Presbyterian\; the Baptist is the favorite church of the negro\, however\, and there are more Baptists than all othe r denominations combined.\n\nThe “Angel Band”\, while a very simple so ng in which the chorus constitutes the greater part\, is one of the most b eautiful that the negroes sing. The tune is a variation of a well-known hy mn used by the whites. The power of the song seems to lie in the tender in terest which centres about the vivid portrayal of the little angels in the heavenly band. The chorus is repeated after each stanza\, while each stan za itself is the repetition of a single line. From one to ten\; from ten t o twenty and so on to one hundred is ordinarily sung\, thus making a lengt hy song. The children love to sing the chorus\; two forms are ordinarily f ound\, varying the monotony enough to please the negro.\n\nDere’s one li ttle\, two little\, three little angels\,\nDere’s four little\, five lit tle\, six little angels.\nDere’s seven little\, eight little\, nine litt le angels\,\nDere’s ten little angels in de band.\nDere’s leben\, de re’s twelve\, dere’s thir’een little angels\,\nDere’s fourteen\, dere’s fifteen\, dere’s sixteen little angels.\nDere’s seventeen\ , dere’s eighteen\, dere’s nineteen little angels\,\nDere’s twenty l ittle angels in de band.\n\nThe “little” in the chorus is preferred to the “dere’s” as a rule\, apparently serving to describe the angels. The stanzas of the song are equally as unlimited and as simple as the cho rus. “Sunday morning” is the common factor to all of the verses\; some times it is omitted.\n\nJesus rose on Sunday mornin’\,\nJesus rose on Su nday mornin’\,\nJesus rose on Sunday mornin’\,\nOn Sunday mornin’ so soon.\n\nHe rose an’ flew away on Sunday mornin’.\n\nMy mother died o n Sunday mornin’.\n\nOh wasn’t that sad on Sunday mornin’?\n\nDe re’s goin’ to be a big camp meetin’ on Sunday mornin’.\n\nDere ’s goin’ to be a mournin’ on Sunday mornin’.\n[Pg 70]\nMourners go t to shoutin’ on Sunday mornin’.\n\nI’m goin’ away to leave you on Sunday mornin’.\n\nWell\, my sister’s goin’ to heaven on Sunday m ornin’.\n\nWhile this form of the song may be continued indefinitely\, o ther verses may also be inserted. Instead of the “On Sunday mornin’” is often substituted “Fer to see my Lord”.\n\nWell\, my sister’s goin’ to heaven fer to see my Lord\,\nTo see my Lord\, to see my Lord\;\ nWell\, my sister’s goin’ to heaven fer to see my Lord\,\nWhat’s de onbelievin’ soul?\n\nAnd so he continues with preacher\, brother\, mothe r\, auntie and any others that he wishes to enumerate. As a shouting song or as a “collection” song\, it is not surpassed.\n\nThe negro’s fanc ies of the “Heaven’s bright home” are not exceeded by the world’s fairy tales. There are silver and golden slippers\; there are crowns of st ars and jewels and belts of gold. There are robes of spotless white and wi ngs all bejewelled with heavenly gems. Beyond the jasper seas he will outs hine the sun\; the golden streets and the fruit of the tree of life are fa r superior to any golden apples or silver pears of a Mother Goose. In fact the negro’s fairy stories centre on heaven\; the children’s definitio ns of heaven consisted entirely of pictures of splendor and glory. To this place the negro imagines he will go and who knows but that he may fly the re?\n\nSome o’ dese mornin’s bright an’ fair\,\nWay in de middle of de air\;\nGwi’ hitch on my wings an’ try de air\,\nWay in de middle of de air.\n\nCome over\, den\, John saw de holy number\,\nWay in de middle of de air\;\nJohn saw de holy number\,\nWay in de middle of de air\;\n\nIf yer wanter dream dem heavenly dreams\,\nWay in de middle of de air\;\nLay yo’ head on Jord’n’s stream\,\nWay in de middle of de air.\n\nI got a book goin’ read it thru’\,\nWay in de middle of de air\,\nI got my Jesus well as you\,\nWay in de middle of de air.\n\n[Pg 71]With a golden “band all round his waist\, An’ de palms ob victory in a-his hands” \, the negro sings in reality: “Pray come an’ go wid me”\, for so vi vid is his picture that he has been known to start up a post or pillar in the church\, saying\, “Good bye brothers\, I’m gone”. His songs make much of flying\; different from that just quoted he repeats:\n\nOne morni n’ soon\,\nOne mornin’ soon\, my Lord\,\nOne mornin’ soon\,\nI goi n’ try the air\,\nI goin’ try the air\,\nPray come an’ go wid me.\n\ nWell I got on my travellin’ shoes\,\nWell I got on my travellin’ shoe s\,\nWell I got on my travellin’ shoes\,\nPray come an’ go wid me.\n\n He sings\, too\, “I goin’ to put on my long white robe”\, “We’ll try on de slippah shoe an’ wear de golden belt”. Again he sings of hi s doings in the morning\, noontime\, and midnight.\n\nIn the morning—u m-u’\,\nIn the morning—um-u’\,\nIn the morning—um-u’\,\nI goin ’ put on my golden shoes.\n\nIn the midnight—um-u’\,\nIn the midni ght—um-u’\,\nIn the midnight—um-u’\,\nI goin’ put on my long whi te robe.\n\nTalk about it—um-u’\,\nTalk about it—um-u’\,\nTalk a bout it—um-u’\,\nI goin’ wear that starry crown.\n\nThe angels and J esus wear the starry crown and long white robes\; there will be no separat ing line between us and God in the new world. “Oh how I long to go dere\ , too”\, sang the old negroes. Now he pictures again the appearance of J esus.\n\nJesus\, he wore the starry crown\,\nJesus he wore the starry crow n\,\nJesus he wore the starry crown\, starry crown.\n\nHow does you know h e wore the crown?\nHow does you know he wore the crown?\nHow does you know he wore the crown? wore the crown?\n[Pg 72]\nFor the Bible it tell me so\ ,\nFor the Bible it tell me so\,\nFor the Bible it tell me so\, tell me so .\n\nThen\, too\, Jesus “he wore the long white robe\, for the Bible it tell me so.” More than the world or riches or dress the singer claims he values the treasures of heaven. In this assertion he is doubtless sincere \, both because he is thinking only of his religious state while he sings\ , and because he has little opportunity for obtaining these earthly riches . Says he:\n\nI don’t care fur riches\,\nNeither dress so fine\,\nJes’ giv’ me my long white robe\,\nAn’ I want my starry crown.\n\nFor my L ord done bin here\,\nDone bless my soul an’ gone away.\n\nPo’ man go in’ to heaven\,\nRich man goin’ to hell\,\nFor po’ man got his starr y crown\,\nRich man got his wealth.\n\nThis “ole worl’ bin a hell to me” indicates the contrast between the everyday life of the world and t hat which the negro will enjoy after death. In his eagerness and impatienc e to rest in the “promise lan’\,” the negro does not always think ki ndly of the world and he does not care even though “Death is in dis lan’.”\n\nEver since my Lord has set me free\,\nDeath is in dis lan’ \,\nThis ole worl’ bin a hell to me\,\nDeath is in dis lan’.\n\nI’m so glad death is in dis lan’\,\nI’m so glad death is in dis lan’.\n\ nO run ’long mourner ’n git yo’ crown\,\nDeath is in dis lan’\,\ nBy yo’ father’s side set down\,\nDeath is in dis lan’.\n\nSome er d ese mornin’s bright and fair\,\nDeath is in dis lan’\,\nGwin’r hitch on my wings an’ try de air\,\nDeath is in dis lan’.\n\nIf the negro e xpects to go to heaven and there mingle with God\, the angels and his love d ones\, he also expects to sing in all the glory[Pg 73] and splendor imag inable. The negroes used to sing of “jinin’ de association\, climbin ’ Jacob’s ladder\, climbin’ higher an’ higher\, sittin’ down at de welcome table\, feastin’ off’n milk an’ honey\, tell God how you served me\, jine de big baptizin”\, after which “den my little soul gw ine shine.” So they sang of a mother\, father\, brother in heaven who “outshines de sun”\, and ended by declaring that when they got to he aven “we will outshine de sun.” In very much the same way the negroes sing to-day in one of their favorites\, “Goin’ to Outshine de Sun.”\ n\nWell\, my mother’s goin’ to heaven\,\nShe’s goin’ to outshine t he sun\, O Lord\,\nWell\, my mother’s goin’ to heaven\,\nShe’s goi n’ to outshine the sun\,\nYes\, my mother’s goin’ to heaven to outsh ine the sun\,\nAn’ it’s way beyon’ the moon.\n\nYou got a home in th e promise lan’\,\nGoin’ to outshine the sun\, O Lord\,\nAn’ it’s w ay beyon’ the moon.\n\nThe crown that my Jesus give me\,\nGoin’ to out shine the sun\, my Lord\,\nAn’ it’s way beyond the moon.\n\nGoin’ to put on my crown in glory\,\nAn’ outshine the sun\, O Lord.\n’Way be yon’ de moon.\n\nOther verses sing of putting on slippers\, long white r obe\, in each case the singer is to “outshine the sun.” The dazzling s plendor of it all makes anticipation full of staying qualities\; it makes the picture one of reality because of the vigor of an imaginative power. W ho knows if the negroes often dream of the grandeurs of the sky?\n\nThe ne gro uses many figures and symbols in his religion. He can see the chariot wheel and the chariot of fire taking him to heaven as easily as Elijah. He can imagine that he\, too\, can ascend even as Christ and the angels. Bes ides these methods he has the Gospel Train and the Ship of Zion. The train has much fascination for the negro: much will be seen of this in his soci al songs. It is but natural that he should bring it into his religious son gs. The negro often goes to meet the train at the station\, even when sick . It is a great social event of a Sunday. So again\, he wishes to go on an excursion\; few things can hinder him. Very much in the same strain is th e religious song\, “When the train come along.”\n\n[Pg 74]Well\, I may be sick an’ cannot rise\,\nBut I meet you at de station when de train c ome along.\n\nWhen de train come along\,\nWhen de train come along\,\nI’ ll meet you at de station when de train come along.\n\nWell\, I may be bli nd an’ cannot see\,\nBut I’ll meet you at de station when de train com e along.\n\nWell\, I may be lame and cannot walk\,\nBut I’ll meet you at de station when de train come along.\n\nWhile no mention is made of the e xact kind of train\, it is generally understood to mean the Gospel train. This song also has a popular variant which is used in a secular way. In ei ther case it expresses in a very forceful way the importance of meeting th e train. In proportion as a picture resembles real life or magnifies that which has been imaged\, to that degree does it bring home its truth to the negro’s mind. The negro continues to sing of the train on which he is t o ride into the Kingdom. Says he:\n\nI am talkin’ ’bout the same train \,\nSame train that carried my father\,\nSame train.\n\nSame train that ca rried my mother\,\nSame train\,\nSame train will be back to-morrow\,\nSame train.\n\nSame train will be here to-morrow\,\nSame train\,\nWell you bet ter be ready\,\nIt’s the same train.\n\nThe “same train” also carrie d his brother\, sister\, preacher and others. But the train which will com e back to-morrow will not wait always. One must not only be at the station but must also have a ticket. There is plenty of room\, according to the n egro’s conception\, but there is not plenty of time. It would be a wistf ul negro that looked upon the train pulling out for heaven and he all alon e is left behind. He sings\,\n\nWell you better git yo’ ticket\,\nWell y ou better git yo’ ticket\,\nWell you better git yo’ ticket\,\nBye and bye.\n[Pg 75]\nThere’s a great day er comin’\,\nThere’s a great day er comin’\,\nThere’s a great day er comin’\,\nBye and bye.\n\nFor th e train it’s er comin’\,\nFor the train it’s er comin’\,\nFor the train it’s er comin’\,\nBye and bye.\n\nI am sure God is ready\,\nI am sure God is ready\,\nI am sure God is ready\,\nBye and bye.\n\nInstead of the chorus just given he often sings: “I sure God am ready\,” and “I sho’ God is ready.” With this in view he is willing and glad for the train to come along. If he is ready\, all the better for him to be on his journey. So he continues in another song and at another time:\n\nIf G od was to call me I would not care—um-u’\,\nFor he done move away my f ears—um-u’.\n\nI’m goin’ to heaven\, an’ I’m goin’ fo’ long—um-u’\,\nAll don’t see me will hear my song—um-u’.\n\nWhen de gospel train come ’long—um-u’\,\nThat’s the train carry me home—um-u’.\n\nWake up\, sinner\, you will be too late—um-u’\,\nG ospel train done pass yo’ gate—um-u’.\n\nIn the old plantation songs the exhortation was given to “Git on board little children\, dere’s r oom for many a mo’.” So also they sang:\n\nDe gospel train’s a com in’\,\nI hear it jus’ at hand\,\nI hear de car wheels rumblin’\,\n An’ rollin’ thru de land.\n\nI hear de train a comin’\,\nShe’s c omin’ round de curve\,\nShe’s loosened all her steam an’ brakes\,\ nAn’ strainin’ eb’ry nerve.\n\nDe fare is cheap an’ all can go\,\n De rich an’ pore are dere\,\nNo second class abord dis train\,\nNo diffe rence in de fare.\n\nIn addition to the above stanzas the Jubilee singers added others. They heard the bell and whistle and “she’s playin’ all her steam an’[Pg 76] power.” The rhyme and imagery of the old song st ruck a more responsive chord than the present song\; this is due to the fa ct that the negro of to-day sings his railroad songs and enjoys them in hi s secular music. There he pictures the train with such vividness that the train may be easily heard and seen in his imagination. Other verses of the Gospel Train as it was sung by the Jubilee singers are:\n\nThere’s Mose s and Noah and Abraham\,\nAnd all the prophets\, too\,\nOur friends in Chr ist are all on board\,\nO what a heavenly crew.\n\nWe soon shall reach the station\,\nO how we then shall sing\,\nWith all the heavenly army\,\nWe ’ll make the welkin ring.\n\nShe’s nearing now the station\,\nO sinner \, don’t be vain\,\nBut come an’ get your ticket\,\nAnd be ready for t he train.\n\nNo signal for the other train\,\nTo follow on the line\,\nO s inner\, you’re forever lost\,\nIf once you’re left behind.\n\nWhile th e song as reported by the Jubilee singers does not possess the mere charac teristics of form and dialect\, it nevertheless appeals to the negroes and it is sometimes sung. One of the fears of the negro is that others may go to heaven and he be left behind. This\, as has been indicated\, constitut es the sum total of misery. So he has a number of songs in which he expres ses this feeling and prays that he may not be left behind in the race of l ife for the eternal goal. One of the most touching of these songs represen ts the negro as an orphan who is unwilling to stay alone in the world:\n\n My muther an’ my father both are daid\, both are daid\,\nMy muther an’ my father both are dead\,\nMy mother an’ my father both are dead\,\nGoo d Lord\, I cannot stay here by merself.\n\nI’m er pore little orphan chi le in de worl’\, chile in de worl’\,\nI’m er pore little orphan chil e in the worl’\,\nI’m a pore little orphan chile in de worl’\,\nGood Lord\, I cannot stay here by merself.\n[Pg 77]\nDe train done whistled an ’ de cars done gone\, cars done gone\,\nDe train done whistled an’ de cars ere gone\,\nDe train done whistled an’ de cars ere gone\,\nEzekiel\ , I cannot stay here by merself.\n\nMy brothers an’ my sisters are all g one\, all gone\,\nMy brothers an’ my sister’re all gone\, all gone\,\n My brothers an’ sisters all are gone\,\nMer Jesus\, I cannot stay here b y merself.\n\nGit me ticket fer de train\, fer de train\,\nGit me ticket f er de train\,\nI got mer ticket fer de train\,\nThank God\, I ain’t gwin e stay here by merself.\n\nVery much like the song just given the negroes used to sing: “Dar’s room in dar\, room in dar\, room in de heaven\, L ord\, I can’t stay behin’”. So\, too\, “I can’t or don’t want to stay here no longer” are common and classic verses of negro song. Aga in they sang the “good news” because “De chariot’s comin’\, I do an want her to leave a-me behind\, Gwine get upon dat chariot\, Carry me h ome”. In a prayer the negro sang: “Jesus\, don’t leave me behind”. In his songs to-day the negro says:\n\nDear brother\, don’t you leave\, \nDear brother\, don’t you leave\,\nThis ole world’s a hell to me.\n\n This ole world’s a hell to me\,\nThis ole world’s a hell to me.\n\nYes \, I bleedzed to leave this world\,\nYes\, I bleedzed to leave this world\ ,\nSister\, I’s bleedzed to leave this world\,\nFor it’s a hell to me. \n\nWhile the old negroes used to sing “Oh brother\, sisters\, mourners\ , don’t stay away\, For my Lord says there’s room enough”\, the mode rn negro sings “You can’t stay away”.\n\nSister\, you can’t stay a way\,\nSister\, you can’t stay away\,\nSister\, you can’t stay away\, stay away.\n\nMy Lord is a callin’ an’ you can’t stay away\,\nMy Lor d is a callin’ an’ you can’t stay away\,\nYes\, my Lord is a cal lin’ an’ you can’t stay away\,\nAn’ you can’t stay away.\n\nKing Jesus is a ridin’ an’ you can’t stay away\,\nO preacher\, you can ’t stay away.\n\n[Pg 78]There have been a great many versions of the son g “Ole Ship of Zion”\, none of which differ materially. The four or fi ve versions most common in the slave and plantation song represented the S hip of Zion somewhat as follows: “She has landed many a thousand\, She c an land as many more\, Do you think she will be able\, For to take us all home? You can tell ’em I’m comin’ home”\, “Dis de good ole ship of Zion\, An’ she’s maken’ fer de promise lan’. She hab angels fer de sailors. An’ how you know dey’s angels? Dat ship is out a sail in’ she’s a sailin’ mighty steady. She’ll neither reel nor totte r\, She’s a sailin’ ’way cold Jordan. King Jesus is de captain\, c aptain”. “De gospel ship is sailin’\, O Jesus is de captain\, De ang els are de sailors\, O is yo’ bundle ready? O have you got yo’ ticke t!” Another version has “her loaded down with angels”\; Another “w id a-bright angels”. Another asks what ship is that “you’re enlist ed upon”? and answers that it is the “Good ship of Zion”\, which “ sails like she’s heavy loaded”\, and “has King Jesus for the capta in”\, and “the Holy Ghost is de pilot” The coast negroes had many so ngs that originated in ideas suggested by the boats. To-day the river negr oes have songs of their own\, but they do not go into the church songs. Th e Old Ship of Zion\, however\, is sung\, but only as a remnant of the form er song\, less elaborate.\n\nThis ole ship is a reelin’ an’ a rockin ’\,\nThis ole ship is a reelin’ an’ a rockin’ rockin’ rockin ’\nMakin’ fer de promise lan’.\n\nWhile the negro sings\, he sees th e ship reelin’ an’ rockin’\, and repeats these phrases enough and in a rhythmic manner\, so that he imitates the imagined motion of the ship. The other stanzas of the song are practically the same as those of the ear lier days.\n\nO my Lord\, shall I be the one?\nO my Lord\, shall I be the one?\nO my Lord\, shall I be the one?\nMakin’ for the promise lan’?\n\ nYes\, ’tis that good ole ship of Zion\, of Zion\,\nYes\, ’tis that go od ole ship of Zion\, of Zion\,\nYes\, ’tis that good ole ship of Zion\, \nMakin’ for the promise lan’.\n\nO the ship is heavy loaded\, loaded\ , loaded\,\nMakin’ for the promise lan’.\nIt’s loaded with many er t housand\, thousand\, thousand\,\nMakin’ fer the promise lan’.\n\n[Pg 79]“This ole worl’s a rollin’” is most likely a figure of the shi p and modelled on the same song. However\, it conveys a different idea\, o ne of judgment and the end of the world. The negro sings:\n\nWell the ole worl’ is a rollin’\, rollin’\, rollin’\,\nYes\, the ole worl’ is rollin’\, rollin’ away.\n\nWell ain’t you goin’ to get ready?\n Yes\, ain’t you goin’ to get ready? for it’s rollin’ away.\n\nWell get on board little children\, children\, children\,\nWell get on board\, for this ole worl’s rollin’ away.\n\nHe sings for the sinner\, mourne r\, and all his friends and relatives to get on board the world as she rol ls away. It reminds one somewhat of the song once current among the negroe s: “O de ole ferry boat stan’ a-waitin’ at de landin’\, Chilluns we’se all gwine home”. The same feeling of motion and the end of the world as is indicated in the moving of the train\, ship\, and the world it self is also reflected in the opening of the graveyards and the rolling of the hearse wheel. The same rhythmic effect of motion and words give a str ikingly appropriate attitude to the singer.\n\nO the lightening flashin’ an’ the thunder rollin’\, rollin’\, rollin’\,\nO the lightening flashin’ an’ thunder rollin’\, rollin’\, rollin’\,\nO the lig ht’ning flashin’ an’ thunder rollin’\,\nLawd\, I know my time ai n’t long\; Lawd\, I know my time ain’t long.\n\nThe hearse wheel rol lin’ an’ graveyard openin’\, openin’\, openin’\,\nThe hearse w heel rollin’ an’ graveyard openin’\, openin’\, openin’\,\nThe he arse wheel rollin’ an’ the graveyard openin’\,\nLawd\, I know my t ime ain’t long\, my time ain’t long.\n\nAnd very much like the above s ong is “Every Day”. However\, it is so similar to other songs that one concludes that it is only a putting together of what the singer already k new. The Bahama negroes have a song\, “If hev’ry day was judgment da y”\, that is almost exactly the same in meaning as this one. The song\, however\, is a powerful one and seems to be gaining in popularity.\n\nWell the hearse wheel rollin’\,\nEvery day\, every day\,\nCarryin’ yo’ b rother to the graveyard\,\nEvery day\, every day—move\, Zion\, move.\n\n Well ain’t it a pity\, pity?\n[Pg 80]Every day\, every day\,\nWell ain ’t it a pity\, ain’t it a pity?\nEvery day\, every day\, move\, Zion\, move.\n\nWell they’re carryin’ a sinner\, sinner\,\nEvery day\, every day\,\nYes\, they’re carryin’ a sinner\,\nEvery day\, every day\, mov e\, Zion\, move.\n\nMove\, Zion\, move\, for you got to go to judgment\,\n Every day\, every day\,\nMove\, Zion\, move\, for you got to go to judgmen t\,\nEvery day\, every day\, move\, Zion\, move.\n\nThe getting of mail\, and especially of letters\, usually means much to the negroes\; perhaps si mply because they receive little mail. To have a letter from a distinguish ed person is superlative honor and the recipient usually makes the fact kn own generally. Just how the negro conceived of receiving letters from God\ , or why he imagined the angels and apostles as writing letters does not a ppear clear. One gets a letter\, another reads it\; one writes a letter an d all know its contents. Such a reference is found in a number of songs\, that serve as a warning or admonition.\n\nWell my mother got a letter\, O yes\,\nWell she could not read it\, O yes\,\nWhat you reckon that letter s aid?\nThat she didn’t have long to stay here.\n\nWon’t you come\, wo n’t you come?\nWon’t you come an’ get ready to die?\nWon’t you com e\, for my Lord is callin’ you?\n\nHow do you know that my Lord is cal lin’\, O yes?\nIf you look at this letter\, O yes\,\nYou see it come fro m the Hebrews\, O yes\,\nWon’t you come\, for my Lord is callin’ you.\ n\nPerhaps the idea of the letter came from the epistles of the New Testam ent. John and Peter wrote letters\; Mary and Martha read them. The letters of the Hebrews and Ephesians are spoken of. The idea “It just suits m e” seems to have sprung up from satisfaction in reading the “word” o r in hearing the sermon and praying in the usual way.\n\nJohn wrote a lett er and he wrote it in haste\,\nAn’ it jus’ suit me:\nJohn wrote a lett er and he wrote it in haste\,\nAn’ it jus’ suit me.\n[Pg 81]\nJohn wro te a letter and he wrote it in haste\,\nIf yer want to go to heaven yer be tter make haste\,\nAn’ it jus’ suit me.\n\nI’ll tell you a little th ing that was in that letter\,\nAn’ it jus’ suit me.\nI’ll tell you a little thing that was in John’s letter\,\nThe Holy Ghost came to make u s better\,\nAn’ it jus’ suit me.\n\nIn the same form and repetition ar e sung other stanzas\, all of which “suit” the negroes pretty well.\n\ nIf this isn’t the Holy Ghost I don’t know\,\nI never felt such a love befo’\,\nBut it jus’ suit me.\n\nO my brother\, you oughter been at d e pool\,\nTo see me put on my gospel shoes\,\nAn’ it jus’ suit me.\n\n Ezekiel said he spied the train a comin’\,\nWe got on board an’ she ne ver stopped runnin’\,\nAn’ it jus’ suit me.\n\nThis kind er religion is better than gold\,\nIt’s better felt than ever told\,\nAn’ it ju s’ suit me.\n\nI tell you a little thing you can’t do\,\nYou can’t s erve God and the devil\, too\,\nBut it jus’ suit me.\n\nWhen trouble is done an’ conflict have passed\,\nI rise to reign in peace at last\,\nA n’ it jus’ suit me.\n\nBy this time the singers are happy enough and t he preacher joins them in shouting\, “Yes\, brethren\, it just suits m e.” It is gratifying to the negroes that their sins have been “washed in the blood of the Lamb”\, as indeed it ought to be. Perhaps they give it its undue prominence without thought\; for they have no conception of t he seriousness of their claims. The negro singers have exhibited a charact eristic specimen of their word combinations\, concrete pictures\, and theo logical principles in their song\, “De blood done sign my name.”\n\nO de blood\, O de blood\,\nO de blood done sign my name\;\nO Jesus said so\, Jesus said so\,\n[Pg 82]O de blood done sign my name.\n\nI believe it for God he tole me\,\nThat the blood done sign my name\,\nI believe it for Go d he tole me\,\nThat the blood done sign my name\,\nYes\, the blood done s ign my name.\n\nHow do you know so\, God he said so\nThat the blood done s ign my name.\n\nWell it’s written in de Kingdom\,\nThat the blood done s ign my name.\n\nWell in de Lamb’s book it is written\,\nThat the blood d one sign my name.\n\nWell the wheels a turnin’\, wheels a turnin’\,\nB lood done sign my name.\n\nI’m boun’ for glory\, boun’ for glory\,\n The blood done sign my name.\n\nOn de mountain\, on de mountain\,\nThe blo od done sign my name.\n\nIn the valley\, in the valley\,\nBlood done sign my name.\n\nBut the Christian does not have an easy time after his convers ion. Satan is always at hand and ready to lead him away if there is a chan ce. The negro’s idea of satan and the devil has been noted. In his march songs the negro imagines that he is marching against his foe\; this foe i s sometimes satan himself. “The other world is not lak’ dis” is a ty pical marching song.\n\nI er’s walkin’ ’long de oder day\,\nDe udd er worl’ is not lak’ dis\,\nI met ole satan on de way\,\nDe udder wo rl’ is not lak’ dis\,\nHe said\, “Young man\, you’re too young t o pray”\,\nDe udder worl’ is not lak’ dis.\n\nTell all dis worl’\, \nTell all dis worl’\,\nTell all dis worl’\,\nDe odder worl’ is no t lak’ dis.\n\nAs I went down in de valley to pray\,\nDe udder worl’ i s not lak’ dis\,\nI met a little looker on de way\,\nDe udder worl’ is not lak’ dis\,\nHe said: “Look out fer de Judgment day”\,\nDe udd er worl’ is not lak’ dis.\n\n[Pg 83]Another marching song that is a ro using one is “Goin’ down to Jord’n”. It represents\, like the one just given\, the attributes of satan and his relation to the Christian. Th e scene as pictured\, the army marching on down to Jordan\, the imaginary foe\, and the rhythm of the song make it a favorite.\n\nHalleluyer to the Lam’\,\nGoin’ on down to Jordan\,\nLord God’s on that givin’ h an’\,\nGoin’ on down to Jordan.\n\nGoin’ down to Jordan\,\nGoin’ d own to Jordan\,\nI got my breas’plate\, sword an’ shield\,\nGoin’ do wn to Jordan\,\nBoldly mar chin’ thru’ the field\,\nGoin’ on down to Jordan.\n\nI plucked one block out’n satan’s wall\,\nGoin’ on down to Jordan\,\nI heard him stumble an’ saw him fall\,\nGoin’ on down to Jordan.\n\nOle satan’s a liar an’ a conjurer\, too\,\nGoin’ on down to Jordan\,\nIf you don’t mind he’ll conjure you\,\nGoin’ down to Jo rdan.\n\nOle satan mad an’ I am glad\,\nHe missed a soul he thought he h ad.\n\nOle satan thought he had me fast\,\nBroke his chain an’ I’m fre e at last.\n\nI’ve landed my feet on Jordan’s sho’\,\nNow I’m free forever mo’\,\nGoin’ on down to Jordan.\n\nSomething has been observe d about the negro’s attitude toward the crucifixion. The old songs asked : “Wus you dere when dey crucified my Lord? When dey put the crown of th orns on?” and other scenes. In some of the songs the negroes sang “I w us dere when”\, etc.\, while still others only affirm the facts. The son gs of the present generation of negroes are less vivid and less full of fe eling for the suffering of the Master. Some of the verses are similar to t hose of the plantation songs.\n\nHe carried his cross\, he carried his cro ss\,\n[Pg 84]Up Zion hill\, up Zion hill\,\nHe carried his cross\, he carr ied his cross\,\nUp Zion hill\, up Zion hill\,\nHe carried his cross up Zi on hill\, Zion hill\, Zion hill.\n\nThey put on him the thorny crown (3)\, \nThen they nail my Jesus down\,\nThey nail him down\, nail him down\, nai l him down\,\nThey lif’ the cross high in the air (3)\,\nTo show the w orl’ how they nail him there\,\nHow they nail him there\, nail him there \, nail him there.\n\nA peculiar corruption of this song represents the pr odigal son as being in the place of Christ\; now it is the prodigal\, now it is the Lord. It indicates the manner of the development of many of thes e songs\, and shows something of the insignificance of the words on the mi nds of the singers. He sings with his holy laugh:\n\nYes\, the prodigal so n come home\, ha\, ha\,\nYes\, the prodigal son come home\, ha\, ha\,\nThe prodigal son come home by hisself.\n\nAn’ they nail him to the cross\, ha\, ha\,\nAn’ they nail him to the cross\, ha\, ha\,\nAn’ they nail h im to the cross on that day.\n\nAn’ the blood come runnin’ down\, ha\, ha\,\nThe blood come runnin’ down\, ha\, ha\,\nAn’ the blood come r unnin’ down\, on that day.\n\nAn’ they kill the fat’nin’ calf\, ha \, ha\,\nAn’ they kill the fat’nin’ calf\, ha\, ha\,\nThey kill th e fat’nin’ calf on that day.\n\nAn’ they carried my Lord away\, ha\, ha\,\nAn’ they carried my Lord away\, ha\, ha\,\nThey carried my Lord a way\, by hisself.\n\nPaul and Silas\, Peter and John are models for proper contemplation. One of the old songs represented Peter and Paul as bound i n jail. “Togedda dey sung\, togedda dey prayed\, De Lawd he heard how de y sung an’ prayed. Den humble yo’selves\, de bell done rung.” “P aul an’ Silas bound in jail\, The Christians pray both night and day\, ” represented another song\, one version of which has survived and is cu rrent to-day. Most of the song consists in repetitions.\n\nPaul and Silas bound in jail\,\nPaul and Silas bound in jail\,\nPaul and Silas bound in j ail\,\nPaul and Silas bound in jail.\n[Pg 85]\nPaul did pray one mournful prayer (4).\n\nDon’t you wish you could pray like Paul?(4)\n\nHe prayed an’ the good Lord set him free (4).\n\nAnother version prays for the ang els to come down and unlock the door of the jail. It has a striking parall el among the secular songs and might have been composed with the idea of t he negro in jail as being rescued.\n\nCome down angel with the key\,\nCome down angel with the key\,\nMy Lord\, angel\, come down with the key.\n\nU nlock the door for me-e-e\,\nUnlock the door for me-e-e\,\nMy Lord\, unloc k the door for me.\n\nPaul and Silas is in jail\,\nPaul and Silas is in ja il\,\nMy Lord\, Paul and Silas is in jail.\n\nUnlock the jail-house door\, \nUnlock the jail-house door-oor\,\nMy Lord\, unlock the jail house door.\ n\nAmong those of the Bible who have been the special subject of song\, No ah has a prominent place. References to him have been made already. He is always the hero of the flood. In most of the songs wherein a special chara cter has an important part\, it is in the chorus or refrain. So in “Foht y days an’ nights”\, a general mixture of songs and ideas\, Noah and t he flood make the chorus.\n\nDey calls bro’ Noah a foolish man\,\nFohty days an’ nights\,\nHe built de ark upon de lan’\,\nFohty days an’ ni ghts.\n\nEn\, ho\, ho\, didn’t it rain?\nO yes\, you know it did.\nHo\, ho\, didn’t it rain?\nO yes\, you know it did.\n\nOle Satan wears a iron shoe\,\nHit’s fohty days an’ nights\,\nEf you don’t mind gwine slip it on you\,\nFohty days an’ nights.\n\nSome go to meetin’ to put on p retense\,\nFohty days an’ nights\,\nUntil de day ob grace is spent\,\nFo hty days an’ nights.\n[Pg 86]\nSome go to meetin’ to sing an’ shout\ ,\nFohty days an’ nights\,\nFo’ six months dey’ll be turned out\,\nF ohty days an’ nights.\n\nI tell you brother an’ I tell you twice\,\n It’s fohty days an’ nights\,\nMy soul done anchored in Jesus Christ\,\ nFohty days an’ nights.\n\nIf you git dar befo’ I do\,\nForty days a n’ nights\,\nLook out fer me I’se comin’ too\,\nFohty days an’ nig hts.\n\nYou baptize Peter an’ you baptize Paul\,\nIt’s fohty days an ’ nights\,\nBut de Lord-God-er-mighty gwine baptize all\,\nIt’s fohty days an’ nights.\n\nAnother version in one of the old songs says: “Som e go to church to laugh and talk\, but dey knows nuthin’ ’bout de Chri stian’s walk”. “De Ole Ark a-moverin’” was the title of a planta tion song which gave the story of Noah and the flood. Noah and his sons “went to work upon dry lan’”\, and everything went according to the original “plan”.\n\nJes’ wait a little while\, I’m gwine tell yo u ’bout de ole ark\,\nDe Lord told Noah for to build him an ole ark\,\nD en Noah and his sons went to work upon dry lan’\,\nDey built dat ark j es’ accordin’ to comman’\,\nNoah an’ his sons went to work upon de timber\,\nDe proud begin to laugh the silly to point de finger\,\nWhen de ark was finished jes’ accordin’ to plan\,\nMassa Noah took his family both animal an’ man\,\nWhen de rain begin to fall and de ark begin to r ise\,\nDe wicked hung round wid der groans and der cries\,\nFohty days and fohty nights de rain it kep’ a fallin’\,\nDe wicked clumb de trees an’ for help dey kep’ callin’\,\nDat awful rain she stopped at las ’\, de waters dey subsided\,\nAn’ dat ole ark wid all aboard on Ararat rided.\n\nThis is the picture which the plantation and slave negro has ma de for his satisfaction. The present-day song that apparently originated i n the above song is less elaborate\, having only portions of the old song\ , and not being much in demand. It\, too\, is called “Didn’t it rain ?”\n\nGod told Noah ’bout de rainbow sign—\n[Pg 87]Lawd\, didn’t i t rain?\nNo more water but fier nex’ time—\nO didn’t it rain? Hallel uyer.\n\nO didn’t it rain\, O didn’t it rain?\nHalleluyer\, didn’t i t rain?\nSome fohty days an’ nights.\n\nWell it rain fohty days an’ ni ghts widout stoppin’\,\nLawd\, didn’t it rain?\nThe sinner got mad ’ cause the rain kept a droppin’\,\nO didn’t it rain? Halleluyer.\n\nAmo ng the most interesting of all the negro spirituals are those which have b een composed in recent years. These are significant in their bearing upon the temperament and religion of the present-day negro. These songs are eff orts at poetry\, while at the same time they unite biblical story with son g. How they are often begun and for what purposes they are composed was me ntioned in the previous discussion concerning the origin of negro songs. F urther analysis of the form may be made in the study of the negro’s ment al imagery. The following song\, which gets its name from the chorus\, is entitled “My Trouble is Hard”\, and was composed by “Sister Bowers ”. It was printed on a single sheet for distribution\; each person who c ontributed to the collection was entitled to a copy\, or a copy could be h ad for a nickel. She sung her new song to the crowds wherever she went\, a nd then was given a pro-rata of the collections. With the chorus repeated after each stanza\, as the negroes always do\, it becomes a song of unusua l length:\n\nI know a man that was here before Christ\,\nHis name was Adam and Eve was his wife\,\nI’ll tell you how this man lived a rugged life\ ,\nJust by taking this woman’s advice.\n\nMy trouble is hard\, O yes\,\n My trouble is hard\, O yes\,\nMy trouble is hard\, O yes\,\nYes indeed\, m y trouble is hard.\n\nWhilst you are sitting on your seat\,\nLet me tell y ou something that is sweet\,\nWhen all God’s people in glory meet\,\nThe y will slip and slide the golden street.\n\nStop young man\, I’ve someth ing to say\;\nYou know you’re sinful and why don’t you pray?\nYou’re sinning against a sin-venged God\,\nWho has power to slay us all.\n[Pg 88 ]\nO Lord\, aint it a pity—ain’t it a shame—\nTo see how my Lord and Saviour was slain?\nI hate to call the murderer’s name\,\nI know they a re dead but left the stain.\n\nRead the Scriptures and be content\,\nYou a re bound to know what Jesus meant\,\nJohn was here before his advent\;\nSt ood in the wilderness and cried “Repent”.\n\nChrist called his apostle s two by two\,\nHe particularly told them what to do\,\nPreach my gospel a s I command you\,\nAnd I’ll be with you all the way through.\n\nJust me tell you what David done\,\nOld man Jesse’s youngest son:\nHe slayed Gol iath that mighty one\,\nOle Saul pursued him but he had to run.\n\nOle Sau l pursued poor David’s life—\nIt’s a mighty good thing he had a wife \,\nThey went to his house and did surround\nAnd she took a rope and let h im down.\n\nGod called Jonah in a powerful way\,\nHe told old Jonah just w hat to say\;\nTell them people if they don’t pray\,\nI’ll destroy the city of Nineveh.\n\nJust let me tell you how this world is fixed\,\nSatan has got it so full of tricks\,\nYou can go from place to place\,\nEverybod y’s runnin’ down the colored race.\n\nAlmost equally interesting i s “That’s another Witness for my Lord.” It will be noticed in these songs that references and phrases taken from the old songs are often used\ , but in different combinations. They thus lose their former worth. It wil l be interesting\, too\, to compare the negro’s religious conceptions of the Bible and God as expressed in these songs with those expressed in the older productions: Has he advanced in his theology?\n\nRead in Genesis\, you understand\,\nMethuselah was the oldest man\,\nLived nine hundred and sixty-nine\,\nDied and went to heaven in due time.\n\nMethuselah is a witn ess for my Lord\,\nMethuselah is a witness for my Lord.\n\nYou read about Sampson from his birth\,\n[Pg 89]Strongest man that lived on the earth\,\n ’Way back yonder in ancient times\,\nHe slayed three thousand of the Phi listines.\n\nSampson he went wanderin’ about\,\nFor his strength hadn’ t been found out\,\nHis wife dropped down upon her knees\,\nSaid: “Samps on\, tell me where your strength lies\, please.”\n\nDelila’ talked so good and fair\;\nHe told her his strength lie in his hair\;\n“Shave my h ead just as clean as your hands\,\nAnd my strength’ll be like a nachual man’s.”\n\nWasn’t that a witness for my Lord?\nWasn’t that a witne ss for my Lord?\n\nIsaiah mounted on de wheel o’time\,\nSpoke to God-er- mighty way down the line:\nSaid\, “O Lord\, to me reveal\,\nHow can this vile race be healed?”\n\nGod said: “Tell the sons of men\,\nUnto th em’ll be born a king\,\nThem that believe upon his Way\,\nThey shall res t in the latter day.”\n\nIsaiah was a witness for my Lord\,\nIsaiah was a witness for my Lord.\n\nThere was a man amongst the Pharisees\,\nNamed N icodemus and he didn’t believe\,\nHe went to the Master in the night\,\n And told him to take him out er human sight.\n\n“You are the Christ\, I’m sure it’s true\,\nFor none do de miracles dat you do\,\nBut how ca n a man\, now old in sin\,\nTurn back still and be born again?”\n\nChris t said\, “Man\, if you want to be wise\,\nYou’d better repent and be b aptized\;\nBelieve on me\, the Son of Man\,\nThen you will be born’d aga in.”\n\nWasn’t that a witness for my Lord?\nWasn’t that a witness fo r my Lord?\n\n“After ’While” gives a slightly different form of vers e\, but with somewhat the same characteristics in other respects as those just given. There is little regularity in the metrical arrangement\, but i t makes a good song.\n\nThe worl’ is full of forms and changes\,\nIt’s just now so confuse\,\n[Pg 90]You will find some danger\nIn everything yo u use:\nBut this is consolation to every blood washed child\,\nGod’s g oin’ to change our station after while.\n\nAfterwhile\, afterwhile\,\n God’s goin’ to change our station\, afterwhile.\n\nThe devil tries to throw down\nEverything that’s good\,\n\nHe’d fix a way to confine\nThe righteous if he could\,\nThanks be to God almighty\, he cannot be beguile d\,\nOle satan will be done fightin’ afterwhile.\n\nSome men and women w ho help the world along\,\nBy constantly complaining of everything that’ s done\,\nThey want to be called Christians and all their badness hide\,\n God’s goin’ to open the secret afterwhile.\n\nPreachers in their sermo ns stand up and tell the truth\,\nThey’ll go about and murmur with sland er and abuse\;\nThey want the whole arrangement to suit their selfish styl e\,\nGod’s goin’ to rain down fire afterwhile.\n\nIn a general mixture of old song and new song\, of old traits and new traits\, the negro sings a beautiful song which he has called: “Whar’ shall I be?” The usual imagery is seen.\n\nMoses lived til he got old\,\nWhar’ shall I be?\nBu ried in de mountain\, so I’m told\,\nWhar’ shall I be?\n\nWhar’ shal l I be when de fust trumpet sounds?\nWhar’ shall I be when it sounds so loud?\nWhen it sound so loud that it wake up the dead\,\nWhar’ shall I b e when it sounds?\n\nWell God showed Noar de rainbow sign\,\nWhar’ shall I be?\nNo more water but fire nex’ time\,\nWhar’ shall I be?\n\nMathe w\, Mark\, Luke and John\,\nWhar’ shall I be?\nTole me whar’ my Saviou r gone\;\nWhar’ shall I be?\n\nJohn declar’d he saw a man\,\nWhar’ s hall I be?\nWid seben lamps in his right han’\,\nWhar’ shall I be?\n\n [Pg 91]The exact meaning of the following song could not be ascertained. I t is apparently derived from some idea of the scriptural invocation and bl essing upon the disciples. It is said to have a special message to the pre acher\, and is sometimes represented as being the words of God\; at other times the encouragement of a friend and the reply.\n\nGo and I will go wit h you\;\nOpen your mouth and I’ll speak for you\;\nIf I go and tell them what you say they won’t believe me.\n\nShout and I shout with you\;\nTh row out your arms and I catch you\;\nIf they see you going with me\, they won’t believe on you.\n\nSo it’s go and I go with you\;\nOpen your mou th and I speak for you\,\nShout and I shout with you\,\nThrow out your arm s and I catch you\,\nIf I go and tell them what you say they won’t belie ve me.\n\nAnother song of the modern type seems to appeal to the negroes v ery strongly. Again he is seeing a vivid picture of the Christ in the long years ago. But just where he gets the exact ideas by which to make the co mbinations is a little doubtful. Perhaps he gets the central thought from the miracle of Cana.\n\nIf my mother ask you for me\, tell her I gone to G allerlee\,\nI ought to a been there four thousand years ago\,\nTo drink of the wine.\n\nDrinkin’ of the wine\, drinkin’ of the wine\,\nDrinkin ’ of the wine\, Drinkin’ of the wine\,\nChrist was there four thousand years ago\,\nDrinkin’ of the wine.\n\nYou may mourn\, sinner\, mourn\, the Lord help you to mourn\,\nChrist was there four thousand years ago\,\n Drinkin’ of the wine.\n\nSo\, too\, you may moan\, weep\, cry\, pray\, b rother\, sister\, father\, mother\, backslider\, and any others that the s inger happens to think of\, and the chorus\, “Drinkin’ of the wine\, ” is the favorite refrain. Again in “The Blind Man” the picture is o ne of confusing the scriptural scenes with those of the present\, and of p lacing himself in the stead of the central character of the story.\n\nWell the blind man stood by the grave and cried\,\nWell the blind man stood by the wave and cried\,\nYes\, the blind man stood by the wave and cried.\n[ Pg 92]\nHe cried\, “O Lord\, don’t you hear po’ me?”\nHark\, the b lind man stood by the wave and cried\,\nHe cried\, “O Lord\, don’t you hear po’ me?”\n\nBrother don’t you hear the blind cries\, blind cri es?\nBrother don’t you hear the blind cries\, blind cries?\nO brother\, don’t you hear the blind cries?\n\nJesus he give de blind man sight\, bl ind man sight\,\nJesus he give de blind man sight\, blind man sight\,\nYes \, Jesus he give de blind man sight.\n\nHe also sings “sister\, don’t you hear\,” etc.\, brother\, father\, preacher. A peculiar modification of “Walking in the Light” is the song of the same name among the negro es\, which seems to have its origin in the scriptural injunction\, “Ye a re the light of the world.”\n\nLet yo’ light shine all over the world\ ,\nWalkin’ in the light\, beautiful light.\n\nMos’ wonderful light\, s hine by night\,\nLet yo’ light shine all over the world.\n\nI am the lig ht\, most pitiful light\,\nLet yo’ light shine all over the world.\n\nFo llow the light\, mos’ beautiful light\,\nLet yo’ light shine all over the world.\n\nSinner\, what you gwine do when the lamp stops burnin’\,\n Let yo’ light shine all over the world?\n\nThe negro prays to be remembe red at Calvary\; so\, too\, he asks to remember Calvary and the Lord. A si ngle fragment of the old song remains:\n\nO Lord remember me\, remember Ca lvary\,\nFor without any doubt and you remember the Lord\,\nI pray thee\, Lord\, remember me\,\nO Lord\, remember me\, remember Calvary.\n\nThe “P ilgrim’s song” that has been considered so beautiful is still a favori te\; the words of the stanzas differ little. It may be called a standard h ymn of the negroes. There is a story that Bishop Allen\, the founder of th e A. M. E. church\, composed the song on his dying bed. He was very well e ducated and a man of considerable ability and feeling. While the sadly hop eful words of the song are of a higher type than the average spiritual\, a nd while its metrical form is far above the usual\, the song still combine s many of the ideas and phrases of the favorite spirituals of the slaves. One of these songs\,[Pg 93] “I hope my mother will be there\, In that be autiful world on high”\, embodies the same sentiment and in similar word s. Another\, “Give ’way Jordan\, I want to go across to see my Lord. I heard sweet music\, I wish dat music would come here”\, represents the other part of the song. The Pilgrim’s song as it is found is:\n\nI am a poor way-faring stranger\,\nWhile journeying through this world of woe\,\n But there is no sickness\, toil\, nor danger\,\nIn that bright world to wh ich I go.\n\nI’m going there to see my classmates\,\nThey said they’d meet me when I come\,\nI’m just a going over Jordan\,\nI’m just going over home.\n\nI know dark clouds’ll gather round me\,\nI know my road is rough and steep\,\nYet there bright fields are lying just before me\,\nWh ere God’s redeemed and vigils keep.\n\nI’m going there to see my mothe r\,\nShe said she’d meet me when I come\,\nI’m just going over Jordan\ ,\nI’m just a going over home.\n\nI’ll soon be free\, free every trial \,\nMy body will sleep in the old churchyard.\nI’ll quit the cross of se lf-denial\,\nAnd enter in my great reward.\n\nI’m going there to see my mother\,\nShe said she’d meet me when I come\,\nI’m just a going over Jordan\,\nI’m just going over home.\n\nThe only differences in the versi ons of the old song and its present form is the substitution of “But” for “yet”\, “and” for “their”\, and “free” for “from”\, “drop” for “quit” in the various lines. Very much in the same class of song is “Steal Away”. The present version is much t he same in general as the old\, of which there were several\, differing on ly in minor details. There is in some of the church song books a version o f the song\; however\, the most common verses now sung are:\n\nO the green trees a-bowin’\,\nAn’ po’ sinner stan’ tremblin’\,\nWell the tr umpet soun’ in my soul\,\nAn’ I ain’t got long to stay here.\n[Pg 94 ]\nO steal away\, steal away\,\nO steal away to my Jesus\,\nSteal away\, s teal away\,\nFor I ain’t got long to stay here.\n\nMy Lord is a callin ’\,\nPo’ sinner he can’t answer\,\nWell\, the trumpet sound in my so ul\,\nAn’ I ain’t got long to stay here.\n\nOne of the most beautiful and at the same time simple and pathetic songs of the negroes is “Heal m e\, Jesus”. Here the negro is at his typical best in prayer: without pre tension\, without reserve\, claiming nothing\, he simply pleads for his de sire.\n\nO Lord\, I’m sick an’ I want to be healed\,\nO Lord\, I’m s ick an’ I want to be healed\,\nO Lord\, I’m sick an’ I want to be he aled\,\nO Lord\, I’m sick an’ I want to be healed.\n\nHeal me Jesus\, heal me Jesus\,\nAlong the heavenly way\,\nHeal me Jesus\, heal me Jesus\, \nAlong the heavenly way.\n\nO Lord\, I’m blind an’ I want to see\,\nO Lord\, I’m blin’ an’ I wan’ ter see\,\nO Lord\, I’m bli n’ an’ I wan’ ’er see\,\nHeal me Jesus along the heavenly way.\n\n O Lord\, I’m crippl’d an’ I wan’ ’er walk\,\nO Lord\, I’m crippl’d an’ I wan’ ’er wa-a-a-l-k\,\nO Lord\, I’m cri-p-p-l-e -d an’ I want ’er walk\,\nHeal me Jesus along the heavenly way.\n\nO L ord\, I’m deaf an’ I want to hear\, etc.\n\nThe negroes are great beli evers in dress and uniform. Color\, too\, appeals to them as significant a nd the more strikingly distinct the color\, the stronger impression it mak es upon their imaginations. Chief among all others is the white which the angels wear\; gold and purple\, too\, are concerned with the heavens. Amon g men red and black are strongest. This idea of color dressing has become interwoven in many of their songs. The rhyme helps to give the picture its vividness. The following song\, with its variants\, is still sung with co nsiderable zest.\n\nWho is that yonder all dressed in red?\n[Pg 95]I heard the angels singing\;\nIt look like the children Moses led\,\nI heard the angels singin’.\n\nDown on my knees\,\nDown on my knees\,\nI heard the a ngels singing.\n\nWell who that yonder all dressed in black?\nI heard the angels singing\;\nIt look like it’s de mourner jus’ got back\,\nI hear d the angels singing.\n\nYes’ who’s that yonder all dressed in blue?\n It look like the children just come through.\n\nInstead of “mourners j us’ got back” the negroes sing “a sister\, a sinner\, a hypocrite\, etc.\, jus’ got back”. Once the negroes sang: “Who’s that yonder a ll dressed in black? Must be children of the Israelites”\, which is the common version for the answer to “Who’s all them come dressed in whi te?” The songs almost invariably have a different chorus for the differe nt versions and combinations. In one of the old songs\, the above verses w ere sung to the chorus\n\nOh\, what you say\, John?\nOh\, what you say\, J ohn?\nOh\, what you say\, John?\nDe ressurection drawin’ nigh.\n\nwith t his last line as a refrain after each line of the song\, just as above in “I heard the angels singing”. In another of the old songs the chorus w as:\n\nGo\, Mary\, an’ ring de bell\,\nCome\, John\, and call de roll\,\ nI thank God.\n\nThe negro visualizes with a good deal of satisfaction. He imagines that he can see the things about which he sings. So they have im agined seeing the people dressed in white\, black\, red and blue\; so he i magined that he could see “two tall angels comin’ after me”\, or “ big tall”\, “long tall”\, “band of angels” or whatever form the song has taken. So the negroes have told wonderful stories about the whale and the gourd vine\; about the “cutter worm” as well as Jonah. The ol d song\, modified and adapted with characteristic phraseology and expressi on still appeals to the negro. The “Big fish” and “Sherk” represen ts the terror of the sea to the negro. One old darkey explained this fact by saying that it was because the negroes were terrified[Pg 96] as they we re brought over from Africa\, and that they saw the whales and “fishes ” in “de sea” and that “de race hain’t nebber got ober it yet” . Another ascribes the fear and imagination much to the biblical story of the whale and Jonah. Perhaps neither determines to any marked degree this feeling. However\, the song “Big fish swallow Jonah”\, which has made such a hit in its paraphrases and in the glee clubs\, and variously\, is s till current in this form:\n\nLord\, the big fish\, big fish\, big fish\, swallow ole Jonah whole\,\nThe big fish\, the big fish\, the big fish swal low ole Jonah\;\nThe big fish\, big fish\, big fish\, swallow ole Jonah wh ole.\n\nOle Jonah cried\, “Lord save my soul”\,\nOle Jonah\, ole Jonah \, ole Jonah cried “save my-save-m-y-y”\,\nOle Jonah cried “Lord sav e my soul”.\n\nIn the same manner are sung other lines:\n\nLord\, the go urd vine\, gourd vine\, gourd vine growed over Jonah.\nWell\, the cutter w orm\, cutter worm\, cutter worm cut that vine down.\n\nIn addition to Jona h—and the last two stanzas are not common in the old songs—“Peter on the sea”\, “Gabriel\, blow your trump”\, “Daniel in the lion’ s den”\, are sung. Those who have heard the latest form of this song ren dered would scarcely imagine that it was a very appropriate church song.\n \nIt has been stated that the negro makes a song his own by the simple act of singing it. If he is free and unrestrained at the same time that he is thoroughly wrought up\, he adds enough to his song or changes its version sufficiently to make it almost unique. In the common tunes sung by both w hite and black people\, the negro’s rhythm and graceful passing from one line to another\, together with the insertions of shouts and “amens” renders them distinct. A number of the favorite “old time” religious s ongs are thus rendered by the negroes. They are the old “stand-by” hym ns. The nature of some of them was indicated in the first chapter. The fol lowing songs will serve to illustrate the common practice of singing among the “spiritualists”.\n\nIn “The old-time Religion” there are as m any versions as the singer can make combinations. It is “Gi’ me dat ol e-time religion”\, or it is “’Tis that ole time religion”\, or i t is “Was that ole-time\, etc.\,” or “Will be the old time religio n”. In the same way it may[Pg 97] be “good enough”\, “It’s goo d enough”. It is\, was\, will be good enough for “mother\, my mother\, my ole mother\, father\, brother\, sister\,” and all the list of biblic al names\, chiefest among whom are Paul and Silas\, Peter and John. So aga in\, it is “good when dying\, living\, mourning\, sinking\, praying\, ta lking”. It is good “when in trubble\, when de worl’s on fier\, when the lightening flashes\, when the thunder rolls\, when the heavens are mel ting\, when the stars are falling\, when the moon is bleeding\, when the g rave yards are opening”\, and all other times that are conceived as bein g a part and factor in destiny. Likewise the chorus or the lines may be su ng with additional “Yes”\, “sure”\, “well”\, “Uh”\, and va rious other expressions that are the product of the moment.\n\nOne who has heard the song “Bye and bye we’ll go and see them”\, rendered in an effective way must recognize its power and beauty. It is pre-eminently a song for the emotions\, and suggests scenes of the past and of the future\ ; it brings back memories that have been forgotten and forms emotions and conceptions that have not before existed. To the negro it is all this—in so far as he is able to grasp the better emotions—but it is mostly a me dium through which he can sing his rhythmic feeling off. And with the addi tional interpretations and additions both in words and in expression\, it is scarcely surpassed by any of his spirituals. The simplest form is exact ly the same as that of the regular song: “Bye and bye\, we’ll go and s ee them”\, From this the negroes vary to “Bye and bye I’m a goin’ to see him\, them\, her”. To this chorus they nearly always add in alter nate lines “Well it’s”\, “Well”\, “An’” and such expressio ns\, thus:\n\nBye an’ bye I’m goin’ to see them\,\nBye an’ bye I’m goin’ to see them\,\nWell\, it’s bye an’ bye I’m goin’ to see them\,\nOn de oder shore.\n\nThese expressions inserted or omitted at pleasure\, serve to give an additional rhythm to the song that seems othe rwise to be lacking. The verses of the song\, like many others\, are pract ically unlimited. Each is repeated three or six times as the singers prefe r\, with the refrain “On the other shore” added at the end of each sta nza. The negroes sing not only of a brother\, sister\, father\, mother\, a untie\, preacher and friends\, but they also sing of Paul and Silas and Da niel and Moses\; they are at liberty to use any name that comes to mind. A nd they[Pg 98] manifest as much feeling and emotion about meeting Moses or Noah or Abraham as they do about a dear old mother. Not only will they me et these loved ones but there will be scenes “over yonder.”\n\nI’m g ot a brother over yonder-on the other shore.\nI’m goin’ to meet my bro ther over yonder.\nTryin’ time will soon be over\, on the other shore.\n Well\, it’s mournin’ time will soon be over\, on the other shore.\nC ryin’ time will soon be over.\nPrayin’ time will soon be over\, etc.\n Shoutin’ time will soon be over\, etc.\n\nIf necessary they then turn to the sinner and sing: “Sinnin’ time\, gamblin’ time\, etc.\, will so on be over.” The old plantation song\, instead of saying\, “Brother Da niel over yonder\,” had it\, “Wonder where is good ole Daniel? Bye a n’ bye we’ll go an’ meet him\, ’Way over in de promise lan’. W onder where’s dem Hebrew children? Wonder where’s doubtin’ Thomas? W onder where is sinkin’ Peter?” This form is apparently not sung to-day .\n\nIn the same way the negroes have modified the comparatively new songs that have been successful among the evangelists the country over. One wou ld scarcely recognize even the tunes at first hearing\, while the verses a re usually entirely different. The chorus\, as a rule\, remains the same\, save for the variations already mentioned. One or two songs may be taken as illustrations. “When the Roll is Called up yonder” appealed to the negroes for many reasons. Most of the churches sing it\, and sing it “ro using” well. Their chorus is beautiful and the parts\, though carried in formally\, make a splendid effect. But the negro does not sing the prescri bed stanzas. After singing the chorus\, with such additions as he feels di sposed to make\, and after two or three\, perhaps one\, of the written ver ses\, he sings his own song:\n\nWhen the roll is called up yonder\, I’ll be there.\nBy the grace of God up yonder\, I’ll be there.\nYes\, my hom e is way up yonder\, an’ I’ll be there.\nI got a mother way up yonde r\, I’ll be there.\nI got a sister way up yonder\, I’ll be there.\n\nA nd without limitations he sings this new song into his old and favorite th emes\, often inserting stanzas and words that belong to the oldest existin g negro spirituals in the same verse with the evangelist’s best efforts. Another may illustrate further: “Blessed be the Name of the Lord”\, h as a great many variations\, some of which would never[Pg 99] be recognize d without considerable study and investigation. At first the searcher is i nclined to wonder at the distance the singer has got from his original\, b ut the evolutionary steps make the process quite clear. The negroes love t o sing blessing to the Lord\; much of the basic principle of their theolog y is based upon gratitude for the final deliverance of bondage from work a nd suffering. It is not surprising\, then\, that this song should become a favorite. One of the present versions\, most commonly sung is:\n\nIf you git there before I do\,\nBlessed be the name of the Lord\,\nTell my God I’m a comin’ too\,\nBlessed be the name of the Lord.\n\nI turn my eyes toward de sky\,\nBlessed be the name of the Lord\,\nI ask the Lord for wi ngs to fly\,\nBlessed be the name of the Lord.\n\nAnd encouraged by the ha ppy putting in to this new song an old verse\, the singer proceeds to put in as many as he wishes\; then in his desire for rhythm and his habit of r epetition\, together with the cries of “amen” or “Lord” the chorus often becomes: “My Lord\, blessed be the name of the Lord.” The outco me of such a chorus may be seen in the song already cited: “Lor’ bless the Name.”\n\nIn the effort to make new songs or to appropriate songs t hemselves\, the negroes are thus constantly introducing various songs into their worship. The most common method\, that of having the song printed o n a single sheet for distribution\, has already been mentioned. And as was there suggested\, these songs are often verses taken at random from song books or poems\, and put into song form. In most cases such songs are vari ed in such a way that the song may both meet the demand for a song of its kind and at the same time appear original. Some\, indeed\, are purely orig inal productions\, some of which have been cited. Just between the “spir ituals” and the standard hymns are these innovation songs. They show wel l the circumstances which they represent. The effort is often made by memb ers of the younger generation of negroes to substitute the new songs\, tog ether with the standard hymns for the old spirituals. They represent a ste p forward\; young educated negroes do not like to be heard singing the sim ple spirituals. They claim that they are songs of the past\, and\, as such [Pg 100] only\, are they beautiful. The following song\, given in the exac t form in which it was distributed\, will serve to illustrate.\n\nBLESSED HOPE.\nBy Rev. W. E. Bailey.\nBlessed hope that in Jesus is given\,\nAll o ur sorrow to cheer and sustain\,\nThat soon in the mansions of heaven\nWe shall meet with our loved ones again.\n\nBlessed hope\, blessed hope\,\nWe shall meet with our loved ones again\,\nBlessed hope\, blessed hope\,\nWe shall meet with our loved ones again.\n\nBlessed hope in the word God has spoken\,\nAll our peace by that word we obtain\,\nAnd as sure as God’s word was never broken\,\nWe shall meet with our loved ones again.\n\nBless ed hope how it shines in our sorrows\,\nLike the star over Bethlehem’s p lain\,\nWe will see our Lord ere the morrow\,\nWe shall meet with our love d ones again.\n\nBlessed hope the bright star of the morning\,\nThat shall herald his coming to reign\,\nHe will come and reward all the faithful\,\ nWe shall meet with our loved ones again.\n(Sung by Rev. J. T. Johnson.)\n \nSuch a song is neither sung to an old melody nor a new tune\; it is not a spiritual\; it is scarcely native nor yet borrowed. It represents the ge neral result that comes from a free intermingling of all. To such a song t here may be any number of tunes\; likewise there are a great many such son gs introduced and may be sung alike to simple tunes. A tune is as easily s elected and rendered as are the words\; words are as easily improvised\, o r written with some care\, as the melodies are natural. But they appeal le ss strongly to the negroes as a rule for the simple reason that “they don’t put a feelin’ in you like the old songs.”\n\nThus the negro’ s religion is dependent upon feeling\; song facilitates and intensifies th e feelings\, and song is the essential joy of much of the negro’s life. Whenever and wherever occasion demands religious manifestation\, the song is the prerequisite. Not only at the[Pg 101] church\, but at lodge celebra tions\, funerals and memorial services\, the song begins the process of “putting a feelin’” in the congregation. Again\, the stress of the negro’s religion is placed upon the supernatural and the life that lies beyond his present sphere. A religious attitude is scarcely conceived by the negro without the fundamental conception of the next world. Thus is li fe contrasted with heaven and hell\; the sinner and the righteous are but temporary\; so will the souls of all one day sing with Jehovah the songs t hat the angels love\; and there will be feeling there\, too. It is thus th at the central themes of the negro’s religious songs reveal both his rel igious nature and his mental attitude\, together with the emotional charac teristics that predominate. And it is easily seen that the negro’s image ry and imagination are scarcely surpassed. His religious fervor depends up on the reality of such imagery\; the folk-song reflects this imagery as no thing else does. Again\, the negro’s sense of sin is ever present in a f eeling of guilt in the struggle between himself and the real or the imagin ary\; consequently he insures himself against a final sense of guilt by st rong declarations of his righteousness as opposed to the sinner’s state. His sense of sin thus becomes less practical\; it is rather an imaginativ e expression of a religious feeling. As the clearest exponent of the negro ’s real self\, the folk song reveals the heart of his psychic nature\; i t is indeed a witness to the fact that “’Ligion’s so sweet”. Does he not sing well and truthfully?\n\nI jus’ got home f’um Jordan\,\nI jus’ got home f’um Jordan\,\nI jus’ got home f’um Jordan\,\n’ Ligion’s so-o-o sweet.\n\nMy work is done an’ I mus’ go\,\nMy work i s done an’ I mus’ go\,\nMy work is done an’ I mus’ go\,\n’Ligi on’s so-o-o sweet.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nFootnotes:\n\n[1] This paper presen ts in substance the contents of Chapters I and II of a study on “Negro F olk-Song and Character\,” with other chapters as follows: Chapter III\, The Negro’s Social and Secular Songs\; Chapter IV\, Types of Social Song s among the Negroes\; Chapter V\, Work Songs and Phrases\; Chapter VI\, Th e Negro’s Mental Imagery\; Chapter VII\, Negro Character as Revealed in Folk-Songs and Poetry.\n\n[2] See Atlantic Monthly\, Vol. XIX\, pp. 685 se q.\, Scribners\, Vol. XX\, pp. 425 seq.\, Lippincott’s\, Vol. II\, 617 s eq.\n\n[3] For verses not found in the present-day negro spirituals\, see Slave Songs in the United States\, W. F. Allen\, New York\, 1867\, The Jub ilee Singers\, New York\, 1873\, Plantation and Cabin Songs\, New York\, 1 892.\n\n*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RELIGIOUS FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTHERN NEGROES ***\nUpdated editions will replace the previous one—th e old editions will be renamed.\nCreating the works from print editions no t protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States c opyright in these works\, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distri bute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyrig ht royalties. Special rules\, set forth in the General Terms of Use part o f this license\, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ el ectronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. 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If you are not located in the United States\, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.\nTitle : Negro workaday songs\n\nAuthor: Howard Washington Odum\n\nGuy Benton Joh nson\n\nRelease date: November 18\, 2022 [eBook #69378]\n\nLanguage: Engli sh\n\nOriginal publication: New Caledonia: University of North Carolina Pr ess\, 1926\n\nCredits: Tim Lindell\, Harry Lamé\, Jude Eylander and the O nline Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Am erican Libraries.)\n\n*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NEGRO WORKA DAY SONGS ***\nPlease see the Transcriber’s Notes at the end of this tex t.\n\nThe cover image and music transcriptions have been created for this e-text and are in the public domain.\n\nCover image\nTHE UNIVERSITY OF NOR TH CAROLINA\nSOCIAL STUDY SERIES\n\nNEGRO WORKADAY SONGS\nTHE UNIVERSITY O F NORTH CAROLINA\nSOCIAL STUDY SERIES\nThe Negro and His Songs $3.00\nFolk Beliefs of the Southern Negro 5.00\nNegro Workaday Songs 3.00\nSouthern P ioneers 2.00\nLaw and Morals 2.00\nThe Scientific Study of Human Society 2 .00\nSystems of Public Welfare 2.00\nRoads to Social Peace 1.50\nThe Count ry Newspaper 1.50\nChildren’s Interest in Reading 1.50\nNEGRO WORKADAY S ONGS\n\nBY\n\nHOWARD W. ODUM\, Ph.D.\n\nKenan Professor of Sociology and D irector of\nthe School of Public Welfare\, University of\nNorth Carolina\n \nAND\n\nGUY B. JOHNSON\, A.M.\n\nInstitute for Research in Social Science \,\nUniversity of North Carolina\n\nLogo Lux Veritas\nCHAPEL HILL\nTHE UNI VERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS\nLONDON: HUMPHREY MILFORD\nOXFORD UNIVERSI TY PRESS\n1926\n\n[vii]\n\nCopyright\, 1926\, By\nThe University of North Carolina Press\nALL RIGHTS RESERVED\n\nPresses of\nEdwards &\; Broughto n Company\nRALEIGH\n\n[viii]\n\nA vast throng of Negro workaday singers\, mirrors of a race\n\nWorkingmen in the Southern United States from highway \, construction camp\, from railroad and farm\, from city and countryside\ , a million strong\n\nA half million migrants from the South\, Eastward\, Northward\, Westward\, and some South again\n\nNegro offenders in thousand fold in local jails\, county chain gangs\, state and federal prisons\n\nA horde of Southern casual laborers and wanderers down that lonesome road\n \nA brown black army of “bad men”—creepers and ramblers and jamboree breakers\, “travelin’ men” de luxe\n\nItinerant full-handed musicia ners\, music physicianers and songsters\, singly\, in pairs\, quartets\, a lways moving on\n\nA host of women workers from field and home and factory at once singers and subjects of the lonesome blues\n\nA swelling crescend o\, a race vibrato inimitable\, descriptive index of group character\, fol k urge and race power\n\n[ix-\nx]\n\nPREFACE\nNegro Workaday Songs is the third volume of a series of folk background studies of which The Negro and His Songs was the first and Folk-Beliefs of the Southern Negro was the se cond. The series will include a number of other volumes on the Negro and l ikewise a number presenting folk aspects of other groups. The reception wh ich the first volumes have received gives evidence that the plan of the se ries to present scientific\, descriptive\, and objective studies in as int eresting and readable form as possible may be successful in a substantial way. Since the data for background studies are\, for the time being\, prac tically unlimited\, it is hoped that other volumes\, appearing as they bec ome available and timely\, may glimpse the whole range—from the Negro “bad man” to the æsthetic in the folk urge.\n\nIn this volume\, as in previous ones\, the emphasis is primarily social\, although this indicate s no lack of appreciation of the inherent literary and artistic values of the specimens presented. Indeed\, so far as possible\, all examples of fol k expression in this volume are left to tell their own story. The type mel odies and musical notations are presented separately with the same descrip tive purpose as the other chapters\, and they are not offered as a substit ute for effective harmonies and musical interpretation. For the purposes o f this volume\, however\, the separate chapters on the melodies and phono- photographic records with musical notations are very important. It is also important that they be studied separately\, but in the light of the prece ding chapters\, rather than inserted in the text to detract from both the social and artistic interpretation of the songs enumerated.\n\n[xi]\n\nThe Seashore-Metfessel phono-photographic records and musical notations mark an important contribution to the whole field of interpretation of Negro mu sic. There may be an outstanding contribution both to the musical world an d to the whole interpretation of Negro backgrounds in the possible thesis that the Negro\, in addition to his distinctive contribution to harmony\, excels also in the vibrato quality of the individual voice. These studies were made at Chapel Hill and at Hampton by Dr. Carl E. Seashore and Dr. Mi lton Metfessel of the University of Iowa\, under the auspices of the Insti tute for Research in Social Science at the University of North Carolina th rough a special grant of the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial. Full ackn owledgment to them is here made.\n\nIt should be kept constantly in mind t hat this volume\, like The Negro and His Songs\, is in no sense an antholo gy or general collection\, but represents the group of songs current in ce rtain areas in North Carolina\, South Carolina\, Tennessee and Georgia\, d uring the years 1924-25. Of course all of this collection cannot be includ ed in this volume\; and no doubt many of the most important or most attrac tive specimens extant have escaped us at this time. It is also important t o note that in this volume\, as in the previous one\, all specimens listed \, except lines or references otherwise designated\, were taken directly f rom Negro singers and do not represent reports from memory of white indivi duals. So far as we know none of the songs in this collection has been pub lished\, although there are countless variations\, adaptations and corrupt ions of the modern blues and jazz songs represented in the group. The song s\, however\, were all[xii] sung or repeated by actual Negro workers or si ngers\, and much of their value lies in the exact transcription of natural lines\, words\, and mixtures. The collection is still growing by leaps an d bounds. In this volume every type is represented except the “dirty doz en” popular models and the more formal and sophisticated creations.\n\nS ince this volume presents a series of pictures of the Negro as portrayed t hrough his workaday songs it is important that all chapters be read before any final judgment is made. Even then the picture will not be complete. I t has not been possible\, of course\, to make any complete or accurate cla ssification of the songs. They overlap and repeat. They borrow sentiment a nd expression and repay freely. Free labor song becomes prison song\, and chain gang melody turns to pick-and-shovel accompaniment. The chapter divi sions\, therefore\, are made with the idea of approximating a usable class ification and providing such mechanical divisions as will facilitate the b est possible presentation.\n\nThe reader who approaches this volume from t he point of view of the technical student of folk song will likely be disa ppointed at what he considers the lack of discrimination displayed by the authors in admitting so many songs which cannot be classed as strictly fol k songs. We have frankly taken the position that these semi-folk songs\, c rude and fragmentary\, and often having only local or individual significa nce\, afford even more accurate pictures of Negro workaday life and art th an the conventional folk songs. While we have spared no effort to make the collection valuable for folk song students\, we have approached the work primarily as sociologists.\n\n[xiii]\n\nFor assistance in recording the ty pe melodies in Chapter XIV we are specially indebted to Mr. Lee M. Brooks\ , and for many of the songs of women to Mrs. Henry Odum. We wish to thank Mr. Gerald W. Johnson for his goodness in going over much of the manuscrip t and making valuable suggestions. To Dr. L. R. Wilson\, Director of the U niversity of North Carolina Press\, we are much indebted for coöperation and suggestions.\n\nChapel HillH. W. O.\nJanuary\, 1926G. B. J.\n\nCONTENT S\nCHAPTER PAGE\nI. Background Resources in Negro Songs and Work 1\nII. Th e Blues: Workaday Sorrow Songs 17\nIII. Songs of the Lonesome Road 35\nIV. Bad Man Ballads and Jamboree 47\nV. Songs of Jail\, Chain Gang\, and Poli cemen 71\nVI. Songs of Construction Camps and Gangs 88\nVII. Just Songs to Help With Work 118\nVIII. Man’s Song of Woman 135\nIX. Woman’s Song o f Man 152\nX. Folk Minstrel Types 166\nXI. Workaday Religious Songs 188\nX II. The Annals and Blues of Left Wing Gordon 206\nXIII. John Henry: Epic o f the Negro Workingman 221\nXIV. Types of Negro Melodies 241\nXV. Types of Phono-photographic Records of Negro Singers 252\n Bibliography 265\nInde x to Songs 271\nNEGRO WORKADAY SONGS\n\n[1]\n\nCHAPTER I\nBACKGROUND RESOU RCES IN NEGRO SONG AND WORK\nTo discover and present authentic pictures of the Negro’s folk background as found in his workaday songs is a large a nd promising task of which there are many phases. Here are spontaneous pro ducts of the Negro’s workaday experiences and conflicts. Here are reflec tions of his individual strivings and his group ways. Here are specimens o f folk art and creative effort close to the soil. Here are new examples of the Negro’s contributions to the American scene. Here is important mate rial for the newer scientific interest which is taking the place of the ol d sentimental viewpoint. And here is a mine of descriptive and objective d ata to substitute for the emotional and subjective attitudes of the older days.\n\nIt is a day of great promise in the United States when both races \, North and South\, enter upon a new era of the rediscovery of the Negro and face the future with an enthusiasm for facts\, concerning both the new er creative urge and the earlier background sources. Concerning the former \, Dr. Alain Locke recently has said:[1] “Whoever wishes to see the Negr o in his essential traits\, in the full perspective of his achievement and possibilities\, must seek the enlightenment of that self-portraiture whic h the present development of the Negro culture offers.” One of the best examples of that self-portraiture is that of the old spirituals\, long neg lected\, but now happily the subject of a new race dedication and apprecia tion. Now comes another[2] master index of race temperament and portrayal\ , as found in some of the Negro’s newer creations. No less important\, f rom the viewpoint of sheer originality and poetic effort as well as of ind ices of traits and possibilities\, are the seemingly unlimited mines of wo rkaday songs\, weary blues\, and black man ballads. In a previous volume[2 ] we presented a sort of composite picture from two hundred songs gathered two decades ago and interpreted with something of prophetic evaluation. I n this volume of Negro Workaday Songs is presented a deeper mine of source material\, rich in self-portraiture and representative of the workaday Ne gro.\n\n[1]The New Negro\, edited by Alain Locke.\n\n[2]The Negro and His Songs\, by Howard W. Odum and Guy B. Johnson.\n\nIn his Peter the Czar\, v iolent story of “lashed sentences\,” perfectly suited to the depiction of primitive character\, Klabund pictures vividly a certain Great Enemy a bout whose “shivering shoulders lay a rainbow like a silken shawl.” Di gging to the syncopated rhythm of song and fast-whirling pick\, a Negro wo rkman sings of another rainbow\, equally vivid and shoulder-draped\, more concrete\, personal\, and real:\n\nEv’ywhere I look this\,\nEv’ywhere I look this mo’nin’\,\nLooks like rain.\nI got rainbow\nTied ’round my shoulder\,\nAin’t gonna rain\,\nLawd\, ain’t gonna rain.[3]\n[3]Mus ical notation will be found in Chapter XIV.\n\nIn addition to the poetic i magery in this seemingly unconscious motor-minded product\, one may glimps e evidences of simple everyday experience\, wishful thought\, childlike fa ith\, workaday stolidity\, physical[3] satisfaction\, and subtle humor. Bu t he can find still more humor and experience\, with a good bit of metapho r thrown in for good measure\, in the “feet rollin’” stanza of anoth er wanderer’s song of the road:\n\nI done walk till\,\nLawd\, I done wal k till\nFeet’s gone to rollin’\,\nJes’ lak a wheel\,\nLawd\, jes’ lak a wheel.\nResourcefulness\, humor\, defense mechanism\, imagination\, all might be found in the spectacle of a group of Negroes singing over and over again on a hot July day the refreshing lines\,\n\nOh\, next winter g onna be so cold\,\nOh\, next winter gonna be so cold\,\nOh\, next winter g onna be so cold\,\nFire can’t warm you\, be so cold.\nWith the thermomet er around a hundred\, and the work of digging at hand\, this song of “pa rts\,” with some of the singers using the words\, “be so cold\, be so cold” as an echo\, undoubtedly had peculiar merit.\n\nPerhaps there have been few\, if any\, lines of poetry more popular than Wordsworth’s “T he light that never was on sea or land.” The Negro worker sings of a mor e earthly yet equally miraculous light to guide his pathway\, when he comp lains\,\n\nNow ev’y time I\,\nTime I start ’round mountain\,\nMy light goes out\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, my light goes out.\nI’m gonna buy me\,\nBuy m e magnified lantern\,\n[4]\nIt won’t go out\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, it won’t go out.\nHow much of symbolism is to be found in the Negro’s workaday so ngs? How much subjective imagery\, how much unconscious allegory? There ar e abundant examples of the free use of symbolism in his love songs and pop ular jazz appeals. But what does he mean when he sings\,\n\nEver see wild cat\nHug a lion\, Lawd\, Lawd?\nMy ol’ bear cat\nTurn to lion\, Lawd\, L awd.\nEver see lion\nRun lak hell\, Lawd\, Lawd?\nOr contrast this simple individual song\, with its humor and easy-going rhythm\, with the power an d appeal of group singing. Here is a goodly party of two-score white folk\ , seated at twilight under the trees in a grove\, joyous guests at a turke y dinner near the old colonial home. There is merriment. Song and jest\, t oast and cheer abound. The waiters have gone. Then from the kitchen door c omes the song of Negroes\, beginning low\, rising in volume\, telling of t he sinking of the Titanic. What is it in that final harmony of “God move d upon the waters\,” sung by a Negro group\, which silenced the merrymak ers into willing recognition that here may be perfect art and perfect effe ct? Does this Negro minstrel type\, rendered thus in native setting\, beco me for the moment the perfect expression of folk spirit and folk art?\n\nH undreds of verses dedicated to the business of moving about give evidence that the trail of the black knight of the road is strewn with spontaneous[ 5] song\, often turned into polished phrase. A favorite stanza has long be en descriptive of being “on road here few days longer\, then I’ll be g oing home.” Sung again and again\, the song takes on a new form but lose s nothing of its emphatic meaning:\n\nI’m gonna row here\,\nI’m gonna row here\nFew days longer\,\nThen I’ll be gone\,\nLawd\, I’ll be gone. \nFor\, says the worker\, “If I feel tomorrow like I feel today\, I’m gonna pack my suitcase and walk away\,” and “reason I’m workin’ he re so long\, hot flambotia and coffee strong.”\n\nFollowing the trail of the workaday Negro\, therefore\, one may get rare glimpses of common back grounds of Negro life and experience in Southern communities. Here were th e first real plantings of the modern blues\, here songs of the lonesome ro ad\, here bad man ballads\, here distinctive contributions in songs of jai l and chain gang\, here songs of white man and captain\, here Negro Dr. Je kyls and Mr. Hydes. Here are found new expressions of the old spirituals a nd remnants still surviving. Here man’s song of woman is most varied and original\, and woman’s song of man is best echoed from days and nights of other times. Here are reflected the epics of John Henry\, Lazarus\, Dup ree\, and the others. Here are folk fragments\, cries and “hollers\,” songs to help with work\, physical satisfaction and solace\, the “Lawdy- Lawdy” vibrato of evening melancholy and morning yodel. Here may be foun d the subliminal jazz\, rare rhythm and movement\, coöperative harmony as characteristic as ever the old spirituals revealed. Nevertheless\, too mu ch emphasis[6] cannot be placed upon the danger of over-interpretation\, f or while the workaday songs provide a seemingly exhaustive supply of mirro r plate for the reflection of folk temperament and struggle\, too much ana lysis must not obscure their vividness or the beauty and value of their in trinsic qualities.\n\nIt is important to note the extent to which the nota ble popular blues of today\, more formal embodiment of the Negro’s worka day sorrow songs\, have come from these workaday products. Here are true d escendants of the old worshipers who sang so well of the Rock in a weary l and. And echoing from Southern distances\, from Memphis and Natchez\, from New Orleans and Macon\, from Charleston and Atlanta\, and from wayside ro ads and camps\, from jail and chain gang\, come unmeasured volume of harmo ny\, unnumbered outbursts of song\, perfect technique of plaintive appeal. Many of the most plaintive lines of blues yet recorded were gathered deca des ago from camp and road in Mississippi before the technique of the mode rn blues had ever been evolved. Eloquent successors to the old spirituals with their sorrow-feeling\, these songs of the lonesome road have gathered power and numbers and artistic interpretation until they defy description and record. Today the laborer\, the migrant\, the black man offender cons titute types as distinctive and inimitable as the old jubilee singers and those whom they represented. Wherever Negroes work\, or loaf\, or await ju dgment\, there may be heard the weary and lonesome blues so strange and va ried as to reveal a sort of superhuman evidence of the folk soul. No amoun t of ordinary study into race backgrounds\, or historical annals of Africa n folk\, or elaborate anthropological excursions can give so simply and co mpletely the story of this Negro quest for expression\,[7] freedom\, and s olace as these low-keyed melancholy songs.\n\nAnd what names and lines\, w ords and melodies\, records and improvisations of the new race blues! Plai ntive blues\, jolly blues\, reckless blues\, dirty dozen blues\, mama blue s\, papa blues\,—more than six hundred listed by one publisher and produ cer. Here they are—the workaday sorrow songs\, the errant love songs\, t he jazz lyrics of a people and of an age—as clearly distinctive as the o ld spirituals. And how like the road songs and the gang lines\, straight u p from the soil again\, straight from the folk as surely as ever came the old spirituals.\n\nSamples of the growing list of blues\, some less elegan t\, some more aggressive\, will be found in Chapter II. And of course we m ust not forget the bad man blues: Dangerous Blues\, Evil Blues\, Don’t M ess With Me Blues\, Mean Blues\, Wicked Blues\, and most of all the Chain Gang Blues\, Jail Blues\, and the Cell-bound Blues.\n\nAll boun’ in pris on\,\nAll boun’ in jail\,\nCol’ iron bars all ’roun’ me\,\nNo one to pay my bail.\nAnd the singer presents\, as one of his standard versions of many songs\, a regular weekly calendar:\n\nMonday I was ’rested\,\nT uesday I was fined\,\nWednesday I laid in jail\,\nThursday I was tried\,\n Friday wid chain gang band\,\nSaturday pick an’ shovel\,\nSunday I took my rest\,\nMonday wanta do my best.\n[8]\n\nPerhaps the most common concep t found in the chain gang and road songs and appearing here and there in a ll manner of song is the concept of a letter from home\, the inability to go home without “ready money\,” the attempt to borrow from the captain \, or to get a parole.\n\nEvery\, every mail day\,\nI gits letter from my mother\,\nCryin’\, “Son\, come home\,\nLawdy\, son\, come home.”\n I didn’t have no\,\nNo ready-made money\,\nI couldn’t go home\,\nLawd\ , couldn’t go home.\nA constant source of song is the conflict between a ctual conditions and desirable ends\, between life as it is and ideals of wishful dreaming. “I want to go home\,” says the workman\, but “I don’t want no trouble wid de walker.” The resulting product is absence from home\, absence of trouble with the captain or walker\, and abundance of song.\n\nI don’t want no trouble\,\nI don’t want no trouble\,\nI don’t want no trouble wid de walker.\nLawd\, Lawd\, I wanta go home.\nM e an’ my buddy jes’ come\,\nMe an’ my buddy jes’ come\,\nMe an’ my buddy jes’ come here.\nLawd\, Lawd\, wanta go home.\nAgain and again the Negro wanderer portrays home\, parents\, brothers and sisters\, friend s\, as the most highly esteemed of life’s values—striking paradox to t he realism of his practice. Idealism in song and dreams\, in workaday song s as well as spirituals\,[9] alongside sordidness in living conditions and physical surroundings\, appear logical and direct developments from the t ype of habitation which the Negro common man has ever known.\n\nThe Negro “bad man” who sings sorrowfully of his mother’s admonitions and his own mistakes\, glories also in the motor-imaged refrain:\n\nIn come a nigg er named Billy Go-helf\,\nCoon wus so mean wus skeered uf hisself\;\nLoade d wid razors an’ guns\, so they say\,\n’Cause he killed a coon most ev ery day.\nA later chapter is devoted to this notable character\, the “ba d man\,” whose varied pictures represent a separate Negro contribution. Here are new and worthy Negro exhibits to add to the American galaxy of fo lk portraits: Railroad Bill alongside Jesse James\, the Negro “bad man ” beside the Western frontiersman\, and John Henry by Paul Bunyan. For f rom the millions of Negroes of yesterday and as many more today\, with the ir oft-changing and widely varying economic and social conditions\, has co me a rare and varied heritage of folk tradition\, folk character\, and fol k personality. Much of this might remain forever unknown and unsung were i t not for the treasure-house of Negro song\, the product of a happy facili ty for linking up the realities of actual life with wishful thinking and i maginative story.\n\nOf the grand old “saints\,” white haired “Unc les” and “Aunties\,” we have viewed from near and far scores of inim itable examples. Of the thousands of musicianers\, songsters and workers\, and those who sing “down that lonesome road\,” recent epochs have mir rored many. But what of the real and mythical jamboree breakers and bad me n\, or of Po’ Lazarus and[10] Stagolee\, or of John Henry\, “forehande d steel-drivin’ man” and ideal of the Negro worker?\n\nHere are rare f olk figures silhouetted against a sort of shifting race background with it s millions of working folk and wanderers moving suddenly and swiftly acros s the scene. A brown-black army of ramblers\, creepers\, high flyers\, sta ndin’ men\, all-night workers\, polish men\, “stick and ready” from the four corners of the States—Lazarus\, Billy Bob Russel\, Shootin’ B ill\, Brady\, Dupree\, and the others. And then John Henry\, stately and s trong in contrast\, noble exponent of sturdy courage and righteous struggl e\, faithful to death.\n\nJohn Henry went to the mountain\,\nBeat that ste am-drill down\;\nRock was high\, po’ John was small\,\nHe laid down his hammer an’ he died\,\nLaid down his hammer an’ he died.\nA chapter o n “Man’s Song of Woman” will make but a small beginning of a large t ask. Its sequel must be deferred until the lover’s specialisms can be pu blished with a liberal usage of the psychiatrists’ terminology. A chapte r on “Woman’s Song of Man” ought also to have a companion sequel in the book of Negro symbolism. A chapter on “Workaday Religious Songs” c an present only a small portion of those now being sung\, but will be repr esentative of the present heritage of the old spirituals. A chapter on the miscellaneous fragments\, “hollers\,” lines\, incoherent and expres sive “Lawdy-Lawd-Lawds” gives one of the best pictures of the Negro wo rkaday character and habits. Some of these types make a very good safety v alve for the Negro singer\; in a different way their plainness may restrai n the enthusiast from setting too much “store” by all the Negro’s so ngs. The characters of John Henry and[11] Left Wing represent two types\, one the mythical and heroic\, the other the real and commonplace\, both ty pical of the Negro’s idealism and his actual life. The examples of “mo vement and imagery” are as characteristic of the Negro workaday experien ce as were the harmonies and swaying of the old spirituals. They are indic es to guide judgment and interpretation of the Negro temperament. In each of these chapters\, it will be understood\, only enough material is presen ted to illustrate the case\, including\, however\, always the most represe ntative specimens which the authors have been able to collect within their field and time limit. Much that is similar will necessarily await publica tion in volumes in which the chief objective will be preservation and comp leteness rather than interpretation.\n\nMany pictures of the workaday Negr o are presented in this volume through the medium of his songs. They are s ilhouetted\, as it were\, at first against a complex background of Negro l ife and experience. The pictures are vivid\, concrete\, distinct\, often c omplete. But most of all\, perhaps\, they have been moving pictures. From the first glimpse of the Negro singer with his “feet’s gone to rolli n’ jes’ lak a wheel\,” to the last great scene of John Henry dying w ith the “hammer in his hand\,” there is marvelous movement alongside r are imagery. Sometimes rhythm and rhyme\, but always movement\, have domin ated the Negro’s chief characterizations. And this movement in the worka day songs is as much a distinctive feature as were the swaying bodies\, th e soothing rhythm\, and swelling harmony of the old spirituals. Picture th e Negro workingman in his song and story life and you picture him on the m ove.\n\nIt is scarcely possible to describe this element of movement in th e Negro workaday songs. And yet[12] the mere citation and classification o f representative examples will suffice to point out the particular qualiti es of action which might justify the added element of epic style\, if one remembers that the singer’s concept of the heroic\, while very real\, is not exalted in the Greek sense. There are those who do not feel that the Negro’s workaday songs are characterized by the qualities of poetry\; ye t do they not arouse the feelings and imagination in vivid and colorful la nguage? The type of language used—that is the Negro’s own. In the same way there can be no doubt of his songs emphasizing the quality of action\ ; his heroes and principal figures\, like his language\, reflect his conce pts and tell his stories. Whether epic or heroic\,\n\nI’m the hot stuff man\,\nFrom the devil’s land\,\nI’m a greasy streak o’ lightning\, \nDon’t you see\, don’t you see?\nhas plenty of action and imagery in it. And it is characteristic of much of the Negro workaday style of talk\, imagination\, and thought.\n\nMany of the pictures are vivid because of t he action concept and the rhyming metaphors.\n\nIn come a nigger named Sli ppery Jim\,\nNone of de gals would dance wid him\,\nHe rech in his pocket an’ drew his thirty-two\,\nDem niggers didn’t run\, good Gawd\, dey fl ew.\nThere was also a woman\, one Eliza Stone\, from a bad\, bad land\, wh o threatened to break up the jamboree with her razor but who also “jumpe d in de flo’\, an’ doubled up her fist\, say ‘You wanter test yo’ nerve jes’ jump against this.’” Note further a varying reel of movin g characters and scenes.\n\n[13]\n\nPolice got into auto\nAn’ started to chase that coon\,\nThey run ’im from six in the mo’nin’\,\nTill sev en that afternoon.\nThe coon he run so bloomin’ fas’\nTill fire come f rom his heels\,\nHe scorched the cotton an’ burnt the corn\,\nAn’ cut a road through farmers’ fiel’s.\nThe continuous search after the worka day folk song will always provide one of the most important guides to the “discovery” of the Negro. The task of finding and recording accurately the folk expression is a difficult one under most circumstances. Under ce rtain circumstances it is an easy task\, and always an interesting one. If we keep a record of efforts\, taken at random\, as experimental endeavor\ , in a cross country visit through North Carolina\, South Carolina\, Tenne ssee and Georgia\, about ten per cent\, at best\, of the requests for song s will be successful. There are other times\, when setting and procedure a re worked out well\, when almost one hundred per cent success would be att ained. In most instances the Negro is at his “best” when being urged t o coöperate in the rendering of his folk songs. By his “best” is mean t that he reveals a striking nature and strong personality\, whether in af firming stoutly that he knows no songs now or that he has forgotten what h e used to know. He protests vigorously that he does not sing well enough\, that he cannot say the words of songs unless he can sing\, that he cannot sing unless others are singing\, that he has to be in the spirit of the s ong\, or that he will get some songs together and bring them in\, or that he will bring a quartet or a pal. Rarely ever does he “produce” if let alone with only a first approach. Nor can he be blamed. He is entirely wi thin his own self-protecting domain\, so that his attitude may be put[14] down\, not only as a characteristic one but also as a commendable one. He has his own fun\, too\, in the situation. In general there are several typ es from which little success may be expected. The more educated and sophis ticated Negro not only does not as a rule coöperate\, but looks with cons iderable condescension upon those who seek his help. There are many who be lieve that all songs desired are for immediate transcription to printed mu sic or phonograph record. These are of little assistance. Others feel that some hidden motive is back of the request. Still others for various reaso ns do not coöperate. Nor will the Negro student or musician himself find ready coöperation among his common folk who feel constrained to withhold their folk art from the learned of their own race.\n\nPerhaps the most str iking observation that comes from the whole experience is the seemingly in exhaustible supply of songs among the workaday Negroes of the South. We ha ve yet to find a “bottom” or a limit in the work songs among the crowd s of working men in one community. Just as often as there is opportunity t o hear a group of Negroes singing at work\, just so often have we found ne w songs and new fragments. There is so far no exception to this rule. Like wise we have yet to find an individual\, whose efforts have been freely se t forth in the offering of song\, whose supply of songs has been exhausted . Time and time again the approach has been made\, with the response\, “ Naw\, sir\, cap’n\, I don’t know no songs much\,” with an ultimate r esult of song after song\, seemingly with no limit. Partly the singer is h onest\; he does not at the time\, think of many songs nor does he consider himself a good singer\; but when he turns himself “loose” his capacit y for memory and singing is astonishing.\n\n[15]\n\nThe same general rule with reference to dialect is used in this volume as was the case in The Ne gro and His Songs.[4] There can be no consistency\, except the consistency of recording the words as nearly as possible as rendered. Words may occur in two or three variations in a single stanza and sometimes in a single l ine. The attempt to make formal dialect out of natural speech renders the product artificial and less artistic. We have therefore followed the gener al practice of keeping the dialect as simple as possible. Dialect\, after all\, is a relative matter. It is the sort of speech which is not used in one’s own section of the country. As a matter of fact\, much of what has passed as Negro dialect is good white Southern usage\, and there is nothi ng to justify the attempt to set aside certain pronunciations as peculiar to the Negro simply because a Negro is being quoted. Consequently we have refrained from the use of dialect in all cases where the Negro pronunciati on and the usual white pronunciation are the same or practically the same. If the reader will grasp the basic points of difference between Negro and white speech and will then keep in mind the principle of economy\, he wil l have no difficulty in following the peculiarities of dialect.\n\n[4]The Negro and His Songs\, pp. 9-11\, 293-94. There is a good discussion of dia lect in James Weldon Johnson’s Book of American Negro Spirituals\, pp. 4 2-46.\n\nThe principle of economy will be found to operate at high efficie ncy in Negro speech. It will nearly always explain the apparent inconsiste ncies in dialect. For example\, the Negro often says ’bout and ’roun ’ for about and around. But he might vary these to about\, aroun’\, ’round\, and around in a single song\, depending upon the preceding and succeeding sounds. He would say\, “I’ll go ’bout two o’clock\,” but he[16] also would say\, “I went about two o’clock\,” because in the former case it is easier to say ’bout than about\, while in the latt er the reverse is true.\n\nRhythm is also related to dialect. In ordinary speech most Negroes would say broke for broken\, but if the rhythm in sing ing called for a two-syllable sound they would say broken rather than brok e.\n\nVery few of the popular songs which we heard twenty years ago are fo und now in the same localities. The places that knew them will know them n o more. The same disappearing process is going on now\, only more rapidly than formerly because of the multitude of blues\, jazz songs\, and others being distributed throughout the land in millions of phonographic records. One of the first tasks of this volume is\, therefore\, to take cognizance of these formal blues\, both in their relation to the workaday native cre ations and as an important segment of the Negro’s music and his contribu tion to the American scene. In the next chapter we shall proceed\, therefo re\, to discuss the blues.\n\n[17]\n\nCHAPTER II\nTHE BLUES: WORKADAY SORR OW SONGS\nNo story of the workaday song life of the Negro can proceed far without taking into account the kind of song known as the blues\, for\, ne xt to the spirituals\, the blues are probably the Negro’s most distincti ve contribution to American art. They have not been taken seriously\, beca use they have never been thoroughly understood. Their history needs to be written. The present chapter is not a complete statement. It merely presen ts some of the salient points in the story of the blues and offers some su ggestions as to their rôle in Negro life.\n\nBehind the popular blues son gs of today lie the more spontaneous and naïve songs of the uncultured Ne gro. Long before the blues were formally introduced to the public\, the Ne gro was creating them by expressing his gloomy moods in song. To be sure\, the present use of the term “blues” to designate a particular kind of popular song is of recent origin\, but the use of the term in Negro song goes much further back\, and the blue or melancholy type of Negro secular song is as old as the spirituals themselves. The following song might be t aken at first glance for one of the 1926 popular “hits\,” but it dates back to the time of the Civil War.[5]\n\n[5]Allen\, Ware\, and Garrison\, Slave Songs of the United States\, p. 89. This note is appended: “A ver y good specimen ... of the strange barbaric songs that one hears upon the Western steamboats.”\n\nI’m gwine to Alabamy\,—Oh\,\nFor to see my m ammy\,—Ah.\n[18]\nShe went from ole Virginny\,—Oh\,\nAnd I’m her pic kaniny\,—Ah.\nShe lives on the Tombigbee\,—Oh\,\nI wish I had her wid me\,—Ah.\nNow I’m a good big nigger\,—Oh\,\nI reckon I won’t git bigger\,—Ah.\nBut I’d like to see my mammy\,—Oh\,\nWho lives in Ala bamy\,—Ah.\nVery few of the Negro’s ante-bellum secular songs have bee n preserved\, but there is every reason to suppose that he had numerous me lancholy songs aside from the spirituals. At any rate\, the earliest authe ntic secular collections abound in the kind of songs which have come to be known as the blues. The following expressions are typical of the early bl ues. They are taken from songs collected in Georgia and Mississippi betwee n 1905 and 1908\, and they were doubtless common property among the Negroe s of the lower class long before that.[6]\n\n[6]This collection was publis hed by Howard W. Odum in the Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 24\, pp. 255-94\; 351-96.\n\nWent to the sea\, sea look so wide\,\nThought about m y babe\, hung my head an’ cried.\nO my babe\, won’t you come home?\nI got the blues\, but too damn mean to cry\,\nOh\, I got the blues\, but I ’m too damn mean to cry.\nGot nowhar to lay my weary head\,\nO my babe\, got nowhar to lay my weary head.\nI’m po’ boy long way from home\,\nO h\, I’m po’ boy long way from home.\nEver since I left dat country far m\,\nEv’ybody been down on me.\n[19]\n\nHere are blues in the making. Th is is the stuff that the first published blues were made of\, and some of it sounds strikingly like certain of the latest blues records issued by th e phonograph companies. About 1910 the first published blues appeared\, an d since that time they have been exploited in every imaginable form by mus ic publishers and phonograph companies.[7] The inter-relations between the formal blues and the native blues will be discussed later. At present it is necessary to take up certain questions concerning the nature of the blu es.\n\n[7]W. C. Handy is credited with having published the first blues (M emphis Blues\, 1910) and with having had much to do with their popularizat ion. He is still writing songs. His works include Memphis Blues\, St. Loui s Blues\, Beale St. Blues\, Joe Turner Blues\, Yellow Dog Blues\, Aunt Hag ar’s Blues\, and others.\n\nWhat are the characteristics of the native b lues\, in so far as they can be spoken of as a type of song apart from oth er Negro songs? The original blues were so fragmentary and elusive—they were really little more than states of mind expressed in song—that it is difficult to characterize them definitely. The following points\, then\, are merely suggestive.\n\nIn the first place\, blues are characterized by a tone of plaintiveness. Both words and music give the impression of lonel iness and melancholy. In fact\, it was this quality\, combined with the Ne gro’s peculiar use of the word “blues\,” which gave the songs their name. In the second place\, the theme of most blues is that of the love re lation between man and woman. There are many blues built around homesickne ss and hard luck in general\, but the love theme is the principal one. Som etimes the dominant note is the complaint of the lover:\n\n[20]\n\nGoi n’ ’way to leave you\, ain’t comin’ back no mo’\,\nYou treated m e so dirty\, ain’t comin’ back no mo’.[8]\nWhere was you las’ Satt aday night\,\nWhen I lay sick in bed?\nYou down town wid some other ol’ girl\,\nWusn’t here to hol’ my head.[9]\nSometimes it is a note of lon ging:\n\nI hate to hear my honey call my name\,\nCall me so lonesome and s o sad.[10]\nI believe my woman’s on that train\,\nO babe\, I believe my woman’s on that train.[11]\nAt other times the dominant note is one of d isappointment:\n\nI thought I had a friend was true\;\nDone found out frie nds won’t do.[12]\nAll I hope in this bright worl’\,\nIf I love anybod y\, don’t let it be a girl.[13]\n [8]The Negro and His Songs\, p. 184. \n\n [9]Ibid.\, p. 185.\n\n[10]Ibid.\, p. 224.\n\n[11]Ibid.\, p. 222.\n\ n[12]Ibid.\, p. 250.\n\n[13]Ibid.\, p. 181.\n\nA third characteristic of t he blues is the expression of self pity.[14] Often this is the outstanding feature of the song. There seems to be a tendency for the despondent or b lue singer to use the technique of the martyr to draw from others a reacti on of sympathy. Psychologically speaking\, the technique consists of ratio nalization\, by which process the singer not only excuses his shortcomings \, but attracts the attention and sympathy of others—in imagination\, at least—to[21] his hard lot. The following expressions will make the poin t clear.[15]\n\n[14]For a discussion of this subject\, see Lomax\, “Self -pity in Negro Folk Song\,” Nation\, vol. 105\, pp. 141-45.\n\n[15]Illus trations are taken from The Negro and His Songs unless otherwise indicated .\n\nBad luck in de family\, sho’ God\, fell on me\,\nGood ol’ boy\, jus’ ain’t treated right.\nPoor ol’ boy\, long ways from home\,\n I’m out in dis wide worl’ alone.\nOut in dis wide worl’ to roam\,\ nAin’t got no place to call my home.\nNow my mama’s dead and my swee t ol’ popper too\,\nAn’ I ain’t got no one fer to carry my troubles to.\nIf I wus to die\, little girl\, so far away from home\,\nThe folks\, honey\, for miles around would mourn.\nNow it is apparent to any one famil iar with the folk songs of various peoples that the blues type\, as it has been described above\, is not peculiar to the Negro\, but is more or less common to all races and peoples. So far as subject matter and emotional e xpression are concerned\, the lonesome songs of the Kentucky mountaineer\, of the cowboy\, of the sailor\, or of any other group\, are representativ e of the blues type. If this be so\, then why was it that the Negro’s so ng alone became the basis for a nationally popular type of song? The answe r to this question is\, of course\, far from simple. For one thing\, the w hole matter of the Negro’s cultural position in relation to the white ma n is involved. The Negro’s reputation for humor and good singing is also important. Perhaps\, too\, the psychology of fads would have to be consid ered. But\, speaking in terms of the qualities of the songs themselves\, w hat is there about them to account for the superior status enjoyed by the Negro’s melancholy songs?\n\n[22]\n\nTo begin with\, the Negro’s pecul iar use of the word “blues” in his songs was a circumstance of no mean importance. Much more significant\, however\, was the music of the blues. The blues originated\, of course\, with Negroes who had access to few ins truments other than the banjo and the guitar. But such music as they broug ht forth from these instruments to accompany their blues was suited to the indigo mood. It was syncopated\, it was full of bizarre harmonies\, sudde n changes of key and plaintive slurs. It was something new to white Americ a\, and it needed only an introduction to insure its success.\n\nBut there is still another feature of the blues which is probably responsible more than any other one thing for their appeal and fascination\, and that is th eir lack of conventionality\, their naïveté of expression. The Negro was tes no time in roundabout or stilted modes of speech. His tale is brief\, his metaphor striking\, his imagery perfect\, his humor plaintive. Express ions like the following have made the blues famous.\n\nLooked down the roa d jus’ far as I could see\,\nWell\, the band did play “Nearer\, My God to Thee.”\nWell\, I started to leave an’ I got ’way down the track\ ;\nGot to thinkin’ ’bout my woman\, come a-runnin’ back.\nWish to Go d some ol’ train would run\,\nCarry me back where I came frum.\nI laid i n jail\, back to the wall:\nBrown skin gal cause of it all.[16]\n[16]See P errow\, “Songs and Rhymes from the South\,” Journal of American Folk-L ore\, vol. 28\, p. 190.\n\nWhen the first published blues appeared\, the p roblem for the student of Negro song began to become complicated. It is no longer possible to speak with certainty of the folk blues\, so entangled are the relations[23] between them and the formal compositions. This inter -relation is itself of such interest and importance that it demands the ca reful attention of students of folk song. Only a few points can be touched upon in the present work\, but an attempt will be made at least to indica te some of the ramifications of the subject.\n\nThere is no doubt that the first songs appearing in print under the name of blues were based directl y upon actual songs already current among Negroes.[17] Soon after Handy be gan to issue his blues\, white people as well as Negroes were singing them heartily. But a song was never sung long in its original version alone. T he half-dozen stanzas of the original often grew to a hundred or more\, fo r many singers took pride in creating new stanzas or adapting parts of oth er songs to the new one. Sometimes publishers would issue second and third editions\, incorporating in them the best of the stanzas which had sprung up since the preceding edition. Thus\, even before the phonograph became the popular instrument that it is today\, the interplay between folk creat ions and formal compositions had become extremely complex.\n\n[17]See Jame s Weldon Johnson\, The Book of American Negro Poetry\, pp. x-xiv\; and Dor othy Scarborough\, On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs\, pp. 269-70.\n\nIn th e last ten years the phonograph record has surpassed sheet music as a conv eyor of blues to the public. Sheet music\, however\, is still important. I n fact\, practically every “hit” is issued in both the published and p honographed form. But the phonograph record obviously has certain advantag es\, and it is largely responsible for the present popularity of the blues . Most of the large phonograph companies now maintain special departments devoted to the recording[24] of “race blues.” They employ Negro artist s\, many of whom have already earned national reputations\, and they adver tise extensively\, especially in the Negro press.\n\nIn spite of the extre mes to which exploitation of the blues has gone in recent years\, there is often an authentic folk element to be found in the present-day formal pro ductions. Some of the phonograph artists are encouraged by their employers to sing blues of their own making. When the artist has had an intimate ac quaintance with the life of his race and has grown up among the blues\, so to speak\, he is often able to produce a song which preserves faithfully the spirit of the folk blues. The folk productions of yesterday are likely to be found\, albeit sometimes in versions scarcely recognizable\, on the phonograph records of today. That this is the case is indicated by the fo llowing comparison of a few of the lines and titles of songs collected twe nty years ago with lines and titles of recent popular blues songs.\n\nLine s and Titles of Songs Collected Twenty Years Ago[18] Lines and Titles of R ecent Popular Blues\nLaid in jail\, back to the wall. Thirty days in jail with my back turned to the wall.\nJailer\, won’t you put ’nother man i n my stall? Look here\, mister jailer\, put another gal in my stall.\nBaby \, won’t you please come home? Baby\, won’t you please come home?\nWon der where my baby stay las’ night? Where did you stay last night?\nI got my all-night trick\, baby\, and you can’t git in. I’m busy and you can’t come in.\nI’ll see her when her trouble’s like mine.[25] I’m gonna see you when your troubles are just like mine.\nSatisfied. I’m sa tisfied.\nYou may go\, but this will bring you back. I got what it takes t o bring you back.\nJoe Turner Joe Turner blues.\nLove\, Kelly’s love. Lo ve\, careless love.\nI’m on my las’ go-’round. Last go-’round blue s.\n[18]See Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 24\; also The Negro and H is Songs.\n\nWhen a blues record is issued it quickly becomes the property of a million Negro workers and adventurers who never bought it and perhap s never heard it played. Sometimes they do not even know that the song is from a record. They may recognize in it parts of songs long familiar to th em and think that it is just another piece which some songster has put tog ether. Their desire to invent a different version\, their skill at adaptin g stanzas of old favorites to the new music\, and sometimes their misunder standing of the words of the new song\, result in the transformation of th e song into many local variants. In other words\, the folk creative proces s operates upon a song\, the origin of which may already be mixed\, and pr oduces in turn variations that may later become the bases of other formal blues. A thorough exposition of this process would take us far beyond the limits of this volume\, but the following instances are cited to illustrat e generally the interplay between the folk blues and the formal blues.\n\n Here is a specimen captured from a Negro girl in Georgia who had just retu rned from a trip to “Troit\,” Michigan.\n\nWhen you see me comin’\nT hrow yo’ woman out de do’\,\n[26]\nFor you know I’s no stranger\,\ nFor I’s been dere once befo’.\nHe wrote me a letter\,\nNothin’ in i t but a note.\nI set down an’ writ him\,\n“I ain’t no billy goat.” \nStandin’ on de platform\,\nWorried in both heart an’ soul\;\nAn’ befo’ I’d take yo’ man\nI’d eat grass like a Georgia mule.\nI lov e my man\nLak I love myse’f.\nIf he don’t have me\nHe won’t have nob ody else.\nNow this song is a mixture of several popular blues. The first stanza is from the House Rent Blues\, and is sung practically the same as on the phonograph record. The second stanza is from the Salt Water Blues a nd is like the original except for the repetition in the original of the f irst two lines. The third stanza is also from the Salt Water Blues\, but i t is a combination and variation of two stanzas which go as follows:\n\nSi ttin’ on the curbstone\,\nWorried in both heart an’ soul\;\nLower th an a ’possum\nHidin’ in a ground-hog hole.\nI wrote my man\,\n“I a in’t nobody’s fool\;\nAn’ befo’ I’d stand your talkin’\nI’d eat grass like a Georgia mule.”\nThis girl does not worry over the lack of consistent meaning in the third stanza of her song. Furthermore\, as fa r as she is concerned\, “soul” and “mule” rhyme about as well as “fool” and “mule.” The fourth[27] stanza of her song\, finally\ , is taken from Any Woman’s Blues\, there having been\, however\, a slig ht variation in the second line. The original is:\n\nI love my man\nBetter than I love myself\;\nAn’ if he don’t have me\,\nHe won’t have nobo dy else.\nThus in a single song we have examples of the processes of borro wing\, combining\, changing\, and misunderstanding through which formal ma terial often goes when it gets into the hands of the common folk. The comp osite of four stanzas presented above has no very clear meaning in its pre sent form\, but at that it is about as coherent as any of the blues from w hich it was assembled.\n\nLeft Wing Gordon\, whose story is told in Chapte r XII\, is a good study in the relation of folk song and formal blues. Lef t Wing’s repertoire is practically unlimited\, for he appears to have re membered everything that he has ever heard. One of his favorite expression s is\n\nYou don’t know my mind\,\nYou don’t know my mind\;\nWhen you s ee my laughin’\,\nI’m laughin’ to keep from cryin’.\nThis comes fr om You Don’t Know My Mind Blues\, a popular sheet music and phonograph p iece today. Left Wing sings dozens of stanzas\, some evidently from the pu blished versions\, some of his own making\, ending each one with “You don’t know my mind\,” etc. Nearly all of his songs showed this sort of mixture of formal and folk material.\n\nAs an example of the misunderstan ding\, deliberate twisting of the words of a phonograph blues\, or lapse[2 8] of memory\, the following instance may be cited. In the Chain Gang Blue s this stanza occurs.\n\nJudge he gave me six months\n’Cause I wouldn’ t go to work.\nFrom sunrise to sunset\nI ain’t got no time to shirk.\nA Southern Negro on a chain gang recently sang it thus:\n\nJudge he give me sentence\n’Cause I wouldn’t go to work.\nFrom sunrise to sunset\nI d on’t have no other clean shirt.\nExamples of this kind might be multipli ed indefinitely\, but these will suffice. In the notes on the songs in the various chapters of this book will be found comments bearing upon the rel ation of formal blues and folk songs.\n\nThus it is clear that in many cas es there is a complex inter-relation and interaction between the folk song and the formal production. But the tendency has been on the whole for the latter to get further and further away from folk sources. Few authors now attempt to do more than imitate certain features of the old-time blues. I n order to understand more clearly the present situation\, it is necessary to consider for a moment the blues as they are manufactured today.\n\nThe re are at least three large phonograph companies which give special attent ion to Negro songs. They will be designated herein as “A\,” “B \,” and “C.” The following table\, compiled from data obtained from the general “race record” catalogs of these three companies\, gives an idea of the importance of the blues.\n\n[29]\n\nBrand\nof\nRecord Total\n No. of\nTitles\nin\nCatalog No.\nReligious\nand\nClassical\nTitles No.\nSe cular\nTitles Titles\nContaining\nWord “Blues”\n Number Percent age\nof Secular\nSongs\n“A” 592 34[19] 558 263 43\n“B” 430 90[20] 340 154 40\n“C” 298 44[19] 254 108 42\n[19]No classical titles listed. \n\n[20]Includes 28 classical titles.\n\nIn this table only those titles i ncluding the word “blues” have been counted as blues. If the term were expanded to include all songs which are now popularly known as blues\, it would be found that upwards of seventy-five per cent of the total number of secular songs listed in the catalogs would fall in this class. The “A” catalog bears the title\, “A” Race Records—The Blue Book of Blues\; the “B” catalog follows titles like Oh\, Daddy\, Brown Baby\, Long Lost Mama\, etc.\, with the explanation\, “blues song” or “blue s record”\; and the “C” catalog bears the title\, “C” Race Rec ords—The Latest Blues by “C” Colored Artists. Certainly the popular notion among both whites and Negroes now is that practically every Negro s ong which is not classed as a spiritual is a blues. The term is now freely applied to instrumental pieces\, especially to dance music of the jazz ty pe\, and to every vocal piece which\, by any stretch of the imagination\, can be thought of as having a bluish cast.\n\nA survey of the titles in th e three catalogs mentioned above yields some interesting data concerning t he nature of the formal blues. For one thing\, there are sixty or seventy titles of the place or locality type. Southern states and cities figure pr ominently in this[30] kind of blues\, although the popularity of Northern localities is on the increase. The favorite states are Alabama\, Georgia\, Louisiana\, Mississippi\, Texas\, and Virginia. The chief titles for thes e states are as follows:\n\nAlabama\nAlabama Blues\nBirmingham Blues\nMobi le Blues\nSelma Bama Blues\nBama Bound Blues\nGeorgia\nAtlanta Blues\nDeca tur Blues\nGeorgia Hunch\nGeorgia Blues\nLouisiana\nLake Pontchartrain Blu es\nLou’siana Low-down Blues\nNew Orleans Hop Scop Blues\nNew Orleans Wi ggle\nShreveport Blues\nMississippi\nMississippi Blues\nOle Miss Blues\nMi ssissippi Delta Blues\nTexas\nDallas Blues\nHouston Blues\nRed River Blues \nWaco Texas Blues\nSeawall Special Blues\nVirginia\nVirginia Blues\nHampt on Roads Blues\nNorfolk Blues\nThere are also\, to name only a few others\ , Arkansas Blues\, Florida Blues\, California Blues\, Carolina Blues\, Oma ha Blues\, Michigan Water Blues\, Memphis Blues\, Tulsa Blues\, St. Louis Blues\, Salt Lake City Blues\, Wabash Blues\, and Blue Grass Blues. Finall y there are foreign titles\, such as London Blues and West Indies Blues. T itles\, of course\, are not to be taken as accurate indices of the content s of the songs. As a matter of fact\, most of the songs bearing titles of the locality type really deal with the relation of man and woman.\n\nAnoth er feature of the formal blues is their tendency to specialize in certain slang expressions. “Sweet[31] mama\,” “sweet papa\,” “daddy\ ,” “jelly roll\,” and a few other expressions have been thoroughly p opularized among certain classes\, white and Negro\, by the blues songs. B y actual count\, titles containing one or more of the words\, “mama\ ,” “daddy\,” “papa\,” “baby\,” constitute twenty-five per ce nt of the total number of secular titles in the catalogs referred to above .\n\nIt is to be expected that a very large proportion of these present-da y blues (using the term now in the broad sense as it is popularly used) de als with the relation of man and woman. In fact\, if the locality types\, most of which are based on the love relation\, and the “mama-papa” typ e were eliminated from the count\, there would be a mere handful left. The following titles will give some impression of the nature of the songs whi ch deal with the man-woman relation.[21]\n\n[21]Any one who is acquainted with the slang and vulgarity of the lower class Negro will suspect immedia tely that there are often double meanings in titles like those listed here . Such is the case. Negro songs writers and phonograph artists usually hav e had intimate acquaintance with Negro life in all of its forms\, and they have doubtless come across many a song which was too vulgar to be put int o print\, but which had certain appealing qualities. Often a melody was to o striking to be allowed to escape\, so the writer fitted legitimate verse s to it and\, if it was at all possible\, preserved the original title. Th us it comes about that many of the popular Negro songs of today—and whit e songs\, too\, as for that—have titles that are extremely suggestive\, and are saved only by their perfectly innocuous verses. The suggestiveness of the titles may also be one explanation of why these songs have such a tremendous appeal for the common folk\, black and white. It may be that in these songs\, whitewashed and masked though they be\, they recognize old friends.\n\nLeave My Sweet Papa Alone\nI’ve Got a Do-right Daddy Now\nMi streated Mama\nSlow Down\, Sweet Papa\, Mama’s Catching up With You\nSwe et Smellin’ Mama\nBlack but Sweet\, O God\nHow Do You Expect to Get My L ovin’?[32]\nHe May Be Your Man\, but He Comes to See Me Sometimes\nChang eable Daddy\nGo Back Where You Stayed Last Night\nHow Can I Be Your Sweet “Mama” When You’re “Daddy” to Some One Else?\nYou Can Have My Ma n if He Comes to See You Too\nThat Free and Easy Papa of Mine\nYou Can’t Do What My Last Man Did\nMistreatin’ Daddy\nIf I Let You Get Away With It Once You’ll Do It All the Time\nDaddy\, You’ve Done Put That Thing on Me\nI’m Tired of Begging You to Treat Me Right\nMy Man Rocks Me With One Steady Roll\nDo It a Long Time\, Papa\nNo Second Handed Lovin’ for M ine\nI Want a Jazzy Kiss\nI’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down\nBeale Stre et Mama\nBig Fat Mama\nLonesome Mama\nYou’ve Got Everything a Sweet Mama Needs but Me\nIf You Don’t Give Me What I Want I’m Gonna Get It Somew here Else\nMama Don’t Want Sweet Man Any More\nIf You Sheik on Your Mama \nMean Papa\, Turn in Your Key\nTake It\, Daddy\, It’s All Yours\nHow Lo ng\, Sweet Daddy\, How Long?\nYou Can Take My Man but You Can’t Keep Him Long\nCan Anybody Take Sweet Mama’s Place?[33]\nYou Don’t Know My Min d\nBaby\, Won’t You Please Come Home?\nThen there are innumerable miscel laneous titles and sentiments. One may have the Poor Man Blues\, Red Hot B lues\, Through Train Blues\, Railroad Blues\, Crazy Blues\, Stranger Blues \, Don’t Care Blues\, Goin’ ’Way Blues\, Bleedin’ Hearted Blues\ , Cryin’ Blues\, Salt Water Blues\, Mountain Top Blues\, Thunderstorm Bl ues\, Sinful Blues\, Basement Blues\, House Rent Blues\, Reckless Blues\, and even the A to Z Blues. Here again however\, titles are misleading\, fo r practically all songs bearing such titles really deal with the man-woman theme.\n\nIt may be worth mentioning that the majority of these formal bl ues are sung from the point of view of woman. A survey of titles in the “A\,” “B\,” and “C” catalogs shows that upwards of seventy-fiv e per cent of the songs are written from the woman’s point of view. Amon g the blues singers who have gained a more or less national recognition th ere is scarcely a man’s name to be found.\n\nIt is doubtful whether the history of song affords a parallel to the American situation with regard t o the blues. Here we have the phenomenon of a type of folk song becoming a great fad and being exploited in every conceivable form\; of hundreds of blues\, some of which are based directly upon folk productions\, being dis tributed literally by the million among the American people\; and the Negr o’s assimilation of these blues into his everyday song life. What the ef fects of these processes are going to be\, one can only surmise. One thing is certain\, however\, and that is that the student of Negro song tomorro w will have to know what was[34] on the phonograph records of today before he may dare to speak of origins.\n\nWhether the formal blues have come to stay or not\, it is impossible to tell at present. Possibly they will und ergo considerable modification as the public becomes satiated and the Negr o takes on more and more of the refinements of civilization. That their pr esent form\, however\, is acceptable to a large section of Negro America i s indicated by the fact that the combined sales of “A\,” “B\,” and “C” blues records alone amount to five or six millions annually.\ n\nThe folk blues will also undergo modification\, but they will always re flect Negro life in its lower strata much more accurately than the formal blues can. For it must be remembered that these folk blues were the Negr o’s melancholy song long before the phonograph was invented. Yet the for mal songs are important. In their own way they are vastly superior to the cruder folk productions\, since they have all of the advantages of the art ificial over the natural. They may replace some of the simpler songs and t hus dull the creative impulse of the common Negro folk to some extent\, bu t there is every reason to suppose that there will be real folk blues as l ong as there are Negro toilers and adventurers whose naïveté has not bee n worn off by what the white man calls culture.\n\nThe plaintiveness of th e blues will be encountered in most of the songs of this volume. It is pre sent because most of the songs were collected from the class of Negro folk who are most likely to create blues. In the next chapter certain general songs of the blues type have been brought together but the note of lonesom eness and melancholy will be struck in the songs of the other chapters as well\, especially in those dealing with jail and chain gang\, construction camp\, and the relation of man and woman.\n\n[35]\n\nCHAPTER III\nSONGS O F THE LONESOME ROAD\nThe blues par excellence are\, of course\, to be foun d in those songs of sorrow and disappointment and longing which center aro und the love relation.[22] But the song of the “po’ boy long ways from home” who wanders “down that lonesome road” is rich in pathos and p laintiveness. The wanderer is not unlike the old singer who sang\,\n\nSome times I hangs my head an’ cries\nI’m po’ little orphan chile in de worl’\nSometimes I feel like a motherless chile\nNobody knows de troubl e I’ve had\nThis ol’ worl’s been a hell to me\nI’m rollin’ throu gh an unfriendly worl’\n[22]See Chapters VII and VIII for the songs of t his type. This chapter deals with more general lonesome songs.\n\nTypical of the lonesome note in the present-day songs of the wanderer are the foll owing lines:\n\nI’m gonna tell my mama when I git home\nHow people treat ed me way off from home\nFreezin’ ground wus my foldin’ bed las’ nig ht\nGot up in the mornin’\, couldn’t keep from cryin’\nMy shoes all wore out\nMy clothes done tore to pieces\nTrouble gonna follow me to my gr ave\nBad luck in family\, sho’ God\, fell on me\nAin’t got nuthin’ t o eat\nSick all night on de street\nI been mistreated all my days[36]\nP o’ boy got nowhere to lay his head\nWell\, rock was my pillah las’ nig ht\nClothes all wet\, feet on the ground\nPo’ boy\, dey don’t give me no show\nLaw’\, I’m so worried I don’t know what to do\nI’m gonna ketch dat train\, don’t know where it’s from\nThe workhouse settin ’ ’way out on lonesome road\nAlways wanderin’ about\nNowhere to lay my head\nDis po’ man’s life is misery\nPocketbook was empty\, my heart was full of pain\nIn the “Annals and Blues of Left Wing Gordon”[23] w ill be found something of the story of one representative of all those bla ck folk who sing down the lonesome road. Left Wing had traveled the loneso me road in at least thirty-eight states of the union. His type is legion. Here is another whose parents died before he was eight years of age. Thenc e to Texas\, and Louisiana\, across Mississippi to Georgia\, then down to Florida\, back through South Carolina to his home state\, North Carolina. Abiding there shortly\, thence to Maryland and Washington\, to St. Louis\, thence to Ohio\, thence to New York\, back to Philadelphia\, across again to Ohio\, then the war and camp\, and armistice and more travels\, with p eriods of “doing time.” Then back again to the lonesome road.\n\n[23]S ee Chapter XII.\n\nNowhere is self-pity in the plaintive song better expre ssed than in the forlorn Negro’s vision of himself\, the last actor in t he wanderer drama\, folks mourning his death\, hacks in line\, funeral wel l provided for.[37] Sometimes reflecting on his hard life\, he pictures hi s own funeral!\n\nLook down po’ lonesome road\,\nHacks all dead in line\ ;\nSome give nickel\, some give a dime\,\nTo bury dis po’ body o’ mine .\nPerhaps he will jump into the sea or off the mountain or lay his head o n a railroad track. Then folks will miss him and mourn his tragic end. He feels that he has more than his share of trouble and hard luck. Sometimes he sings that he cannot keep from crying:\n\nI can’t keep from cryin’\ nLook down dat lonesome road an’ cry\nYou made me weep\, you made me moa n\nWoke up in de mornin’\, couldn’t keep from cryin’\nI got de blu es an’ can’t keep from cryin’\nThe following songs show this note of hard luck\, weeping\, and self-pity:\n\nShip My Po’ Body Home\n\nIf I s hould die long way from home\nShip my po’ body home.\nAx fer a nickel\, ax fer a dime\,\nAx fer a quarter\, ship my po’ body home\,\nLawd\, ship my po’ body home.\nAin’t got no money\,\nAin’t got nothin’ to eat \,\nSick all night on de street\;\nIf I die long way from home\nShip my po ’ body home.\n[38]\n\nPity Po’ Boy\n\nPity a po’ boy\nStray ’way f rom home\,\nPity a po’ boy\nStray ’way from home.\nIf I ever gits back \,\nI sho’ never mo’ to roam\;\nIf I ever gits back\,\nI sho’ neve r mo’ to roam.\nI Rather Be in My Grave\n\nI lef’ my rider standin’ in back do’ cryin’\,\n“Lawd\, please don’t leave me behin’.”\n You mistreat me\, you drove me from yo’ do’\,\nGood book say you got t o reap what you sow.\nI’m goin’ ’way\, Lawd\, I’m goin’ ’way \,\nI ain’t comin’ back\, Lawd\, at all.\nIf my mind don’t change\, Lawd\,\nIf my mind don’t change\, I ain’t comin’ back.\nWoke up this mornin’\, blues all around my bed\,\nSnatch up my pillow\, blues all un der my head.\nI’m feelin’ blue\, mama\, feel blue you know\,\nI feel b lue all day long.\nLawd\, I’m worried now\, Lawd\,\nBut I won’t be wor ried long.\nI feel like train\, mama\,\nAin’t got no drivin’ wheel.\nI rather be daid in six foot o’ clay\,\nI rather be in my grave.\nThrow M yself Down in de Sea\n\nGoin’ up on mountain top\,\nLord\, goin’ up on mountain top\,\nO Lord\, goin’ up on mountain top\,\nThrow myself down in de sea.\n[39]\nThrow myself down in sea\,\nO Lord\, throw myself down i n sea\;\nGoin’ up on mountain top\,\nThrow myself down in sea.\nPo’ Ni gger Got Nowhere to Go\n\nPo’ nigger got nowhere to go\,\nPo’ nigger g ot nowhere to go\,\nPo’ nigger got nowhere to go\,\nNothin’ but dirt a ll over de flo’.\nClothes am dirty rags\,\nClothes am dirty rags\,\nClot hes am dirty rags\,\nStuff in dirty bags.\nBeds am ragged an’ ol’\,\nB eds am ragged an’ ol’\,\nBeds am ragged an’ ol’\,\nNo money to b uy no mo’.\nI Wish I Was Dead\n\nOver de hill is de po’ house\,\nPleas e don’t let me go.\nA place to sleep\, somethin’ to eat\,\nI don’t a st no mo’\,\nI don’t ast no mo’.\nMy clothes am done tore to pieces\ ,\nMy shoes am all wo’ out\;\nGot nobody to do my patchin’\,\nAlways w anderin’ about\,\nAlways wanderin’ about.\nAin’t got nobody to love me\,\nNowhere to lay my head.\nDis po’ man’s life am a misery\,\nLawd\ , Lawd\, how I wish I was dead\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, how I wish I was dead.\n[4 0]\n\nTrouble All My Days[24]\n\nTrouble\, trouble\,\nBeen had it all my d ays.\nTrouble\, trouble\,\nGot to mend dis nigger’s ways.\nTrouble\, tro uble\,\nI believe to my soul\nTrouble gonna kill me dead.\nTrouble\, troub le.\nBut I’s gwine away\,\nTo rid trouble off my min’.\nBut I’s gwin e away\,\nTo rid trouble off my min’.\nFair brown\, fair brown\,\nWho ma y yo’ regular be?\nIf you got no regular\,\nPlease take a peep at me.\nT rouble\, trouble\,\nBeen had it all my day\;\nBelieve to my soul\nTrouble gonna kill me dead.\nSay\, look here\, man\,\nSee what you done done\;\nYo u done made me love you\,\nNow you tryin’ to dog me ’roun’.\n[24]Thi s song is very much like a popular phonograph record\, Downhearted Blues. Cf. also Trouble\, Trouble Blues.\n\nI Can’t Keep From Cryin’[25]\n\nI received a letter that my daddy was dead\,\nHe wasn’t dead but he was s lowly dyin’.\nJust to think how I love him\,\nI can’t keep from cryi n’.\nI followed my daddy to the buryin’ ground\,\nI saw the pall-beare r slowly ease him down.\nThat was the last time I saw my daddy’s face.[4 1]\nI love you\, sweet daddy\, but I just can’t take your place.\n[25]A somewhat condensed version of a phonograph song\, Death Letter Blues.\n\nP o’ Little Girl Grievin’\n\nPo’ little girl grievin’\,\nPo’ littl e girl grievin’\,\nLawdy\, Lawdy\, po’ little girl grievin’\,\nPo’ little girl grievin’.\nLittle girl wid head hung down\,\nLittle girl wi d head hung down\,\nLawdy\, Lawdy\, little girl wid head hung down\,\nI’ m sorry for little girl wid head hung down.\nSorry yo’ man\,\nSorry yo ’ man\,\nLawdy\, Lawdy\, sorry\nYo’ man done left you.\nStandin’ at station weepin’\,\nStandin’ at station weepin’\,\nLawd\, standin’ at station weepin’\n’Cause her man done gone.\nDon’t treat me lak us ed to\,\nDon’t treat me lak used to\,\nLawd\, girl don’t treat me lak used to\,\nDon’t treat me lak used to.\nLawd\, I don’t know why\,\nLaw d\, I don’t know why\,\nLawdy\, Lawdy\, I don’t know why\,\nDon’t tr eat me lak used to.\nIt won’t be long\,\nIt won’t be long\,\nLawdy\, L awd\, it won’t be long\,\nLawd\, it won’t be long.\nThe old line\, “po’ boy ’long way from home\,” is still a favorite. In the Neg ro’s songs and stories of wanderings\, home and father and mother are th emes of constant appeal\, apparently much in contrast to the[42] Negro’s actual home-abiding experiences. The old spirituals sang mostly of the he avenly home of dreams and ideals as opposed to the experience in which “ this ol’ world been a hell to me.” In his wanderer song of today the N egro’s wish-dream to be back home appears an equally striking contrast. Nowhere in the workaday songs is childlike and wishful yearning so marked as in these constant songs of homesickness and of the desire for something that is not.\n\nAlways accompanying the singer’s dreams of home is his contrasting forlorn condition in the present hour. It would be difficult t o find better description of situations than that in which he pictures him self as tired and forsaken on the lonesome road. Parts of this picture may be gathered from the following lines taken here and there from his songs: \n\nTake\, oh\, take me\, take me back home\nMy sister’s cryin’ back h ome\nIf I die long way from home\nMy home ain’t here an’ I ain’t got to stay\nO Lord\, captain\, won’t you let me go home\nDaddy sick\, mamm y dead\,\nGoin’ back South\, dat’s where I’m bound.\nEvery mail day I gits letter from my mother\,\nSayin’\, “Son\, son\, come home.”\ nI’m one hundred miles from home\nAn’ I can’t go home this way.\nI didn’t have no ready-made money\,\nI couldn’t go home.\nA place to sl eep\, something to eat\,\nI don’t ast no mo’.\nLook down dat lonesome road an’ cry\n[43]\n\nA variety of songs of home or home-folk\, of surce ase from work\, will be found wherever Negroes sing. This fact is recogniz ed by the publishers of blues when they advertise\, “These blues will ma ke every Negro want to hurry back home.” The plaintive longing for home\ , alongside expressions of weeping and self-pity\, is the theme of most of the following songs of the road:\n\nI’m Goin’ Home\, Buddie\n\nAll ’round the mountain\, Buddie\,\nSo chilly and cold\, Buddie\,\nSo chilly and cold\, Buddie\,\nBut I’m goin’ home\, Buddie\, I’m goin’ home .\nTake this hammer\, Buddie\,\nCarry it to the boss\, Buddie\,\nCarry it to the boss\, Buddie\,\nTell him I gone home\, Buddie\, I gone home.\nI go t a wife\, Buddie\,\nWith two little children\, Buddie\,\nWith two little children\, Buddie\,\nTell ’em I’m comin’ home\, Buddie\, I’m com in’ home.\nThat Ol’ Letter\n\nThat ol’ letter\,\nRead about dyin’\ ;\nBoy\, did you ever\,\nThink about dyin’?\nThen I can’t read it\nNow for cryin’\,\nTears run down\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, tears run down.\nPo’ Ho meless Boy\n\nIn de evenin’ de sun am low\,\nIn de evenin’ de sun am l ow\,\nIn de evenin’ de sun am low\,\n[44]\nDis po’ homeless boy got no where to go\,\nDis po’ homeless boy got nowhere to go\,\nNowhere to go.\ nDaddy sick\, mammy daid\,\nDaddy sick\, mammy daid\,\nPo’ boy got nowhe re to lay his haid\,\nPo’ boy got nowhere to lay his haid\,\nLay his hai d.\nClothes all wo’\, feet on de groun’\,\nClothes all wo’\, feet on de groun’\,\nGoin’ back down South\, dat’s where I’s boun’\,\ nGoin’ back down South\, dat’s where I’s boun’\,\nWhere I’s bo un’.\nHome in a two-room shack\,\nHome in a two-room shack\,\nHome in a two-room shack\,\nCook in de fire\, pipe in de crack\,\nCook in de fire\, pipe in de crack\,\nPipe in de crack.\nTake Me Back Home\n\nTake me\, oh\, take me\,\nTake me back home.\nMy mammy’s weepin’\, daddy’s sleep in’\,\nIn de ol’ grave yard.\nTake me\, oh\, take me\,\nTake me back h ome.\nPlease\, Mr. Conductor\n\nWhen I left home mother was ill\,\nAnd she needed the doctor’s care\,\nThat’s the reason I came to the city\,\ nI’ll pay you my fare next time.\nPlease\, Mr. Conductor\,\nDon’t put me off this train.\nThe best friend I have in this world\nIs waiting for m e in pain.\n[45]\n\nCaptain\, I Wanta Go Home\n\nWhen I call on captain\, Lawd\, Lawd\,\nHe ast me what I need.\nCaptain\, captain\, I tol’ captai n\,\nLawd\, I wanta go back home.\nHe tol’ me\, Lawd\, why you want to g o home\, Shine?\nSay you got to make your time.\nCaptain call me ’bout h alf pas’ fo’\,\nCaptain\, Lawd\, I wouldn’t go.\nWant me to go in ki tchen\,\nDraw water\, make fire.\nCaptain\, captain\, what make you call m e so soon?\nPoor Shine\, Lawd\, captain\, wish I was home.\nI went out on road\nWid pick and shovel\, too.\nI pick a lick or two\,\nCaptain\, can’ t I go back home?\nCaptain\, captain\, won’t you take me\,\nLawd\, Lawd\ , captain\, won’t you take me back?\nMy home ain’t here\, captain\,\ nAn’ I ain’t got to stay.\nO Lawd\, captain\, captain\, Lawd\,\nWon’ t you let me go home?\nWill I Git Back Home?\n\nLaw’\, I do wonder\,\n Law’\, I do wonder\,\nLaw’\, I do wonder\,\nWill I git back home\, huh ?\nWill I git back home\, huh?\nWell cuckoo\, cuckoo\,\nKeep on hollerin ’\,\nAn’ mus’ be day\, Law’\,\nMus’ be day.\n[46]\nWell whistle\ , whistle\,\nKeep on blowin’\,\nAn’ time ain’t long\,\nUhuh\, time ain’t long.\nLawd\, Lawd\, I’m on My Way\n\nAin’t had nothin’ to eat\,\nAin’t had nowhere to sleep\,\nFreezin’ ground wus my foldin’ bed\,\nBut I’m on my way\,\nO Lawd\, I’m on my way.\nWhat makes you ho ld yo’ head so high?\nAny way you hold yo’ head\,\nThat’s way you go nna die\,\nThat’s way you gonna die.\nI sho’ don’t want to go\,\nB ut I’m goin’ up country\nSingin’ nothin’ but you\;\nI’m goin’ up country\,\nSingin’ nothin’ but you.\nGoin’ Down Dat Lonesome Road [26]\n\nGoin’ down dat lonesome road\,\nOh\, goin’ down dat lonesome r oad\,\nAn’ I won’t be treated this-a way.\nSprings on my bed done brok en down\,\nAn’ I ain’t got nowhere to lay my head.\nNow my mamma’s d ead an’ my papa\, too\,\nAn’ it left me alone wid you.\nAn’ you caus e me to weep an’ you cause me to moan\,\nAn’ you cause me to leave my happy home.\nLongest train I ever saw\nWas nineteen coaches long.\nDarli n’ what have I done to you?\nWhat makes you treat me so?\nAn’ I won’ t be treated this-a way.\n[26]For the music of this song\, see Chapter XIV . A song of this name has been found in the Kentucky mountains\, and a pho nograph record (Lonesome Road Blues) based on it has recently appeared. Cf . also The Lonesome Road in Miss Scarborough’s On the Trail of Negro Fol k-Songs\, p. 73.\n\n[47]\n\nCHAPTER IV\nBAD MAN BALLADS AND JAMBOREE\nTher e is this fortunate circumstance which contributes to the completeness and vividness of the Negro portraits as found in workaday songs: the whole pi cture is often epitomized in each of several characters or types of singer s and their songs. Thus the picture may be viewed from all sides and from different angles\, with such leisure and repetition as will insure accurat e impressions. One of these types is the “po’ boy long way from home ” singing down “that lonesome road\,” as represented in the previous chapter. Whether in his ordinary daily task\, or on his pilgrimages afar\ , or in the meshes of the law\, this singer approaches perfection in the d elineation of his type. Another type is that to be found in the story of L eft Wing Gordon as presented in Chapter XII\, and of John Henry in Chapter XIII. Likewise\, the songs of jail and chain gang\, the songs of women an d love\, and the specialized road songs all embody that fine quality of fu ll and complete reflection of the folk spirit in the Negro’s workaday li fe and experience.\n\nThere is perhaps no type\, however\, which comes mor e nearly summarizing certain situations\, experiences\, and backgrounds th an the Negro “bad man\,” whose story will make an heroic tale of consi derable proportions. In many ways the “bad man from bad man’s land” is a favorite. He is eulogized by the youngsters and sung by the worker by the side of the road. One preacher even described Christ as a man who wou ld “stand no foolin’ wid.” “Jesus such great man\, no one lak him. Lord\, he could pop lion’s head[48] off jes’ lak he wus fryin’-size chicken an’ could take piece o’ mountain top and throw it across the world.” And as for that other bad man\, “Nicotemus\,” why Jesus\, wh en he got through with him\, had him following behind a donkey like any ot her slave.[27] There was that other young Negro who “was no comfort to p reacher\, but was a hawk like pizen. Mens like him and wimmin belonged to him wid his winnin’ ways.” In a previous volume[28] we pointed out som e of the characteristic experiences and modes of the Negro bum\, “bully of this town\,” Railroad Bill\, Stagolee\, Brady\, and the others\, of t wenty years ago. Since that time the tribe has apparently not diminished a nd flourishes well in the atmosphere of modern life\, migration\, and the changing conditions of race relations. Of the statistical and environmenta l aspects of the Negro criminal much will be reported in another study.[29 ] In this chapter we are concerned with the portrait of a type\, perhaps i nexorably drawn into the maelstrom of his day and turned into an inevitabl e product. He is no less an artist than the wanderer\, the “travelin’ man\,” or Left Wing Gordon. He is the personification of badness mixed w ith humor\, of the bad man and the champion of exploits. We have already r eferred to the Negro who “wus so mean wus skeered of hisself\,” compet itor to that other one whose\n\n... eyes wus red an’ his gums wus blue\, \n’Cause he wus a nigger right through and through.\nThere were still ot her companions to these in Slippery Jim\, Slewfoot Pete\, and Ann-Eliza St one\, “mean wid[49] her habbits on” and breaking up the “jamboree. ”[30] A common phrase\, indeed\, threatened always to “break up dis ja mboree” in exchange for slighting one’s “repertation.”\n\n[27]Cite d by Dr. E. C. L. Adams of Columbia\, S. C.\n\n[28]The Negro and His Songs \, page 164 seq.\n\n[29]A study of Negro crime directed by J. F. Steiner\, for the Institute for Research in Social Science\, at the University of N orth Carolina.\n\n[30]See Swan and Abbot\, in Eight Negro Songs\, New York \, 1923.\n\nMany are the bad men\, and vivid the descriptions. Said one\, “Lawd\, cap’n\, take me till tomorrow night to tell ’bout dat boy. Eve’ybody skeered uv him. John Wilson jes nachelly bully\, double j’i nted\, awful big man\, didn’t fear ’roun’ nobody. Would break up e v’y do he ’tended. Go to picnic\, take all money off’n table. Coul dn’t do nothin’ wid him. Seen feller shoot at him nine times once an ’ didn’t do nothin’ to him\, an’ he run an’ caught up wid fell er an’ bit chunk meat out o’ his back\, ... but one man got him wid br itch loader an’ stop ’im from suckin’ eggs.”\n\nWe have found no b lack bad-man ballads superior to the old ones\, Railroad Bill\, Stagolee\, That Bully of this Town\, Desperado Bill\, Eddy Jones\, Joe Turner\, Brad y\,[31] and the others. And yet\, the current stories sung on the road are more accurate portrayals of actual characters and experiences\, and perha ps less finished songs\, less formal rhyme. Take Lazarus\, for instance\, a hard luck story\, portraying something of Negro sympathy\, burial custom \, general reaction. Here is a character more to be pitied than censured\, according to his companions. Listen to three pick-and-shovel men\, tracin g “po’ Lazarus” from the work camp where he\, poor foolish fellow\, robbed the commissary camp and then took to his heels. Thence between the mountains where the high sheriff shot him down\, back to the camp and bury ing ground\, with mother\, wife\,[50] brothers\, sisters\, comrades weepin g\, attending the funeral\, where they “put po’ Lazarus away at half pas’ nine.”\n\n[31]The Negro and His Songs\, pages 196-212.\n\nBad Ma n Lazarus\n\nOh\, bad man Lazarus\,\nOh\, bad man Lazarus\,\nHe broke in d e commissary\,\nLawd\, he broke in de commissary.\nHe been paid off\,\nHe been paid off\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, Lawd\,\nHe been paid off.\nCommissary man\, \nCommissary man\,\nHe jump out commissary window\,\nLawd\, he jump out co mmissary window.\nStartin’ an’ fall\,\nO Lawd\, Lawd\, Lawd\,\nCommiss ary man startin’ an’ he fall\,\nO Lawd\, Lawd\, Lawd.\nCommissary man swore out\,\nLawd\, commissary man swore out\,\nLawd\, commissary man swor e out\nWarrant for Lazarus.\nO bring him back\,\nLawd\, bring him back\,\n O Lawd\, Lawd\, Lawd\,\nBring Lazarus back.\nThey began to wonder\,\nLawd\ , they began to wonder\,\nLawd\, they began to wonder\nWhere Lazarus gone. \nWhere in world\,\nLawd\, where in world\,\nLawd\, where in world\nWill t hey find him?\n[51]\nWell\, I don’t know\,\nI don’t know\,\nWell\, Law d\, Lawd\,\nWell\, I don’t know.\nWell\, the sheriff spied po’ Lazarus \,\nWell\, the sheriff spied po’ Lazarus\,\nLawd\, sheriff spied po’ L azarus\nWay between Bald Mountain.\nThey blowed him down\,\nWell\, they bl owed him down\,\nWell\, Lawd\, Lawd\,\nThey blowed him down.\nThey shot po ’ Lazarus\,\nLawd\, they shot po’ Lazarus\,\nLawd\, they shot po’ La zarus\nWith great big number.\nWell\, forty-five\,\nLawd\, great big forty -five\,\nLawd\, forty-five\,\nTurn him roun’.\nThey brought po’ Lazaru s\,\nAnd they brought po’ Lazarus\,\nLawd\, they brought po’ Lazarus\n Back to the shanty.\nBrought him to de number nine\,\nLawd\, brought him t o number nine\,\nLawd\, they brought him to the number nine\,\nLawd\, they brought po’ Lazarus to number nine.\nOl’ friend Lazarus say\,\nLawd\, old friend Lazarus say\,\nLawd\, old friend Lazarus say\,\n“Give me coo l drink of water.\n“Befo’ I die\nGood Lawd\, ’fo’ I die\,\nGive me cool drink of water\,\nLawd\, ’fo’ I die.”\n[52]\nLazarus’ mother say\,\nLawd\, Lazarus’ mother say\,\n“Nobody know trouble\nI had with him\,\n“Since daddy died\,\nLawd\, since daddy been dead\,\nNobody know the trouble I had\nSince daddy been dead.”\nThey goin’ bury po’ Laz arus\,\nLawd\, they goin’ bury ol’ Lazarus\,\nThey goin’ bury po’ Lazarus\nIn the mine.\nAt half pas’ nine\, O Lawd\,\nGood Lawd\, Lawd\, Lawd\,\nGoin’ bury po’ Lazarus\nAt half pas’ nine.\nMe an’ my budd y\,\nLawd\, me an’ my buddy\,\nWe goin’ over to bury him\,\nHalf pas ’ nine.\nHalf pas’ nine\,\nO Lawd\, Lawd\, half pas’ nine\,\nWe go in’ over to bury him\,\nHalf pas’ nine.\nLazarus’ mother say\,\n“L ook over yonder\,\nHow dey treatin’ po’ Lazarus\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, Law d.”\nThey puttin’ him away\,\nLawd\, they puttin’ him away\,\nLawd\, they puttin’ Lazarus away\,\nHalf pas’ nine.\nIt would be difficult t o find a scene and setting more appealing than this ballad being sung by a group of workingmen in unison\, with remarkable harmony\, fine voices\, i nimitable manner. “Doesn’t this singing[53] hinder you in your work? ” we asked one of the pick-and-shovel men\, just to see what type of rep ly he would make. With first a slow look of surprise\, then a sort of pity for the man who would ask such a question\, then a “Lawdy-Lawd-Cap’ n” outburst of laughter\, “Cap’n dat’s whut makes us work so much better\, an’ it nuthin’ else but.” And one of the group acted the pa rt of the “shouter” very much like the hearers in the church. He would sing a while\, then dig away in silence\, then burst out with some exhort er’s exclamation about the song\, giving zest to the singing\, contrast to the imagery\, authority to the story. Once as the singers recorded the shooting of Lazarus\, he shouted\, “Yes\, yes\, Lawd\, Lawd\, I seed ’ em\, I wus dere”\; and again when they sang of his mother weeping\, “Y es\, Lawd\, I wus right dere when she come a-runnin’. I know it’s tr ue.” Taken all in all\, the sorrowful story of Lazarus\, with its painst aking sequence and its melody as sung on this occasion\, it is doubtful if ever Negro spiritual surpassed it in beauty and poignancy.\n\nThe above v ersion was heard at Danielsville\, Georgia. A similar but shorter one\, cu rrent in North Carolina\, is called Billy Bob Russell. “Reason why dey c alls it dat is Billy Bob Russell an’ Lazarus been buddies for years\, pr etty mean boys til dey gits grown. Billy Bob Russell\, he’s from Georgia an’ I think Lazarus act sorta like robber or highway robber or someth in’\, follow road camp all time.”[32]\n\n[32]Other Negroes affirm that Billy Bob Russell was a white man\, a Georgia construction foreman and a very noted one.\n\n[54]\n\nBilly Bob Russell\n\nCap’n tol’ high sherif f\,\n“Go an’ bring me Lazarus\,\nBring him dead or alive\,\nLawd\, bri ng him dead or alive.”\nEve’ybody wonder\nWhere in world dey would fin d him\,\nThen I don’t know\,\nCap’n\, I don’t know.\nLazarus tol’ high sheriff\,\nHe had never been ’rested\nBy no one man\,\nLawd\, Lawd\ , by no one man.\nThen they found po’ Lazarus\nIn between two mountains\ ,\nWid his head hung down\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, wid his head hung down.\nShoot po’ Lazarus\,\nCarried him over to shanty\,\nLawd\, shoot po’ Lazarus\ ,\nCarried him over to shanty.\nLazarus’ sister she run\nAn’ tol’ he r mother\nThat Lazarus wus dead\,\nLawd\, Lazarus wus dead.\nThen Lazarus tol’ high sheriff\,\n“Please turn me over\nOn my wounded side\,\nLawd\ , on my wounded side.”\nLazarus tol’ high sheriff\,\n“Please give me drink water\nJes’ befo’ I die\,\nLawd\, jes’ befo’ I die.”\n[55 ]\nLazarus’ mother\,\nShe laid down her sewin’\,\nShe wus thinkin’ b out trouble\nShe had had wid Lazarus.\nIn contrast to the more finished rh yming stanzas of Railroad Bill and the earlier heroic epics\, note the sim ple\, vivid ballad-in-the-making type of unrhymed song so common as a type of pick-and-shovel melody. Note the accuracy of the picture\, its truenes s to actual workaday experience\, the phrase description. Such a song in t he making and in the rendering defies description or competition as a folk -mirror. Differing somewhat and yet of the same general sort of characteri zation is the current story of Dupree\, versions of which have been taken from Asheville\, North Carolina\, and various other places in Georgia and North Carolina. One of the most interesting aspects of this Dupree song is that it may be compared with the Atlanta ballad of the white Frank Dupree as popularly sung on the phonograph records. The story of the white culpr it warns his young friends in the usual way and asks them to meet him in h eaven. His crime was\, first\, snatching a diamond ring for his sweetheart \, then shooting the policeman to death\, then fleeing but coming back bec ause he could not stay away from his “Betty.” There is little similari ty of expression between the white version and the Negro one. Here is the more finished of the Negro songs.\n\nDupree\n\nDupree was a bandit\,\nHe w as so brave and bol’\,\nHe stoled a diamond ring\nFor some of Betty’s jelly roll.\n[56]\nBetty tol’ Dupree\,\n“I want a diamond ring.”\nDu pree tol’ Betty\,\n“I’ll give you anything.”\n“Michigan water\nT aste like cherry wine\,[33]\nThe reason I know:\nBetty drink it all the ti me.\n“I’m going away\nTo the end of the railroad track.\nNothing but s weet Betty\nCan bring me back.”\nDupree tol’ the lawyer\,\n“Clear me if you can\,\nFor I have money to back me\,\nSure as I’m a man.”\nThe lawyer tol’ Dupree\,\n“You are a very brave man\,\nBut I think you wi ll\nGo to jail and hang.”\nDupree tol’ the judge\,\n“I am not so bra ve and bol’\,\nBut all I wanted\nWas Betty’s jelly roll.”\nThe jud ge tol’ Dupree\,\n“Jelly roll’s gonna be your ruin.”\n“No\, no\, judge\, for that is\nWhat I’ve done quit doin’.”\nThe judge tol’ Dupree\,\n“I believe you quit too late\,\nBecause it is\nAlready your fa te.”\n[33]See phonograph record\, Michigan Water Blues.\n\nIn striking c ontrast to the Dupree just given is one sung by a young Negro who had been in the chain gang[57] a number of times and whose major repertoire consis ted of the plaintive chain gang songs. Here the singer has translated the version into his own vernacular\, varying lines\, eschewing rhyme\, carryi ng his story through the regular channels of the prison type. The lines ar e given exactly as sung\, repetitions and irregularities constituting thei r chief distinction. And yet something of the same story runs through it. It is perhaps a little nearer the Atlanta version\, and the singer adds st ill another interpretation that Dupree and Betty had quarreled and as a re sult Dupree had killed her and hidden her body in the sawdust. An interest ing local color is that Dupree was sent to Milledgeville\, Georgia\, where as a matter of fact is situated the combined state prison and hospital. H ere\, then\, is the song with its mixed imagery and reflection of a certai n mentality.\n\nDupree Tol’ Betty\n\nBetty tol’ Dupree\nShe want a dia mond ring\;\nBetty tol’ Dupree\nShe want a diamond ring.\nDupree tol’ Betty\,\nGonna pawn his watch an’ chain\;\nDupree tol’ Betty\,\nGonna pawn his watch an’ chain.\nDupree left here cold in han’\,\nDupree lef t here cold in han’\,\nBut when he git back to Georgia\,\nHe was wrapped up all in chains.\nDupree tol’ Betty\,\n“Gonna git that diamond rin g.”\nBetty tol’ Dupree\,\n“If you stay in love with me\,\n[58]\nHu rry an’ git that diamond ring\;\nIf you stay in love with me\,\nHurry an’ git that diamond ring.”\nDupree tol’ Betty\,\nHe git that diamon d ring\;\nDupree tol’ Betty\,\nHe git that diamond ring\,\nHe went to th e pawnshop\nAn’ snatched the diamond ring\,\nHe went to the pawnshop\n An’ snatched the diamond ring.\nHigh-sheriff come git Dupree\,\nTook him in the jail.\nLawd\, jail keeper come and git Dupree\,\nTook him to the j ail.\nLawd\, jail keeper took Dupree\nAn’ put him in his cell\,\nLawd\, jail keeper took Dupree\nAn’ put him in his cell.\nDupree ask the sherif f\nWhat he had done\,\nLawd\, Dupree ask the sheriff\nWhat he had done.\nS heriff tol’ him\nHe had snatched diamond ring\,\nSheriff told him\nHe ha d snatched diamond ring.\nDupree say he ain’t killed no man.\nJailer t ol’ him take it easy\,\n’Cause he done snatched the diamond ring\,\n ’Cause he done snatched the diamond ring.\nHe say\, “I aint got no c ase ’gainst you\nBut I bound to put you in jail.”\nHe say\, “I aint got no case ’gainst you\nBut I bound to put you in jail.”\nDupree laid in jail\nSo long they tried to hang him\;\nThey tried to take him to cour t\n[59]\nAn’ taken him back again\,\nJudge give him the same old sentenc e\,\nLawd\, judge give him the same old sentence.\nSay\, “Dupree you kil l that po’ little girl\nAn’ hid her in the sawdust.\nDupree\, we got h angin’ for you\,\nSorry\, Dupree\, we got to hang po’ you.”\nThey tr y to take him to Milledgeville\,\nLawd\, tried to take him to Milledgevill e\,\nPut him in a orphans’ home\,\nLawd\, to keep him out of jail.\nA po pular bad man song of many versions is the Travelin’ Man. No one has eve r outdistanced him. A long story\, rapidly moving\, miraculously achieving \, triumphantly ending\, it represents jazz song\, phonograph record\, ban jo ballad\, quartet favorite\, although it is not easy to capture. Three v ersions have been found in the actual singing\, one by a quartet which cam e to Dayton\, Tennessee\, to help entertain the evolution mongers\; anothe r by Kid Ellis\, of Spartanburg\, South Carolina\, himself a professed tra veling man\; a third by a North Carolina Negro youth who had\, however\, m igrated to Pennsylvania and returned after traveling in seven or eight oth er states of the union. The South Carolina version\, which is given here\, is of the Ain’t Gonna Rain No Mo’ type of vaudeville and ballad mixtu re.\n\nTravelin’ Man\n\nNow I jus’ wanna tell you ’bout travelin’ man\,\nHis home was in Tennessee\;\nHe made a livin’ stealin’ chickens \nAn’ anything he could see.\nChorus:\nHe was a travelin’ man\,\nHe ce rtainly was a travelin’ man\,\n[60]\nHe was mos’ travelin’ man\nThat ever was in this lan’.\nAnd when the law got after that coon\,\nHe cert ainly would get on the road.\nAn’ if a train pass\, no matter how fas’ \,\nHe certainly would get on boa’d.\nHe was a travelin’ man\,\nWas se en for miles aroun’\,\nHe never got caught\, an’ never give up\nUntil the police shot him down.\nThe police shot him with a rifle\,\nAn’ the b ullet went through his head\,\nThe people came for miles aroun’\nTo see if he was dead.\nThey sent down South for his mother\,\nShe was grieved an d moved with tears\,\nThen she open the coffin to see her son\,\nAn’ the fool had disappeared.\nThe police got in an auto\nAn’ started to chase that coon\,\nThey run him from six in the mornin’\nTill seven that after noon.\nThe coon ran so bloomin’ fast\nThat fire come from his heels\;\nH e scorched the cotton an’ burnt the corn\nAn’ cut a road through the f armer’s’ fields.\nThe coon went to the spring one day\nTo get a pail o f water\;\nThe distance he had to go\nWas two miles and a quarter.\nHe got there an’ started back\,\nBut he stumbled an’ fell down\;\nHe went to the house and got another pail\,\nAn’ caught the water ’fore it hit t he ground.\nThe coon stole a thousand dollars\,\nWas in broad open day tim e.\n[61]\nI ast the coon if he wa’n’t ashame\nTo commit such an awful crime.\nThey put the coon on the gallows\nAn’ told him he would die\;\nH e crossed his legs an’ winked his eye\nAnd sailed up in the sky.\nThe co on got on the Titanic\nAn’ started up the ocean blue\,\nBut when he saw the iceberg\,\nRight overboa’d he flew.\nThe white folks standin’ on t he deck\,\nSaid “Coon\, you are a fool.”\nBut ’bout three minutes af ter that\nHe was shootin’ craps in Liverpool.\nFor the rest of this pict ure of the bad man the simple presentation of songs and fragments in suffi cient numbers to illustrate main types will suffice. His name is legion\, and he ranks all the way from the “polish man” to the “boll-weevil n igger\,” much despised of the common man of the better sort. Bad men com e into peaceful and industrious communities and disturb the peace. They fl ow in from other states to add to the number of offenders\, yet in spite o f their numbers and character\, the church throng\, the picnic\, the funer al and other social occasions seem to have much fewer murders and fracases than formerly. If the bad man can be turned into song and verse\, with th e picture of adventure and romance becoming more and more mythical\, the N egro will profit by the evolution. For the present\, however\, here are sa mples of the portrayals most commonly sung\, with apologies to all improvi sators\, minstrel artists\, and white-folk imitators of Negro verse.\n\n[6 2]\n\nBolin Jones\n\nBolin Jones wuz\nA man of might\,\nHe worked all day\ nAnd he fit all night.\nO Lawsy\, Lawsy\,\nHe’s a rough nigger\,\nHan’ to his hip\,\nFingers on de trigger.\nLay ’em low\,\nLay ’em low\,\nW hen Bolin’s ’round\,\nMind whar you go.\nRoscoe Bill\n\nI’m de rowdy from over de hill\,\nI’m de rowdy called Roscoe Bill\,\nRoscoe Bill\, R oscoe Bill\,\nWhen I shoots I’m boun’ to kill.\nI’m Roscoe Bill\nDat never gits skeered\,\nGoes frum shack to shack\,\nTries de udder man’s bed.\nI’m Roscoe Bill\,\nDe man of might\,\nPlum tickled to death\nWhen I raise a fight.\nI’m Roscoe Bill\nDat de women all foller.\nTakes what dey got\,\nDen steals deir dollar.\nLayin’ Low\n\nLayin’ low\, never k now\nWhen de cops about.\nShootin’ crap on my gal’s lap\,\nI’ve got to go my route.\n[63]\nLayin’ low\, never know\,\nWhen de p’liceman’ s walkin’ about\,\nWalkin’ in\, stalkin’ about\,\nDat p’licema n’s walkin’ about.\nDon’t Fool Wid Me\n\nDark town alley’s too sma ll a place\nFor me and that cop to have a fair race.\nI lay low till de ni ght am dark\,\nDen dis here nigger is out for a lark.\nHan’s up\, nigger \, don’t fool wid me\,\nI put nigger whar he ought-a be.\nCreepin’ ’Roun’\n\nWork in de mornin’\,\nIn de evenin’ I sleep.\nWhen de d ark comes\, Lawd\,\nDis nigger got to creep.\nChorus:\nCreepin’ ’rou n’\,\nCreepin’ in\,\nCreepin’ everywhere\nA creeper’s been.\nEats in de mornin’\,\nIn de evenin’ I looks ’roun’.\nWhen de dark comes \, Lawd\,\nA chocolate gal I’ve foun’.\nShootin’ Bill\n\nDere’s a nigger on my track\,\nDere’s a nigger on my track\,\nDere’s a nigger o n my track\,\nLet de undertaker take him back.\nI’m a man shoots de two- gun fire\,\nI’m a man shoots de two-gun fire\,\nI’m a man shoots de tw o-gun fire\,\nI’se got a gal who’s a two-faced liar.\n[64]\nWhen I sho ots\, I shoots to kill\,\nWhen I shoots\, I shoots to kill\,\nWhen I shoot s\, I shoots to kill\,\nDat’s why dey fears Shootin’ Bill!\nI Am Ready For de Fight\n\nWhen at night I makes my bed\,\nWhen at night I makes my bed\,\nWhen at night I makes my bed\,\nPuts my feets up to de head.\nIf de y hunts me in de night\,\nIf dey hunts me in de night\,\nIf dey hunts me i n de night\,\nI am ready fer de fight.\nI sleeps wid one year out\,\nI sle eps wid one year out\,\nI sleeps wid one year out\,\nGot to know when dem rounders ’bout.\nUp an’ down dis worl’\,\nUp an’ down dis worl ’\,\nUp an’ down dis worl’\,\nLookin’ fer dat tattlin’ gal.\nSli m Jim From Dark-town Alley\n\nSlim Jim wus a chocolate drop\,\nSlim Jim wu s a chocolate drop\,\nSlim Jim wus a chocolate drop\nFrom dark-town alley. \nSlim Jim drapped down a cop\,\nSlim Jim drapped down a cop\,\nSlim Jim d rapped down a cop\nIn dark-town alley.\nHy Jim\, hey Jim\, we got you at l as’\,\nHy Jim\, hey Jim\, we got you at las’\,\nHy Jim\, hey Jim\, we got you at las’\nIn dark-town alley.\n[65]\nDe jails kotch him at las’ \, dat chocolate drop\,\nDe jails kotch him at las’\, dat chocolate drop \,\nDe jails kotch him at las’\, dat chocolate drop\nFrom dark-town al-l ey.\nDem bars wus strong\, but Chocolate melted away\,\nDem bars wus stron g\, but Chocolate melted away\,\nDem bars wus strong\, but Chocolate melte d away\,\nBack to dark-town alley.\nI’m a Natural-bo’n Ram’ler\n\n I’m a natural-bo’n ram’ler\,\nI’m a natural-bo’n ram’ler\,\n I’m a natural-bo’n ram’ler\,\nAn’ it ain’t no lie.\nI travels ab out on Monday night\,\nI travels about when de moon is bright.\nI travels about on Tuesday\, too\,\nI travels about when got nuthin’ else to do.\n I travels about on Wednesday mo’n\,\nBeen travelin’ ever since I bee n bo’n\,\nOn Thurs’ I rambles ’round de town\,\nDey ain’t no Jan e kin hol’ me down.\nFriday ketches me wid my foot in my han’\,\nI’m de out-derndest traveler of any man.\nSaturday’s de day I rambles fo’ sumpin to eat\,\nAn’ Sunday de day dis ram’ler sleeps.\nI’m de Hot Stuff Man\n\nI’m de hot stuff man\nFrum de devil’s lan’.\nGo on\, ni gger\,\nDon’t you try to buck me\,\nI’m de hot stuff man\nFrum de de vil’s lan’.\nI’m a greasy streak o’ lightnin’\,\nDon’t you s ee?\nDon’t you see?\nDon’t you see?\n[66]\nI can cuss\, I can cut\,\nI can shoot a nigger up.\nGo on\, nigger\,\nDon’t you try to buck me\,\ nI’m de fas’est man\,\nCan clean up de lan’.\nI’m a greasy strea k o’ lightnin’\,\nCan’t you see?\nI’m a greasy streak o’ lig htnin’\,\nCan’t you see?\nReuben[34]\n\nDat you\, Reuben?\nDat you\, R euben?\nDen dey laid ol’ Reuben down so low.\nSay ol’ Reuben had a wif e\,\nHe’s in trouble all his life.\nDen dey lay Reuben down so low.\nDat you Reuben?\nDat you Reuben?\nDen dey laid Reuben down so low.\nSays ol ’ Reuben mus’ go back\,\nWhen he pawn his watch an’ hack.\nDen dey l aid Reuben down so low.\nSays ol’ Reuben mus’ be dead\,\nWhen he laid upon his bed.\nDen dey laid Reuben down so low.\nDat you Reuben?\nDat you Reuben?\nDen dey laid Reuben down so low.\n[34]We are told that this song is common among the whites of Western North Carolina.\n\nBloodhoun’ on M y Track\n\nBloodhoun’ from Macon right on my track\,\nRight on my track\ , right on my track.\nBloodhoun’ from Macon right on my track\,\nWonder who gonna stan’ my bon’?\n[67]\n\nBuffalo Bill\n\nI’m de bad nigger\ ,\nIf you wants to know\;\nLook at dem rounders\nIn de cemetery row.\nShoo t\, nigger\,\nShoot to kill\,\nWho’s you foolin’ wid?\nMy Buffalo Bill ?\nBuffalo Bill\nWus a man of might\,\nAlways wore his britches\nTwo sizes too tight.\nSplit ’em nigger\,\nRide ’em on a rail\;\nI’ve got de m on to\nPay yo’ bail.\nDat Leadin’ Houn’\n\nDere’s a creeper hangin’ ’roun’\,\nI’m gwiner git ’im I be boun’.\nDen dey put dat feller in de groun’\nAn’ I be listenin’ fer dat houn’\,\nDat leadin’ houn’.\nAll aroun’ here\,\nAll aroun’ here\,\nWhat does I keer?\nListenin’ fer dat leadin’ houn’.\nSteal in home middle o’ de night\,\nGive dem folksies sich a fright.\nSay\, “Feed me\, woman\, t reat me right\,”\nBut she send fer de sheriff\nAn’ de leadin’ houn ’.\nOutrun Dat Cop\n\nHi lee\, hi lo\, happy on de way\,\nHi lee\, hi lo \, outrun dat cop today.\nHi lee\, hi lo\, watch his shirt-tail fly\,\nHi lee\, hi lo\, ’splain to you by and by.\n[68]\n\nDon’t You Hear?\n\n Don’t you hear dat shakin’ noise?\nDon’t you hear dat creepin’ ’roun’?\nDon’t you hear dat stefly walkin’?\nDat’s dat man I la id down\, laid down.\nCan’t you hear dem bones a-shakin’?\nCan’t you hear dem dead man’s moan?\nCan’t you see dem dead man’s sperrits? \nCan’t you see dat man ain’t gone?\nI’s a Natural-bo’n Eastman\ n\nI’s a natural-bo’n eastman\,\nAn’ a cracker jack\,\nI’s a nat ural-bo’n eastman\nAn’ a cracker jack\,\nOn de road again\,\nOn de roa d again.\nI Steal Dat Corn\n\nI steal dat corn\nFrom de white man’s barn \,\nDen I slips aroun’\,\nTells a yarn\,\nAn’ sells it back again.\nI steal dem chickens\nFrom de white man’s yard\,\nDen I tells dat man\nI ’s workin’ hard\,\nAn’ I sells ’em back again.\nI steal de melons\ nFrom his patch\,\nIt takes a smarter man dan him\nFer ter ketch\,\nAn’ I sells ’em back again.\n[69]\n\nI’m de Rough Stuff\n\nI’m de rough stuff of dark-town alley\,\nI’m de man dey hates to see.\nI’m de rough stuff of dis alley\,\nBut de womens all falls for me.\nLawd\, Lawd\, how dey hates me!\nLawd\, Lawd\, how dey swear!\nLawd\, Lawd\, how dey hates m e!\nLawd\, Lad\, what-a mo’ do I care?\nI Ain’t Done Nothin’\n\nWent up to ’Lanta\,\nWho should I meet?\nForty-leben blue coats\nComin’ do wn de street\,\nForty-leben blue coats\nComin’ down de street.\nI ain’ t done nothin’\,\nWhat dey follerin’ after me?\nI ain’t done nothin\ ,\nCan’t dey let me be?\nWhen He Grin\n\nHis head was big an’ nappy\ ,\nAn’ ashy wus his skin\,\nBut good God-a’mighty\, man\,\nYou forget it when he grin.\nHis nose wus long an’ p’inted\,\nHis eyes wus full o’ sin\,\nBut good God-a’mighty\, man\,\nYou forget it when he grin.\ nHis foots wus long an’ bony\,\nAn’ skinny wus his shin\,\nBut good God-a’mighty\, man\,\nYou forget it when he grin.\n[70]\nHe’d fight te n\,\nHe could sin\, always win\,\nBut good God-a’mighty\, man\,\nYou for get it when he grin.\nShot My Pistol in the Heart o’ Town[35]\n\nO Lawd\ ,\nShot my pistol\nIn the heart o’ town.\nLawd\, the big chief hollered\ ,\n“Doncha blow me down.”\nO Lawd\,\nWhich a-way\nDid the po’ gal go ?\nShe lef’ here runnin’\,\nIs all I know.\nO Lawd\,\nWhich a-way\nDo the Red River run?\nLawd\, it run east and west\nLike the risin’ sun.\nB lack gal hollered\,\nLike to scared my brown to death.\nIf I hadn’t had my pistol\nI’d a-run myself.\nO Lawd\,\nJes’ two cards\nIn the deck I love\nLawd\, the Jack o’ Diamonds\nAn’ the Ace o’ Clubs.\nO Lawd\,\n Stopped here to play\nJes’ one mo’ game.\nLawd\, Jack o’ Diamonds\nP etered on my han’.\n[35]For music see Chapter XIV.\n\n[71]\n\nCHAPTER V\ nSONGS OF JAIL\, CHAIN GANG\, AND POLICEMEN\nNot all Negro “bad men” a chieve an abiding place in jail or chain gang. Not all Negroes in jail or chain gang are “bad men”—not by long odds. And yet the prison popula tion of the South contains abundant representations of both major and mino r Negro offenders\, although the indications are that the ratio of Negroes to whites is decreasing rapidly. And if one wishes to obtain anything lik e an adequate or accurate picture of the workaday Negro he will surely fin d much of his best setting in the chain gang\, prison\, or in the situatio ns of the ever-fleeing fugitive from “chain-gang houn’\,” high sheri ff or policeman. “I ain’t free\, Lawd\, I ain’t free\,” sings the prisoner who bemoans the bad luck in which he had “nobody to pay my fi ne.” Never did the old spiritual\, as in “Go down\, Moses\, tell ol’ Pharaoh\, let my people go\,” express more determined call for freedom than the Negro singer behind the bars. Yet the Negro prisoner combines adm irable humor with his wailing song:\n\nI Ain’t Free\n\nDe rabbit in de b riar patch\,\nDe squirrel in de tree\,\nWould love to go huntin’\,\nBut I ain’t free\,\nBut I ain’t free\,\nBut I ain’t free\,\nWould love t o go huntin’\,\nBut I ain’t free\, ain’t free.\n[72]\nDe rooster’s in de hen house\,\nDe hen in de patch\,\nI love to go shootin’\nAt a ol’ shootin’ match\;\nBut I ain’t free\,\nBut I ain’t free\,\nBu t I ain’t free\,\nAt a ol’ shootin’ match\,\nBut I ain’t free\, ain’t free.\nOl’ woman in de kitchen\,\nMy sweetie hangin’ ’ro un’\,\n’Nudder man gonna git ’er\,\nI sho’ be boun’\,\n’Caus e I ain’t free\,\n’Cause I ain’t free\,\n’Cause I ain’t free\, \n’Nudder man ’ll git ’er\,\n’Cause I ain’t free\, ain’t free. \nDig in de road band\,\nDig in de ditch\,\nChain gang got me\,\nAn’ de boss got de switch\nI ain’t free\,\nI ain’t free\,\nI ain’t free\,\n Chain gang got me\,\nAn’ I ain’t free\, ain’t free.\nThis chapter ma kes no approach to the study of the Negro criminal. That will be done in t he scientific inquiries which are now being made at length and in later st udies of the Negro bad man. What the chapter attempts is simply to give fu rther pictures of the Negro workaday singer as he is found behind prison b ars\, or with ball and chain\, or in humorous workaday retrospect or prosp ect of experiences what time he pays the penalty for his misdoings. For th ese prison and road songs\, policeman and sheriff epics\, jail and chain[7 3] gang ballads constitute an eloquent cross-section of the whole field of Negro songs. Many are sung even as the ordinary work songs\; others are i mprovised and varied. One may listen to high-pitched voices\, plaintive an d wailing\, until the haunting melody will abide for days. The prisoners s ing of every known experience from childhood and home to “hard luck in t he family\, sho’ God\, fell on me.” One youngster about twenty-one yea rs of age\, periodic offender with experience on the chain gang and in jai l\, sang more than one hundred songs or fragments and the end was not yet. They cannot be described\; selections are not representative. And yet\, l isten for a while:\n\nJail House Wail\n\nThe jail’s on fire\, Lawd\,\nTh e stockade’s burnin’ down.\nWell\, they ain’t got nowhere\,\nLawd\, to put the prisoners now.\nTaken prisoners out o’ jail\, Lawd\,\nCarri ed ’em to county road.\nSay\, I ruther be in chain gang\nThan be in jail all time.\nSay\, jailer keep you bound down\,\nLawd\, say jailer dog you ’roun’.\nSays if I had my way wid jailer\,\nI’d take an’ lock him in cell.\nI’d take key an’ tie it on door\,\nAn’ go long way from he re\, Lawd\, Lawd.\nSays jail keeper tol’ me\, Lawd\,\nGonna help me get back home.\nWhen time come to be tried\,\nJail keeper lied on me.\n[74]\nI told my mother not to worry at all\,\nLawd\, not to worry at all.\nLawd\, goin’ to road\, mama\,\nTryin’ to make good time.\nMama\, she cried a ll night long\,\nO mama\, she cried all night long.\nWell\, she wiped her tears off\,\nSay\, son\, she won’t cry no more.\nMama come to the road\, Lawd\,\nSee her son on the gang.\nI tol’ her not to bother\,\nLawd\, ca use I got short time.\nOnce on the gang or in the jail continuous song is not unusual. Waking folk with song in early morning\, chanting after meal time\, plaintive in the evening\, the Negro lives over his past life\, giv es expression to his feelings\, and plans the new day\, “standin’ on r ock pile with ball an’ chain\,” or “standin’ on rock pile\, with h ammer in my hand.” He sings of past days\, sorrows that some other man w ill get his girl\, boasts a woman in the white man’s yard—\n\nMy gal s he bring me chicken\,\nMy gal she bring me ham\,\nMy gal she bring me ever ything\,\nAn’ she don’t give a damn.\nSometimes he is more cheerful an d sings\, “cawn pone\, fat meat\, all I gits to eat\, better’n I git a t home\,” “Rings on my arms\, bracelets on my feet\, stronger’n I ha s at home!” And with bunk for a bed and straw for his head\, he sings\ , “baby\, baby\, let me be.” How could he help falling into the hands of the officers anyway?\n\n[75]\n\n’Tain’t as Bad as I Said\n\nGood God a’-mighty!\nWhat’s a fellow gonna do\,\nWhen ol’ black mariah[36 ]\nCome a-sailin’ after you?\nGood God a’-mighty!\nMy feet’s got win gs\,\nDey can take dis ol’ body\nLak she on ’iled springs.\nGood God a’-mighty!\nShe’s right ’roun’ de corner\,\nSho’s you bohn\,\ nDis nigger’s a goner.\nGood God a’-mighty!\n’Tain’t bad as I said \,\nThree square meals a day\nAn’ bunk fer a bed.\n[36]“Black Mariah ” is frequently encountered in Negro songs. It refers to the patrol wago n.\n\nThe songs that follow will illustrate further the Negro’s story of his prison life\, his desire for freedom\, his efforts to escape\, his at titude toward the policeman\, jailer and sheriff\, and his humorous interp retation of various situations in which he finds himself. Vivid pictures t hey are.\n\nIf I Can Git to Georgia Line\n\nIf I can git to Georgia line\, \nIf I can git to Georgia line\,\nLawd\, if I can git to Georgia line\,\nG eorgia\, murderer’s home.\nMonday I was ’rested\,\nTuesday I was fined \,\nWednesday I laid in jail\,\nThursday I was tried.\n[76]\nIf I can git to Georgia line\,\nLawd\, if I can git to Georgia line\,\nO Lawd\, if I ca n git to Georgia line\,\nGeorgia\, murderer’s home.\nDon’t ask about i t\,\nIf you do I cry.\nDon’t ask about it\,\nIf you do I cry.\nWhat did redbird\, redbird\nSay to crow\, crow?\nYou bring rain\, rain\,\nI bring s now\, snow!\nFriday wid chain gang band\,\nSaturday pick an’ shovel\,\nS unday I took my rest\,\nMonday want to do my best.\nEvery\, every mail day \,\nMail day\, I gits a letter\,\nCryin’\, “Son\, come home\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, come home.”\nI didn’t have no\,\nNo ready money\,\nI couldn’t go home.\nNo\, no\, couldn’t go home.\nI’m on road here\nJust a few d ays longer\,\nThen I’m goin’ home\nLaw’\, Law’\, I’m goin’ hom e.\nGot Me in the Calaboose\n\nGot me in the calaboose\,\nGot me in the ca laboose\,\nGot me in the calaboose\,\nAin’t nobody turn me loose.\nHit ’s bad\, bad on the inside lookin’ out\,\nHit’s bad\, bad on the ins ide lookin’ out\,\n[77]\nHit’s bad\, bad on the inside lookin’ out\, \nThis po’ boy know what he’s talkin’ about.\nMy gal come to the bar and done peep in\,\nMy gal come to the bar and done peep in\,\nMy gal com e to the bar and done peep in\,\nShe say\, “Honey man\, where you been ?”\nWhen I git out I ain’t gonna stay here\,\nWhen I git out I ain’t gonna stay here\,\nWhen I git out I ain’t gonna stay here\,\nAin’t le t nobody treat me dis way.\nPo’ boy\, don’t give me no show\,\nPo’ b oy\, don’t give me no show\,\nPo’ boy\, don’t give me no show\,\nA in’t gonna be bossed around no mo’.\nI Don’t Mind Bein’ in Jail\n\ nI never turn back no more\,\nLawd\, I never turn back no more\,\nEvery ma il day I gets letter from my mother\,\nSay\, “Son\, son\, come home.”\ nI been fallin’ ever since Mary was a baby\,\nAn’ now she’s gone.\ nI’m nine hundred miles from home\nAn’ I can’t go home this way.\nI wish I was a contractor’s son\,\nI’d stand on the bank and have the wo rk well done.\nIf he don’t work\, I’ll have him hung\,\nLawd\, if he don’t work\, I’ll have him hung.\nI wish I had a bank of my own\,\n I’d give all the po’ workin’ men a good happy home.\nShe used to be mine\, look who’s got her now.\nSho’ can keep her\, she don’t mean n o good to me no mo’.\nI laid in jail\, back turned to the wall\,\nTold t he jailer to put new man in my stall.\nI don’t mind bein’ in jail\nIf I didn’t have to stay so long.[37]\n[37]This stanza is found in somewhat different form in the popular song entitled Jail-House Blues.\n\n[78]\n\n Chain Gang Blues[38]\n\nStandin’ on the road side\,\nWaitin’ for the b all an’ chain.\nSay\, if I was not all shackled down\nI’d ketch that wes’ boun’ train.\nStandin’ on the rock pile\nWid a hammer in my ha nd\,\nLawd\, standin’ on rock pile\,\nGot to serve my cap’n down in no -man’s land.\nThe judge he give me sentence\n’Cause I wouldn’ go to work.\nFrom sunrise to sunset\nI have no other clean shirt.\nAll I got is lovin’\,\nLovin’ an’ a-sluggin’\,\nSay I feels just like a stepchi ld\,\nJust gi’me the chain gang blues.\nOh\, my captain call me\nAn’ m y gal work in white folks’ yard.\nI believe I’ll go there too\,\n’Ca use I got the chain gang blues.\nMy gal she bring me chicken\,\nMy gal she bring me ham\,\nMy gal she bring me everything\,\nAn’ she don’t give a damn.\nMy gal she got a molar\nRight down below her nose\,\nShe got teet h in her mouth\nI’d swear to God was gold.\nMy gal she cried las’ nigh t\,\nShe cried the whole night long\;\nShe cried because judge sentence me \,\n’Cause I had to go so long.\n[79]\nMy gal she cried all night\,\nI t old her not to worry at all.\nI’m goin’ on the chain gang\,\nI ’ spec’ I’ll be back in the fall.\n[38]The first four stanzas of this so ng\, except for some slight variations\, are also found in Chain Gang Blue s\, a popular phonograph piece.\n\nAll Boun’ in Prison[39]\n\nHey\, jail er\, tell me what have I done.\nGot me all boun’ in prison\,\nTryin’ to ’bide dis woman’s time\,\nTryin’ to ’bide dis woman’s time.\ nChorus:\nAll boun’ in prison\,\nAll boun’ in jail\,\nCol’ iron ba rs all ’roun’ me\,\nNo one to go my bail.\nI got a mother and father\n Livin’ in a cottage by de sea.\nI got a sister and a brother\, too\,\nWo nder do dey think o’ po’ me.\nI walked in my room de udder night\,\nMy man walked in and began to fight.\nI took my gun in my right han’\,\nTo ld de folks I’m gonna kill my man.\nWhen I said dat\, he broke a stick ’cross my head.\nFirst shot I made my man fell dead.\nDe paper comed ou t and strowed de news\,\nDas why I say I’s got de cell-bound blues.\n[39 ]Cf. phonograph record\, Cell Bound Blues.\n\nI Went to de Jail House\n\nO Lawd\, Lawd\, good Lawd\, Lawd\,\nI went to de jail house\, fell down on my knees.\nI ask that jailer\, “Captain\, give me back my gal.”\nJaile r told me\, “Sorry\, brother\, she said her las’ goodbye.”\nLawd\, I went to judge to ask for a fine.\nJudge say\, Lawd\, he ain’t got no ti me.\n[80]\nLawd\, I laid in jail so long\,\nAin’t got no home at all.\nG ood lawd\, look-a here\, jail keeper\,\nWon’t you put another gal in my stall?\nSay\, I been here so long\,\nDon’t know what I’ll do.\nJudge G onna Sentence Us So Long\n\nSay\, brother\, we better get ready to leave j ail\,\n’Cause judge gonna sentence us so long.\nJudge gonna sentence us so long\,\nWe ain’t gonna come back here no mo’.\nLawd\, we have laid in jail so long\,\nLawd\, we have laid in jail so long.\nSay\, judge sente nce me so long\,\nHe ain’t had no mercy on us.\nLawd\, captain\, come an’ got me\,\nTaken me to road to work.\nLawd\, taken me out one morni n’\,\nTaken me out so soon.\nTold captain didn’t know how to work.\nTo ld me\, “Shine\, get down that line.”\nI told the court\, Lawd\, “Ra ther be layin’ in jail\nWid my back turned to de wall.”\nI am worried\ , pretty mama\,\nBut I won’t be worried long.\nThought I rather be in my grave\nThan be treated like a slave.\nSay\, rather be in Birmingham\nEati n’ pound cake and all.\nSay\, these women in Georgia\nKeep you in troubl e all the time.\n[81]\nSay\, you better catch your train\,\nGo to Alabama bound.\nI am leavin’ here\, rider\,\nSho’ don’t want to go.\nBut I ’spect I have to leave here\,\nOr I’ll be in chain gang\, too.\nGonna git me a black woman\,\nPlay safe all the time.\nFor your brown skin woma n\nKeep you in trouble all the time.\nMy Man He Got in Trouble\n\nMr. T. B luker\,\nDon’t work my man so hard\,\n’Cause he’s po’ player\,\n Ain’t never had no job.\nOh\, my man he got in trouble\,\nHe didn’t ha ve no friend at all.\nThey carried him to jail house\,\nLocked him up in c ell.\nI asked the judge be light on him.\nJudge told him not bring nothi n’ like that\,\nJudge give him six months in jail\,\nLawd\, judge give h im six months in jail.\nCaptain put him on the road.\n“Captain\, how lon g have I got?”\nCaptain say to the shine\,\n“Eat your supper and run o n down the line.”\nCaptain say\, “Git your supper\,\nLawd\, and change your clothes.”\nCaptain say\, “Git your supper\,\nGit your chains and balls.”\n[82]\n\nThe Judge He Sentence Me\n\nI laid in the jail with my back to the wall\,\nI laid in the jail with my back to the wall\,\nPrayed to the Lord that\nBig rock jail would fall.\nThe judge he sentence me\, L awd\,\nGive me twelve long months.\nThe judge he sentence me\, Lawd\,\nGiv e me twelve long months.\nDen captain come take me to de road.\nI ask the captain what I gonna do.\nCaptain told me to pick and shovel too.\nI rathe r be dead\, Lawd\, and in my grave.\nCaptain told me\,\nSay\, “Lawd\, yo u ain’t gonna work\,\nLawd\, you ain’t gonna work nowhere else\nBut on this chain gang.”\nSay\, “If I let you go home this time\,\nYou be ri ght back in jail.\nWhen judge gets you again\nGonna give you five long yea rs.”\nSay\, “If you don’t quit drinkin’\nAn’ don’t quit ki llin’\, robbin’ and stealin’\,\nYou gonna git life time\nAn’ in ch ain gang\, too.”\nTold captain\, “I ain’t robbin’ no trains\,\nI s wear to God I ain’t kill no man.”\nLawd\, I told the captain\, “I ain’t robbin’ no trains\,\nSwear to God I ain’t kill no man.”\nI G ot a Letter\, Captain\n\nI got a letter\, captain\,\nSay\, Lawd\, come hom e\,\nLawd\, captain\, come home\,\nLawd\, say\, son\, come home.\n[83]\nI don’t have\, I don’t have\,\nLawdy\, I don’t have\,\nLawdy\, no read y-made money\,\nAn’ I can’t go home.\nI got a gal\, Lawd\,\nStays righ t in town.\nI got a gal\, Lawd\,\nStays right in town.\nLawd\, street car run\nRight by her door\,\nLawd\, she don’t have to walk\nNowhere she go. \nSay she take a walk up town\,\nLawd\, she take a walk up town.\nWell\, s he got in town\, Lawd\,\nAn’ come back home.\nWell\, she caught street c ar\nAn’ come back home.\nLawd\, she got street car\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, an ’ come back home.\nPrisoner’s Song[40]\n\nWished I had some one to lov e me\,\nSome one to call me their own\,\nBecause I’m tired of livin’ a lone\,\nLawd\, I’m tired of livin’ alone.\nI has a gran’ ship on de ocean\,\nFilled wid silver an’ gold\;\nAn’ befo’ my darlin’ should suffer\,\nDat ship will be anchored an’ go.\nI’ll be carried to de ja il tomorrow\,\nLeavin’ my po’ darlin’ alone\,\nWith the cold prison bars all around me\nAn’ my head on a pillow of stone.\n[84]\nIf I had wi ngs lak an angel\,\nOver dese prison bars I would fly.\nAn’ I would fly to the arms of my po’ darling\,\nAn’ dere I’d lay down and die.\n[40 ]Except for a few minor variations\, this is the now popular Prisoner’s Song. It was of folk origin\, however.\n\nWoke up Wid My Back to the Wall\ n\nO Lawd\, I woke up in the morning\,\nWoke up wid my back to the wall.\n O Lawd\, I woke up in the morning\,\nWoke up wid my back to the wall.\nI t ook a peep out at the bars\nO Lawd\, I thought I was home.\nLawd\, I heard a key rattlin’\,\nHigh-sheriff comin’ in.\nThought I heard a sheriff comin’\,\nLawd\, bring my breakfas’ to me.\nThought I see my coffin\,\ nLawd\, rollin’ up to my do’.\nLawd\, he say\, “Dat gal say she do n’t want you no mo’.”\nLawd\, I lay right down\, hung my head and cr ied.\nLawd\, he say\, “Dat gal say she don’t want you no mo’.”\nLa wd\, I laid right down in jail and cried.\nLawd\, I’m so awful worried t ill I don’t know what to do.\nWell\, I mistreated Daddy\, he hangs ’ roun’ me day and night.\nHe wakes me in the mornings\,\nHe moans when I am sleepin’.\nHe makes me swear\, Lawd\,\nHave no other man but you.\nIn the Negro’s prison songs is revealed again that dual nature which sings of sorrowful limitations alongside humorous and philosophical resignation . Here are scenes of the lonesome road illuminated by entertainment of rar e quality. “I’m in jail now\,” he sings\,[85] “but jes’ fer a day.” “I ain’t got no parole\, but I’m a-comin’ back.” It is true that he has only corn bread and fat meat to eat but that’s “be tter’n I has at home.” And then with genuine humor he sings also of th e iron cuffs about his hands which also are “stronger’n I has at hom e.”\n\nBetter’n I Has at Home\n\nCawn pone\, fat meat\,\nAll I gits to eat—\nBetter ’n I has at home\,\nBetter ’n I has at home.\nCotton s ocks\, striped clothes\,\nNo Sunday glad rags at all—\nBetter ’n I git s at home\,\nBetter ’n I gits at home.\nRings on my arms\,\nBracelets on my feet—\nStronger ’n I has at home\,\nStronger ’n I has at home.\n Bunk fer a bed\,\nStraw under my head—\nBetter ’n I gits at home\,\nBe tter ’n I gits at home.\nBaby\, baby\, lemme be\,\nChain gang good enoug h fer me—\nBetter ’n I gits at home\,\nBetter ’n I gits at home.\n I’m Comin’ Back\n\nI write you a letter\nSayin’\, “Come back hom e.”\nI sent you a message\,\n“Honey\, don’t you roam.”\nComin’ b ack\, comin’ back\,\nHound on my track\, yes baby\,\nI’m comin’ back .\n[86]\nWent to de gov’nor\,\nAst a parole.\nDat man he answered\,\n“ Not to save yer soul.”\nComin’ back\, comin’ back\;\nAin’t got no parole\,\nBut I’m comin’ back.\nLawd\, Lawd\, I’m comin’ back\,\nH ounds on my track\,\nOl’ clothes on my back\,\nOl’ woman in my shack.\ nNo parole\, but\nI’m comin’ back.\nGoin’ Back to de Gang\n\nDe nigh t wus dark\, de guard wus gone\,\nI slipped dat chain off’n my laig\,\nD e night wus dark\, an’ de rain hit poured.\nDis nigger astray wid nowher e to board.\nI’s hungry and cold\, nowhere to go\,\nWhen de niggers see dese clothes\, dey shets de do’.\nOut all night\, de dawgs am comin’\, \nGoin’ back to de gang\, tired o’ bummin’.\nShin up a tree\, no tim e to be los’\,\n’Cause here’s de dawgs\, and\, golly\, de boss!\nDem Chain Gang Houn’s\n\nI ain’t no possum\, I ain’t no squir’l\,\nBu t I can shin de highes’ tree in all de worl’\,\nWhen I hear dem houn ’s\, dem chain gang houn’s.\nHear dem ol’ houn’s\, soun’ goes up to heav’n\,\nIf dey’s one dawg\, dey mus’ be ’lev’n.\nOh\, dem houn’s\, dat ol’ lead houn’.\n’Tain’t good fer a nigger’s health to stay on de ground.\nHear dem houn’s\, dem chain gang houn’s. \nCome git me\, boss\, come take me down\,\nAnything’s better’n de cha in gang houn’.\n[87]\n\nShoot\, Good God\, Shoot!\n\nDe jedge and de jur y\nThought ’twas a shame.\nDey called me up dere\,\nAxed me my name.\nMy God a-mighty\,\nWhat’s a feller gwiner do\,\nWhen a nigger gits his wif e\nAn’ my wife\, too?\nShoot\, good God\, shoot!\nOl’ Black Mariah\n\n Look over de hill\, see what’s a-comin’\,\nOl’ black mariah\, natc hel-bo’n hummin’.\nDrive up to de do’\, grab me by de collar\,\nGood Lawd\, man\, ain’t got time to holler.\nJes’ Fer a Day\n\nI’m ’hi nd de bars\, but jes’ fer a day\,\n’Cause walkin’ out de do’ ain ’t de only way.\nI’ve got a saw\, and I work like de devil\,\nAll t’ ings in dis case am sho’ on de level.\nAll Us Niggers ’hind De Bars\n\ nI got a gal\, you got a gal\,\nAll us niggers got a gal.\nHe fool ’ro un’\, I fool ’roun’\,\nAll us niggers fool ’roun’.\nI got a razo r\, he got a razor\,\nAll us niggers got a razor.\nI ’hind de bars\, h e ’hind de bars\,\nAll us niggers ’hind de bars.\n[88]\n\nCHAPTER VI\n SONGS OF CONSTRUCTION CAMPS AND GANGS\nIn the old days—and sometimes in more recent years—there were characteristic and unforgettable scenes of groups of Negroes singing in the fields. Here was a picture of late aftern oon in the cotton field\, the friendly setting sun a challenge to reviving energies\; rows of cotton clean picked\, rivalry and cheerful banter\, fa ster picking to the row’s end\, sacks and baskets full for weighing time \; group singing\, now joyous\, then the melancholy tinge of eventide\, Sw ing Low\, Sweet Chariot\, Since I Laid My Burden Down or Keep Inchin’ Er long. Another picture is vivid: A spring morning\, a few Negroes following mule and plow\, many chopping cotton to the accompaniment of song\, all m aking rhythm of song\, movement\, and clink of hoe resound in rare harmony \, duly interspersed with shouts and laughter. Or the morning yodel or “ cornfield holler\,” with its penetrating vibrato\, Ya-a-ee-ah—oo-a-e e-ou—indescribable either in words\, sound\, or musical notation.[41] Or wagons lumbering on cold mornings\, drivers and workers on the way to fie ld or mill\, songs echoing across the hills. And there were the other grou p scenes: the roustabouts on the levee\, the singers around the cabins\, t he groups in the kitchen. Many of these scenes\, of course\, in modified f orm may yet be found and songs of their setting are still to be heard\, bu t they do not constitute the most commonly abounding characteristic workad ay songs of the present.\n\n[41]The phono-photographic record of such a yo del is given in Chapter XV.\n\n[89]\n\nModern scenes\, however different\, are no less impressive. Whoever has seen a railroad section gang of five score Negroes working with pick and shovel and hammer and bars and other t ools\, and has heard them singing together will scarcely question the effe ctiveness of the scene. Likewise steel drivers and pick-and-shovel men sin g down a road that is anything but “lonesome” now. Four pickmen of the road sing\, swinging pick up\, whirling it now round and round and now do wn again\, movement well punctuated with nasal grunt and swelling song. An other group unloading coal\, another asphalt\, another lime\, or sand\, si ng unnumbered songs and improvisations. Another group sings as workers rus h wheelbarrows loaded with stone or sand or dirt or concrete\, or still ag ain line up on the roadside with picks and shovels. And of course there ar e the songs of the chain gangs already described\, but nevertheless gang s ongs of the first importance. All these singers constitute the great body of workers and singers who sing apparently with unlimited repertoire. The selections in this chapter\, as in the others\, are representative in that they were taken directly from Negro singers and workers in the South duri ng 1924 and 1925.\n\nAmong the most attractive of all the Negro workaday s ongs are those sometimes called “free labor gang songs\,”[42] of which there are many. Some of these are reserved for Chapter VII in which many miscellaneous examples of songs to help with work are given. Other samples have been included in the “Songs of the Lonesome Road.” Examples of t he melodies are given in Chapter XV. It will be understood\, of course\, t hat other songs such as John Henry\,[90] Jerry on the Mountain\, Lazarus\, are sung in this capacity\, although classified primarily in other groups for the sake of better illustration.\n\n[42]The Negroes use the term “f ree labor” to distinguish ordinary work from convict labor.\n\n“Free L abor” Gang Song\n\nCap’n\, did you hear ’bout\nAll yo’ men gonna l eave you\,\nNex’ pay day\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, nex’ pay day?\nEv’y mail d ay\,\nMail day\, I gits letter\,\nFrom my dear ol’ mother\,\nShe tell me \, “Son\, come home.”\nThat ol’ letter\,\nRead about dyin’.\nBoy d id you ever\nThink about dyin’?\nThen I can’t read it\nNow for cryin ’\,\nTears run down\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, tears run down.\nJes’ wait till\n I make these few days I started\,\nI’m goin’ home\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, I ’m goin’ home.\nEverywhere I\nLook this morning\,\nLook lak rain\,\nLa wd\, Lawd\, look lak rain.\nI got rainbow\nTied all ’roun’ my shoulder \,\nAin’t gonna rain\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, ain’t gonna rain.\nMike an’ Je rry\nCome down main line Southern\,\n[91]\nDidn’t stop to get\nNo water neither coal.\nI done walk till\nFeets gone to rollin’\nJes’ lak a whe el\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, jes’ lak wheel.\nNow ev’y time I\,\nTime I start ’round mountain\,\nMy light goes out\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, my light goes out .\nI’m gonna buy me\nMagnified lantern\,\nIt won’t go out\,\nLawd\, La wd\, it won’t go out.\nI got a wife\,\nTwo-three children in mountain\,\ nCryin’ fer bread\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, cryin’ fer bread.\nO Lawd\, Mamie\n \nO Lawd\, Mamie\,\nPoke yo’ head out window\,\nJes’ to see me fall\,\ nLawd\, jes’ to see me fall.\nI been fallin’\nFrom my shoulder\,\nLawd \, I been fallin’\nAll day long.\nO Lawd\, Mamie\,\nIf I make it\nYou sh all have it\,\nIf it’s all in gold.\nI been fallin’\nEv’y since Mami e wus baby\,\nNow she’s grown\,\nLawd\, now she’s grown.\n[92]\nWhen w e meet my\nLittle curly headed woman\,\nBow yo’ head\,\nO Lawd\, an’ t ip yo’ hat.\nIf I make it\nThrough July an’ August\,\nO Lawd\, I’ll be a man\,\nO Lawd\, I’ll be a man.\nHe-i-Heira\n\nHe-he-heira!\nLook ho w my captain stan’\,\nStand more like a farmer\nThan he do a railroad ma n!\nOh\, oh\, oh!\nIf I had listen to what mama said.\nI’d be at home no w\,\nLawd\, in mama’s bed.\nHe-i-heira!\nBelieve I will\nTake my pick\,\ nLawd\, over on the hill.\nGoin’ up town\,\nHurry right back\,\nGonna se e Corinne\nWhen she ball that jack.\nOh\, oh\, Lawd\, oh\,\nGoin’ on up town\,\nBuy my gal a hat\,\nLawd\, buy my gal a hat.\nShe brought it back\ , Lawd\,\nLaid it on the shelf\nEvery time she turn around\nMakes her want er jazz.\nGoin’ up town\, Lawd\,\nGonna walk in the yard\;\n[93]\nTwo-an d-a-half hours to work\,\nWork ain’t hard.\nO you\, down\, boys\,\nYes\, we goin’ down.\nO you\, down\, boys\,\nYes\, we goin’ down.\nI don’ t know\,\nBut believe I will\nMake my home\nIn Jacksonville.\nSection Boss \n\nYonder come the engine\nRingin’ o’ the bell\;\nEngineer on the rig ht\,\nFireman on the left.\nSee the engine makin’ time\,\nSee the engine er gone.\nFall off the car\,\nThrow off the tools.\nThrow off the tools\,\ nLet the engine go by.\nIf I could run like he runs\,\nI’d run an’ nev er stop.\nSee the train makin’ up speed\,\nSee the cars go ’long.\nIf I had wings like that engine\,\nI could run an’ fly.\nI could pull the b ell\,\nI could blow the whistle\,\nI could pull the bell\,\nAn’ let the engine run.\nIf I could run like he runs\,\nI never would quit\,\nI’d al ways railroad\nI’d always run an’ fly.\n[94]\n\nThe mind of the worker and wanderer is perhaps reflected better in his annals of the day’s wor k as expressed in his “captain” songs than anywhere else. Some of th e “captain” songs have been sung until they are on the verge of folk s ongs\; some approach the haven of the blues\, and many more are in the for mative stage. The examples immediately following in this chapter are combi nations of all three\, with the predominating mode that of combination and improvisation. Some of them are clearly songs of the chain gang as well a s of free labor construction work. That they are fairly accurate portrayal s of the worker and his task\, of the captain and his ways\, of the though ts and customs of the worker and singer will be evident to any one who kno ws the field. To the uninitiated the laborer is merely a laborer\, silent\ , reserved\, certainly keeping back from the white man his innermost thoug hts\, wishes\, and feelings. But hear him sing—hear him repeat the forma l songs\, hear him make new ones.\n\nO Captain\, Captain[43]\n\nO captain\ , captain\,\nWhere you been so long?\nO captain\, I been at home\nAn’ do ne got in trouble again.\nO captain\, captain\,\nWon’t you be kind?\nD on’t work me so hard\,\nCaptain\, I been used to light work.\nO captain\ , captain\,\nI ain’t used to no hard work.\nO captain\, captain\,\nWon ’t you be light on me?\n[95]\nO captain\, captain\,\nIf you be light on me\,\nWhen I git back home\nI won’t be hard on you.\nO captain\, captain \,\nWhere we gonna work?\n“Oh\, we goin’ down the road\,\nPick and sho vel dirt.”\nO captain\, captain\, call me\nAn’ I didn’ hear\;\nCapta in took me back\nTo bodyguard.\nO Lawd\, captain\, captain\,\nOn the side of the bank\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, buddy\,\nI’m too tired to work.\nO captain\ , captain\,\nI done got too hot\nCaptain\, O Lawd\, captain\,\nLet po’ S hine rest.\nCaptain\, O Lawd\, captain\,\nI set down on a bank\,\nO Lawd\, captain\, captain\,\nSet down on a bank.\nO captain\, captain\,\nI cannot work no longer\,\n’Cause I’s done\, O Lawd\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, I’s don e.\nO captain\, captain\,\nPo’ boy done got too hot\,\nO Lawd\, captain\ , captain\,\nAn’ I couldn’t make it go.\nCaptain\, captain\,\nYou got letter from my mother\,\nCaptain\, captain\,\nRead it all the way through. \n[96]\nLawd\, she say\, “Son\,\nLawd\, come back home.”\nLawd\, Lawd\ , she say\,\n“Son\, come back home.”\nCaptain\, captain\,\nAin’t got no ready money.\nCaptain\, O Lawd\, captain\,\nWon’t you loan me some?\ nSittin’ in dining room\,\nO Lawd\, captain\,\nSittin’ in dining room\ nIn yo’ chair.\nO Lawd\, captain\,\nI aint too dumb\,\nHear yo’ back d oor slam\,\nLawd God a-mighty.\nI got a letter\,\nLetter from my brown.\nM y brown she dyin’\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, Lawd.\nI got a letter\,\nLetter from my rider.\nMy rider was dyin’\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, Lawd.\nLawd\, gonna follo w\nMy brown\, Lawd\, Lawd.\nGonna follow my brown\nTo buryin’ groun’.\ n[43]This song and some others in this chapter are excellent illustrations of the chain gang sentiment becoming mixed with ordinary “free labor” gang songs.\n\nI’m Goin’ Back Home\n\nI can jerry\,[44] I can jerry\n All around the mountain.\nLord\, I can jerry\, I can jerry\nAll the way ho me.\n[97]\nLord\, I see my gal a-comin’\,\nLord\, to bring me my dinner. \nLord\, I see my gal a-comin’\,\nLord\, I’m goin’ home.\nLord\, she brought me something\,\nLord\, she brought me something good.\nLord\, she brought me good dinner\,\nDidn’t know what it was.\nLord\, I’m gonna buy me rubber-tire hack\,\nLord\, I’m gonna buy me rubber-tire hack\,\nL ord\, I’m gonna buy me rubber-tire hack\,\nGoin’ home\, take me right back.\nI’m tired workin’\, Lord\,\nLord\, I’m tired workin’.\nGo in’ buy me rubber-tire hack\,\nTake me back home.\nLord\, captain stan din’\,\nHe may hear me sing\,\nLord\, some old day\nI’m goin’ back h ome.\nLord\, I reckon I’ll sell my\,\nLord\, I reckon I’ll sell my rub ber-tire hack\nAn’ buy me a Ford\, Lord\,\nBuy me a Ford.\nLord\, captai n told me\,\nO Lord\, captain told me\,\nTime to go to dinner\,\nLord\, we ’re goin’ back home.\nLord\, I got back home\nAn’ had my dinner.\nLo rd\, I went and et\,\nLord\, I got back home.\nThen ’bout half pas’ on e\nCaptain call us all\,\nSay we got a-go back\,\nLord\, say we got a-go b ack to work.\n[98]\nLord\, some o’ these mornings\,\nLord\, some o’ th ese mornings\,\nCaptain ain’t gonna hear me sing\n’Cause I’m goin’ back home.\nSunshine in my back door\,\nLord\, sunshine in my back door\, \nSome o’ these mornings\, Lord\, captain\,\nI’m goin’ back home.\nL ord\, my gal cryin’ all day\,\nLord\, my gal cryin’ all day.\nLord\, s he made a pallet on floor\n’Cause she’s feelin’ right bad.\nCaptain say\, “O Shine\,\nWhen you go home\,\nSay\, Shine\, you comin’ back? ”\nYes\, captain\, O Lord\, captain.\nYonder come my girl\,\nComin’ do wn the track.\nBring me good cool water\,\nKeep cool all day long.\nI got sun low ’cross the field\,\nI got sun low ’cross the field plowin’.\ nLord\, Lord\, he tol’ me\,\nO Lord\, it was too hot.\nLord\, took out t he mules\,\nLord\, I took out my mules\nAn’ went straight home\,\n’Cau se it was too hot.\n[44]The meaning of this expression is uncertain. In ot her songs it appears as “Hikin’ Jerry” or “Mike and Jerry.” Ther e is a tradition among the Negro workers that two large mules\, named Mike and Jerry\, broke loose from their driver and hiked a remarkable distance in one day. If this was the origin of the song\, then “I can Jerry” i s a result of misunderstanding.\n\nMy Home Ain’t Here\, Captain\n\nH-e-y - L-a-w-d\, Lawd\, Lawd\,\nO Lawd\, Lawd\, captain.\nMy home ain’t here\ , captain\,\nAn’ I ain’t got to stay.\nI’m goin’ back home\, cap tain\,\nI’m long time sinner\, goin’ back home.\n[99]\nOl’ Aunty Din ah had candy wagon\,\nI ast her could I be her driver.\nLawd\, Lawd\, to l’ me “No\,”\nLawdy\, Lawd\, tol’ me “No.”\nO captain\, capt ain\, what’s matter now?\nAin’t thing matter\, but I ain’t gwine.\nW oke up dis mornin’ ’bout half pas’ fo’\,\nCap’n call me\, bu t I jes’ ain’t gonna go.\nO Lawd\, captain\, captain\,\nHow long you g onna hold dis job?\nLawd\, captain you look jes’ lak new man\nComin’\, Lawd\, on dis job.\nCap’n\, captain\, will you send me some water\,\n Ain’t had none since dis long mornin’.\nAll I hate ’bout captain\, L awd\,\nHe want to take me by de tent.\nCaptain\, captain\, do you drink co ’n liquor?\n“Yes\, by God\, but I ain’t got none now.”\nCaptain\, captain\, when you go to town\,\nBring me back a God-damn dram.\nCaptain\, captain\, I won’t let on\,\nLawdy\, O Lawdy\, captain\, I won’t let o n.\nO Lawd\, captain\, captain\, O Lawd\,\nWon’t you let me go home?\nCa ptain tol’ me I have to wait\,\nO Lawd\, till I work out my time.\nCapta in call me an’ I laugh\,\nCap’n get shoe shine off my britches.\nO cap tain\, don’t think hard of me\,\nO Lawd\, captain\, I don’t mean no ha rm.\nCaptain\, captain\, don’t mean no harm\,\nJes’ won’t carry on n o fun.\n[100]\nCaptain\, what kin’ o’ state you come from?\nCome from country or come from town?\nCaptain say\, “I come out o’ town\,\nLawdy \, I’ll lay yo’ body down.”\nCaptain\, captain\, you look mo’ lak farmer\nThan you look lak guard man.\nCaptain\, I’ll Be Gone\n\nO Lawd\, captain\, hurry\, hurry?\nCaptain\, you can’t take my time.\nWhat’s t he use o’ hurryin’?\n’Cause I got a life time.\nCaptain\, captain\, what time o’ day?\nCaptain\, captain\, what time o’ day?\nSay he look at Waterbury\,\nThrow his watch away.\nLawd\, captain\, captain\, did you hear\,\nLawd\, captain\, did you hear about it?\nAll your men gonna leave you\,\nAll your men gonna leave you on next pay day.\nOn next pay day\, La wd\,\nOn next pay day\, Lawd.\nCaptain\, all your men gonna be gone\nOn ne xt pay day.\nCaptain gonna call me some of these mornings\,\nLawd\, I’m gonna be gone.\nCaptain gonna call me\, go back home\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, I’ ll be gone.\nWake up one mornin about half pas’ fo’\,\nAsk captain cou ld I git drink of water.\nWake up one mornin’ about half pas’ fo’\,\ nAsk captain could I git drink of water.\nCaptain tol’ me to git my pick and shovel\,\nGit on down the line.\nCaptain tol’ me to git my pick and shovel\,\nGit on down the line.\n[101]\nLawd\, captain carried me to the road\,\nTol’ me I had to work.\nTol’ my captain I couldn’t pick and shovel\,\nCaptain told me have to carry me back to camp.\nI ask the captai n how long I got.\nCaptain told me git my shovel\,\nSay\, “Git on down t he line\,\nLawd\, git on down the line.”\nSay I went to road\, captain.\ nCaptain put chains all ’round my legs.\nI tol’ captain no use to chai n me\,\n’Cause ain’t gonna run no mo’.\nCaptain say\, “Yes\, I kno w you won’t run\,\n’Cause I gonna chain you good.”\nLawd\, say\, “ Yes\, I know you won’t run\,\n’Cause I gonna chain you good.”\nCapta in\, captain\, little too hard on me\,\nLawd\, captain little too hard on me.\nCaptain\, captain\, I’ll be glad to git home\;\nI’ll never come t his way no mo’.\nCaptain called water boy\,\nWater boy begun to laugh.\n Cap’n got shoe shine\nOff water boy’s pants.\nCaptain mus’ be big\,\ nWeighs two-fifty pounds.\nCaptain\, Lawd\, mus’ be big\,\nWeighs two-fi fty pounds.\nCaptain\, captain\, good long ways\,\nLawd\, captain\, come f rom Chicago.\nI ask the captain the time of day\,\nSay\, “None of you da mn business to know.”\nIf I’d A-Known My Cap’n Was Blin’[45]\n\n If I’d a-known my cap’n was blin’\, darlin’\,\nIf I’d a-known my cap’n was blin’\, darlin’\,\nIf I’d a-known my cap’n was bl in’\nI wouldn’ a-went to work till ha’f pas’ nine\, darlin’.\n [102]\nCap’n\, cap’n\, you must be cross\, darlin’\,\nCap’n\, ca p’n\, you must be cross\, darlin’\,\nCap’n\, cap’n\, you must be c ross\,\nFive-thirty an’ you won’t knock off\, darlin’.\nWhen I’m late an’ behin’\, darlin’\,\nWhen I’m late an’ behin’\, dar lin’\,\nWhen I’m late an’ behin’\,\nI can’t go to work till ha’f pas’ nine\, darlin’.\nWhy I love my cap’n so\, darlin’\,\nW hy I love my cap’n so\, darlin’\nWhy I love my cap’n so\,\nAsk him f or a dollar an’ he give me fo’\, darlin’.\n[45]For music see Chapter XIV.\n\nI Tol’ My Cap’n That My Feet Was Col’[46]\n\nI tol’ my cap’n that my feet was col’.\n“God damn yo’ feet\, let the car whe el roll.”\nCap’n\, cap’n\, old Ben won’t pull.\n“God damn his so ul\, put the harness on the bull.”\nCap’n Morgan and Bill Dolin come t o line this track\,\nPick it up and shake it back.\nCap’n\, cap’n the track is wet.\n“Knock ’er right on\, black boy\, till the evenin’ su n do set.”\nCap’n\, cap’n\, can you tell\nThe track is slick and col d as hell?\nCaptain\, Captain\, Let Wheelers Roll\n\nCaptain\, captain\, l et wheelers roll\,\nCaptain\, captain\, Lawd\, let wheelers roll.\nTold my captain hands an’ feet wus cold\,\nSay\, “You ought-a warm ’em be fo’ you come here.”\nCaptain call me early in mo’nin’\,\nCall me t o shake six-hoss plow.\nI told my captain\, captain\,\nI could not shake d is plow.\n[103]\nO captain\, captain\, what time you gonna quit?\n“’ Tain’t none o’ yo’ business when I quit.”\nGonna buy me ticket\, l ong as my long right arm\,\nGonna catch dat train call Cannon Ball.\nGoi n’ to Atlanta\, gonna spend de night\,\nGonna catch dat train dey call W estern Sight.\nGoin’ to New York an’ I aint comin’ back\,\nLawd\, I ain’t gonna come back at all.\nSay\, I’m in trouble\, Lawd\, Lawd\,\ nI don’t know when I’ll be back.\nSay\, if you want to see me\, Lawd\, \nYou’ll have to come where I am.\nSay\, I’m long way off\, mama\,\n I ain’t comin’ back at all.\nHave you ever seen risin’ sun\,\nSeen risin’ sun turn over?\nLawd\, makes me feel low down\,\nLawd\, lak I’ m on my las’ go-’round.\nLawd\, I hate to see you go\,\nMake me feel s o low down.\nLawd\, Lawd\, have you ever seen\,\nLawd\, wild cat hug a lio n?\nSay\, hug him so hard\, Lawd\,\nWild cat hug him so hard.\nLawd\, capt ain\, I’m workin’ on road\,\nAn’ I’m in trouble again.\nLawd\, y ou won’t come see me\,\nAn’ I’m workin’ in chains.\nLawd\, I’m not comin’ home no mo’\,\nO Lawd\, I’m not comin’ home no mo.\n Now I don’t want you here no mo’\,\nYo’ hair look lak curry comb.\n[ 104]\nI got brown woman better’n you\,\nLawd\, I don’t want you no m o’.\n[46]For music see Chapter XIV.\n\n’Way up in the Mountain\n\n’W ay up in the mountain\nDiggin’ coal\,\nAll I hates about diggin’ coal\ ,\nI can’t find my parole.\nPeach and honey\,\nRock and rye\,\nYou can l ine track\nIf you try.\nGoin’ up Church Street\,\nComin’ down Main\,\n Huntin’ for a woman\nThat ain’t got no man.\nTrottin’ Liza\,\nShe co me a-trottin’\nBy one this mornin’\nWith ’er head rag on.\nBlues on my mind\,\nBlues all ’round my head.\nI dream last night\nThat the man I love was dead.\nI went to the graveyard\,\nFell down on my knees.\nI ask the grave-digger\nTo give me back my railroad man.\nThe grave-digger\,\nHe looked me in the eye and said\,\n“I’m sorry to tell you\,\nBut yo’ good man is dead.”\nThirty days in jail\nWith my back turned to the wall .\nPlease\, Mr. Jailer\,\nPut another man in my stall.\n[105]\nI don’t m ind stayin’ there\nBut I got to stay so long\, so long\,\nEver’ friend I had\nDone shook hands an’ gone.[47]\n[47]This stanza and the precedin g one are also found in a popular song\, Jail-House Blues.\n\nDon’t You Give Me No Cornbread\n\nI don’t want no cornbread\, black molasses\,\nSu pper time\, O my Lawd\, supper time.\nDon’t you give me cornbread\, blac k molasses\,\nSupper time\, O my Lawd\, my supper time.\nDon’t let the ’gaiter\nBeat you to the pone\,\nGive you mo’ trouble\nThan days done gone.\nPut ’em up solid\nAn’ they won’t come down.\nWhen I gets in Illinois\nI won’t be bothered with the lowland boys.\nJohn the Baptist\, he declare\nThat none but the righteous\nWill be there\nIn the mornin’\ , oh\, when I rise.\nI got a woman\nOn Jennielee Square\;\nIf you would di e easy\,\nLet me ketch you there.\nThe reason I stay\nWith captain so long \,\nEver’ morning he give me\nBiscuits to rear back on.\nLittle Evaline\ nSittin’ in the shade\,\nFigurin’ on the money\nI done made.\n[106]\nC aptain got a lugger\nTryin’ to play bad\,\nI’m goin’ to take it in t he mornin’\nIf he makes me mad.\nJuly’s for the Red-bug\n\nJuly’s fo r the red-bug\,\nAugust for the fly\,\nI’m diggin’ for the bottom\,\nB ottom must be dry.\nI ask my captain\nWhat was the time of day.\nCaptain g ot so mad\,\nThrew his watch away.\nI told my captain\,\nCaptain\, my feet was cold.\n“Doggone your feet\, Lawd\,\nLet the wheelbar’ roll.”\nI told my captain\,\nJust to keep down trouble\,\nI reckon I must obey.\nHe re come the chain gang boss.\nBut after all there are no workaday songs su perior to the gang songs\, heave-a-horas\, steel-driving songs\, short pic k-and-shovel songs\, and the scores of other short specimens which accompa ny special tasks requiring hard work\, team unison\, or continuous effort. There is\, of course\, no attempt here to present even an approach to exh austive lists. We have so far found no intimation of where the number of s uch songs will stop. But the examples which follow are adequate to continu e the portraiture of the Negro as he works and as he sings.\n\n[107]\n\nBo ys\, Put Yo’ Hands on It\n\nO boys\, put yo’ hands on it\,\nO boys\, p ut yo’ hands on it\,\nWhen I say go\, boys\, go!\nO boys\, put yo’ han ds on it\,\nO boys\, when I holler set it on time\,\nEverybody goes around .\nSay pick up\, boys\, pick up high\,\nGoin’ line that track steel\,\nO boys\, pick it up high.\nSay\, boys\, when you get back here\,\nPick up t hat steel\,\nSay\, put your hands on it.\nSay\, boys\, put your hands on i t\,\nEverybody goin’ to jump at it.\nSet it in the bed\, boys.\nSay\, bo ys\, raise your hand higher\,\nSays\, boys\, raise your hand higher\,\nEve rybody goin’ to jump at it.\nNever Turn Back[48]\n\nNo mo’\, oh\, no mo’!\nNo mo’\, oh\, never no mo’!\nMy Lord\nBe here.\nI will never\ nTurn back\,\nNever turn back\nNo mo’\, no mo’.\nIf you get there\nB efo’ I do\,\nOh\, you can tell ’em\nI’m comin’ too.\nI will never turn back\,\nNever turn back no mo’.\n[108]\nAn’ I would never turn ba ck\,\nNever turn back no mo’.\nJesus my all\nTo heaven is gone\,\nAn’ whom may I fix\nMy hopes upon?\nNo mo’\, no mo’\,\nNo mo’\, never\, my Lawd\,\nI would never turn back\,\nNever turn back no mo’.\n[48]Here a spiritual theme is used as a gang song.\n\nNo More\n\nNo—more\,\nNo— more\,\nNo—more\,\nO—Lord.\nO—Lord\,\nO—Lord\,\nO—Lord\,\n No—more\,\nI’m—through\,\nI’m—through\,\nI’m—through\,\n O—Lord.\nO—Lord\,\nO—Lord\,\nO—Lord\,\nI’m—through.\nI ’m—tired\,\nI’m—tired\,\nI’m—tired\,\nO—Lord.\nO—Lord\ ,\nO—Lord\,\nO—Lord\,\nI’m—tired.\n[109]\nI’m—goin ’\,\nI’m—goin’\,\nI’m—goin’\,\nO—Lord.\nO—Lord\,\nO— Lord\,\nYes\, O—Lord\,\nI’m—tired.\nAll Right\n\nAll—right\,\nO— Lord\,\nAll—right\,\nPush—on.\nAll—right\,\nO—Lord\,\nLet’s— go\,\nLittle—mo’.\nAll—right\,\nO—Lord\,\nGet—it—over\,\ nLet’s—go.\nAll—right\,\nO—Lord\,\nGet—around—it—boys\ ,\nLet’s—go.\nAll—right—boys\,\nPick—it—up\,\nGang—aro und—it\,\nLet’s—go.\nHelp Me Drive ’Em[49]\n\nO King’s Mountai n\,\nO King’s Mountain\,\nO King’s Mountain\,\nSo high!\n[110]\nO run here\, buddy\,\nO run here\, buddy\,\nO run here\, buddy\,\nO boy!\nO help me drive ’em\,\nO help me drive ’em\,\nO help me drive ’em\,\nAll d ay!\n[49]This is an example of a steel-driving song. As the driver raises his hammer he sings a line\, then stops singing for a moment\, brings the hammer down with a grunt\, then sings another line\, and so on. The techni que is the same as the digging technique described in some detail in Chapt er XIV.\n\nI Belong to Steel-drivin’ Crew\n\nO shake ’em up\, buddy\ ,\nAn’ I’ll drive ’em down\;\nO shake ’em up\, buddy\,\nAn’ I’ll drive ’em down\;\nI belong to steel-drivin’ crew\,\nLawd\, I be long to steel-drivin’ crew.\nO lovin’ buddy\,\nWhere you been so long? \nO lovin’ buddy\,\nWhere you been so long?\nI belong to steel-drivin’ crew\,\nLawd\, I belong to steel-drivin’ crew.\nO Buckeye Rabbit\n\nThe rabbit run\, the rabbit jumped\,\nThe rabbit skipped the river.\nO buckey e rabbit\, hey\, hey!\nO buckeye rabbit\, Susan!\nO buckeye rabbit\, hey\, hey!\nThe rabbit skipped the river!\nU—h\, U—h\, Lawdy[50]\n\nU—h \, u—h\, Lawdy\,\nI wonder why\nI got to live\nFer de by an’ de by.\n[ 111]\nU—h\, u—h\, Lawdy\,\nDon’t you bother me.\nI’m always mighty happy\nWhen I’m on a spree.\nU—h\, u—h\, Lawdy\,\nU—h\, u—h\, Lawdy\,\nU—h\, u—h\, Lawdy\,\nU—h\, Lawdy\, u—h\, Lawdy\, po’ m e!\n[50]This is an example of a pick song\, although it could be used\, of course\, for almost any kind of rhythmic work. For a description of the s inging-digging technique see Chapter XIV.\n\nThis Ol’ Hammer\n\nThis o l’ hammer\, hammer\nMus’ be loaded\;\nThis ol’ hammer\, hammer\nMu s’ be loaded\;\nThis ole’ hammer\, hammer\nMus’ be loaded\;\nDo bear down\,\nDo bear down.\nBitin’ spider\, where did\nYou leave Trottin’ Sallie?\nBitin’ spider\, where did\nYou leave Trottin’ Sallie?\nBiti n’ spider\, where did\nYou leave Trottin’ Sallie?\nIn Birmingham\, O L awd\,\nIn Birmingham.\nWe Are Clambin’ Jacob’s Ladder[51]\n\nGet ’em over yonder\,\nGet ’em long\,\nGet ’em short.\nLord\, get ’em over yonder\,\nGet ’em over yonder.\nWe are clambin’\, clambin’\nJacob’ s ladder\,\nJacob’s ladder.\nOh\, we are clambin’ Jacob’s ladder\, \nAlmos’ home\, yes\, almos’ home.\nEvery little roun’ gets[112]\nHi gher and higher\,\nHigher and higher.\nEvery little roun’ gets higher an d higher\,\nAlmos’ home\, home\, almos’ home.\n[51]Here a theme from a spiritual is made to do service as a pick song.\n\nReason I Stay on Job S o Long[52]\n\nReason I stay on job so long\,\nLawd\, dey gimme flamdonies\ nAn’ coffee strong.\nReason I love my captain so\,\n’Cause I ast him f or a dollah\,\nLawd\, he give me fo’.\nReason why I love Boleen\,\nShe k eeps my house\nAn’ shanty clean.\nWhy I like Roberta so\,\nShe rolls her jelly\nLike she do her dough.\n[52]For music see Chapter XIV.\n\nHot Flam botia an’ Coffee Strong\n\nReason I stay on job so long\,\nOh\, reason I stay on job so long\,\nO Lawd\, reason I stay on job so long:\nHot flambo tia an’ coffee strong.\nHot flambotia an’ coffee strong\,\nYes\, Lawd\ , hot flambotia an’ coffee strong.\nO Lawd\, hot flambotia an’ coffee strong\,\nReason I stay on job so long.\nI’m Goin’ On[53]\n\nI’m gon na row here\,\nI’m gonna row here\,\nI’m gonna row here few days longe r\,\nThen\, Lawd\, I’m goin’ on.\n[113]\nOh\, I’m gonna row here\,\n Lawd\, I’m gonna row here\,\nYes\, Lawd\, I’m gonna row here few days longer\,\nThen I’m goin’ on.\nYes\, Lawd\, I’m goin’ on\,\nThen\, Lawd\, I’m goin’ on\,\nYes\, Lawd\, I’m gonna row here few days long er\,\nThen I’m goin’ on.\n[53]This song has been heard also as “I’ m on road here few days longer” and “I’m gonna roll here few days longer.” “Row” may well be a corruption of “road” or “roll .”\n\nI Don’t Want No Trouble With de Walker[54]\n\nI don’t want no\ ,\nWant no trouble with de walker.\nI don’t want no\,\nWant no trouble w ith de walker.\nI wanta go home\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, I wanta go home.\nOh\, me an’ my buddy\nJes’ came here this mornin’.\nWanta go home\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, wanta go home.\nI can drive it\,\nDrive it long as anybody.\nWanta go home\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, wanta go home.\nCap’n\, did you hear about\,\n Hear about two your womens gonna leave you?\nWanta go home\,\nLawd\, Lawd\ , wanta go home.\nI’m gonna roll here\,[55]\nRoll here a few days longer .\nI’m goin’ home\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, I’m goin’ home.\n[114]\nCap ’n an’ walker\,\nWalker been raisin’ san’.\nCap’n told walker\nH e could git ’im another man.\nLawd\, dey got my buddy\,\nBuddy an’ his forty-fo!\nNext ’lect’ocution\nDey’ll git him sho’.\n[54]This is a pick song commonly heard around Chapel Hill\, N. C. The “walker” ref ers to the walking boss or overseer on the job. The first two lines of eac h stanza are repeated as shown in the first stanza. For music see Chapter XIV.\n\n[55]See footnote\, p. 112.\n\nI Don’t Want No Cornbread[56]\n\nI don’t want no\,[57]\nWant no cornbread\, peas\, an’ molasses\;\nI d on’t want no\,\nWant no cornbread\, peas\, an’ molasses\,\nAt supper t ime\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, at supper time.\nOh\, hand me down a\nCan o’ corn an’ tomatoes\,\nFor my meal\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, for my meal.\nMy little wo man\,\nShe don’t treat me like she used to.\nNo she don’t\,\nLawd\, La wd\, no she don’t.\nShe used to feed me\,\nFeed me on biscuits an’ but ter\nFor my meal\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, for my meal.\nShe used to give me\,\nGiv e me lots o’ huggin’ every mornin’.\nNow she don’t\,\nLawd\, Lawd\ , now she don’t.\n[56]This is sung to the same tune as the preceding son g\, I Don’t Want No Trouble With the Walker\, the music of which is give n in Chapter XIV.\n\n[57]All of the stanzas have this form\, first two lin es always repeated.\n\n[115]\n\nTurning from the songs of construction or railroad gangs\, some of the mixed songs\, partly remnants of former years \, partly products of sophistication\, may be cited. There are many songs about the white man and the captain\, excellent samples of which have alre ady been cited in this chapter. Some were given in The Negro and His Songs and many more are to be found. Indeed\, songs about the white man may wel l constitute a separate chapter in a later volume. A stock joke among the older Negroes used to be that of telling how the white man always brought “nigger out behind.” The modern singer\, albeit not always in joking m ood\, still thrusts “at” his “captain” or “boss” or “whi te man.” “Captain\,” he sings\, “you look mo’ lak farmer than ra ilroad man\,” and with considerable glee asks\, “Captain\, captain\, w here’d you come frum?” On the other hand\, reminiscent of farm days an d echoing current life\, he still sings:\n\nNiggers plant the cotton\,\nNi ggers pick it out\,\nWhite man pockets money\,\nNiggers does without.\nIn another song the Negro complained that no matter if he worked all the time \, “Boss sho’ bring nigger out behin’.” So now in some Georgia sce nes he sings:\n\nNothin’ to Keep\n\nUp at fo’ ’clock\,\nWork till da rk\,\nWages han\,’\nI’m de man.\nTwelve a month an’ boa’d\,\nLawd\ , twelve a month an’ boa’d.\nHope I die\,\nMo’ I try\,\nI comes out\ n[116]\nOwin’ boss mo’\,\nI comes out\,\nLawd\, owin’ boss mo’.\nP lenty to eat\,\nPlace to sleep\,\nAll night to stray about\;\nBut nothin ’ fer a feller\,\nLawd\, nothin’ fer\nA feller to keep.\nEverybody Cal l Me the Wages Man\n\nEarly in the spring I’m plowin’ my lan’\,\nEar ly in the spring I’m plowin’ my lan’\,\nEarly in the spring I’m plowin’ my lan’\,\nEverybody calls me the wages man\,\nBaby\, baby.\nN ext down de row with guano horn\,\nNext down de row with guano horn\,\nNex t down de row with guano horn\,\nNever work so hard since I’ve been born \,\nBaby\, baby.\nLittle bit later I swings de hoe\,\nLittle bit later I s wings de hoe\,\nLittle bit later I swings de hoe\,\nI’se de nigger dat l eads de row\,\nBaby\, baby\, baby.\nSack an’ basket all that I pick\,\nS ack an’ basket all that I pick\,\nSack an’ basket all that I pick\,\nN ever stop for nothin’\, even if you sick\,\nBaby\, baby.\nWhite man in s tarched shirt settin’ in shade\,\nWhite man in starched shirt settin’ in shade\,\nWhite man in starched shirt settin’ in shade\,\nLaziest man that God ever made\,\nBaby\, baby.\n[117]\n\nMissus in de Big House\n\nMis sus in de big house\,\nMammy in de yard.\nMissus holdin’ her white hands \,\nMammy workin’ hard\,\nMammy workin’ hard\,\nMammy workin’ hard.\ nMissus holdin’ her white hands\,\nMammy workin’ hard.\nOl’ marse ridin’ all time\,\nNiggers workin’ ’roun’.\nMarse sleepin’ day t ime\,\nNiggers diggin’ in de groun’\,\nNiggers diggin’ in de groun ’\,\nNiggers diggin’ in de groun’.\nMarse sleepin’ day time\,\nNig gers diggin’ in de groun’.\n[118]\n\nCHAPTER VII\nJUST SONGS TO HELP W ITH WORK\nIn some respects it is unfortunate that classification of the Ne gro workaday songs must be attempted\, for\, strictly speaking\, accurate classification is not possible. There is much overlapping apparent in most of the best types. There are mixed pictures in the majority and a cross i ndex would be necessary for any sort of complete analysis. And yet the tot al picture is clearer when the songs are grouped according to prevailing t hemes\, as has been done in other chapters on the wanderer songs\, the bad man ballads\, chain gang and jail songs\, favorites of the construction g ang\, songs of woman\, songs of man\, and religious remnants. In each of t hese classes it is readily seen that there is abundance of new material of great value. And yet\, after these attempts at classification\, there are scores of songs\, some the favorites of the present day\, some among the most attractive\, which appear best as simple work songs\, sung as an inte gral physical part of the Negro’s workaday efforts. These songs are not simply the “miscellaneous” and “all others” group. They are more t han that\; they are the songs for song’s sake\, expression for express ion’s sake\, and “hollerin’ jes’ to he’p me wid my work.”\n\nT his chapter\, therefore\, presents a varied group of songs\, many of which \, for simple spontaneity\, imagery\, and creative art might well represen t the choice of the collection. Among these are the lyric types like those quoted in Chapter I\, figures of a “rainbow ’round my[119] shoulder s\,” the “feet rollin’ lak a wheel\,” the winter song in summer\, and many other fragments of similar quality. There are fragments\, pick-an d-shovel songs\, driving songs\, mostly short\, which are sung perhaps mor e often than any others by the group of workers. This chapter will present \, first\, some of the miscellaneous and more artistic songs that are most difficult to classify except as “just songs to help with work.” Then will follow certain types\, corruptions from blues\, jazz and minstrel\, b ut sung on any and all occasions\, one as well as another\, in the kitchen \, on the road\, in the field\, in the alley\, in the barber shop\, or on the street. Then\, finally\, there will be the group of incoherent words a nd lines\, senseless for the most part and merely expressive of feeling an d effort. In addition to these there are still more than one hundred misce llaneous songs\, improvisations\, fragments and other collected items whic h must await a special collection of this sort.\n\nOne of the most attract ive of all the work songs is Mule on the Mountain\, in which the title con stitutes the bulk of the song. It is a pick-and-shovel favorite repeated o ver and over with variations and exclamations. The simplest form of this s ong is as follows:\n\nMule on the Mountain\n\nMule on mountain\nCalled Jer ry\,\nI can ride ’im\nAny time I want to\;\nLawd\, I can ride ’im\nAny time I want to.\nIn the following version this simple stanza has taken se ven others for companions\, thus making a lengthy pick song.\n\n[120]\n\nI Got a Mulie[58]\n\nI got a mulie\,\nMulie on the mountain\, call ’im Je rry.\nI got a mulie\,\nMulie on the mountain\, call ’im Jerry.\nI can ri de ’im\,\nRide ’im any time I want to\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, all day long.\n Lawd\, this ol’ mountain\,\nMountain must be hanted\,\nMy light goes out \,\nLawd\, Lawd\, my light goes out.\nI’m gonna buy me\,\nBuy me a magni fied lantern.\n’Twon’t go out\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, won’t go out.\nI’m gonna buy me\,\nBuy me a winchester rifle\,\nBox o’ balls\,\nLawd\, Lawd \, box o’ balls.\nI gonna back my\,\nBack myself in the mountains\nTo pl ay bad\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, to play bad.\nMike an’ Jerry[59]\nMust be a gaso line burner\;\nDidn’t stop here\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, didn’t stop here.\nMi ke an’ Jerry\nHiked from Jerome to Decatur[60]\nIn one day\,\nLawd\, Law d\, in one day.\n[121]\nDidn’t stop here\, Lawd\,\nTo get no coal\, neit her water\,\nHiked on by\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, hiked on by.\n[58]For music see Chapter XIV.\n\n[59]See footnote\, p. 96.\n\n[60]Probably refers to Rome a nd Decatur\, Georgia. The distance between these two places is about a hun dred miles\, a pretty good “hike” for the mules if they made it in one day!\n\nVery much after the same manner and type is the pick-and-shovel s ong\, Lookin’ over in Georgia\, which apparently has nothing specific as its historical base and no more sense to it than Mule on the Mountain. An d yet it is one of the prettiest of Negro songs when accompanied by group movement\, rhythm\, and harmony.\n\nLookin’ Over in Georgia\n\nWell I ca n stan’\,\nLookin’ ’way over in Georgia\;\nWell I can stan’\,\ nLookin’ ’way over in Georgia\;\nWell I can stan’\,\nLookin’ ’wa y over in Georgia\,\nO-eh-he\, Lawd\, Lawd\,\nShe’s burnin’ down\,\nLa wd\, she’s burnin’ down.\nFor sheer artistry\, however\, one would hav e to search a long time to find a superior to the following verses\, sung by a young Negro workingman\, on platform and swing\, washing the brick wa lls of a newly constructed university building.\n\nBear Cat Down in Georgi a\n\nI’ll be back here\,\nI’ll be back here\,\nLawd\, Lawd\,\nI’ll b e back here.\nBear cat\, Lawd\,\nBear cat\, Lawd\,\nTurn to lion\nDown in Georgia.\n[122]\nLook-a yonder\,\nLook-a yonder\,\nLawd\, Lawd\,\nDown in Georgia.\nEver see bear cat\nTurn to lion\,\nLawd\, Lawd\,\nDown in Georgi a?\nMy ol’ bear cat\,\nMy ol’ bear cat\nTurn to lion\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, Lawd.\nEver see a bear cat\nHug a lion\,\nLawd\, Lawd\,\nDown in Georgia?\ nIf I make it\,\nIf I make it\,\nLawd\, Lawd\,\nDown in Georgia.\nLord\, I been fallin’\,\nLord\, I been fallin’\,\nLawd\, Lawd\,\nFrom my pla ce.\n’Fo’ long\, Lawd\,\nYes\, ’fo’ long\, Lawd\,\nI’ll be bac k here\,\nI’ll be back here.\nScarcely less mixed and informal is the de lightful song Shoot that Buffalo sung in low undertone suitable to any sor t of work such as digging\, cutting\, laying rock\, unloading coal or grav el\, or doing domestic duties. The melody of this “song just to help wit h work” is presented in Chapter XIV.\n\n[123]\n\nShoot That Buffalo\n\nW ent down to Raleigh\,\nNever been there befo’\,\nWhite folks on the feat her-bed\,\nNiggers on the flo’.\nChorus:\nShoot that buffa-\,\nShoot tha t -lo\,\nShoot that buffalo.\nWent down to low groun’\nTo gather up my c orn\,\nRaccoon sot the dogs on me\,\n’Possum blowed his horn.\nLas’ ye ar was a bad crop year\,\nEv’ybody knowed it.\nI didn’t make but a bus hel o’ corn\nAn’ some damn rascal stoled it.\nI had ol’ back-band\,\ nIt was made out o’ leather\;\nKept me all the doggone time\nKeepin’ i t sewed together.\nOne of the bad man songs listed in Chapter IV was Dupre e\, of which two versions were presented. The following song was sung by a young Negro recently from the chain gang. It purports to be a song made u p by Dupree while in prison. As a matter of fact it is a composite jumble composed largely while being sung. It illustrates well the general situati on in which any song of any sort will do just as well as any other.\n\nDup ree’s Jail Song\n\nI don’t want no coal-black woman for my regular\,\n Give me brown\, Lawd\, Lawd\, give me brown.\nBlack woman study evil\,\nTh at’s why I want brown\, yes\, yes\, give me brown.\n[124]\nI’m gonna r oll here a few days longer\,\nThen I’m goin’ home\, yes\, then I’m goin’ home.\nDon’t you hear those rein-deers cryin’?\nBut it ain’ t gonna rain\, no\, no\, ain’t gonna rain.\nIf it rain I can’t see Bet ty\,\nThat’s why it ain’t gonna rain.\nEvery mail day I get a letter\n Saying\, “Daddy\, come home\, yes\, yes\, daddy\, come home.”\nSome of these days I’ll see Betty\,\nAn’ it won’t be long\, no\, no\, it won’t be long.\nIf I could see her just one mo’ time\,\nMy mind would be changed all the time.\nThe jailer told Dupree\, “Just be good\,”\nA nd he surely would\, yes\, yes\, he surely would.\nDupree was the best man in the pen\nJust to get that thing\, yes\, yes\, that thing.\nAnother ill ustration of the common promiscuity of these current songs adapted as a pa rt of the physical effort of work is the following mongrel song of the sel f-styled bad man who mixes metaphors and lines to his own satisfaction.\n\ nI’m Goin’ out West\n\nWhen you see me comin’\nWid my new shine on \,\n’Cause I got my col’-iron burner[61]\nUnder my ol’ left arm.\nLa wd\, I goin’ out West\,\nGoin’ out ’mongst the robbers.\nSay\, if I don’t get back\,\nLawd\, don’t worry at all.\n[125]\n’Cause the We stern men call theirself bad\,\n’Cause the Western men call theirself ba d.\nSay\, when they get unruly\,\nSay\, I got their water on.\nSay\, my ga l lay down\,\nLay down and cried\n’Cause I’s goin’ out West\,\nBut I’m satisfied.\nSay\, I grab an’ hug an’ kiss her\,\nSay\, don’t worry at all\,\n’Cause I’m goin ’way from here\,\nGoin’ to kill so me rowdy men.\nI reach down an’ kiss my gal\,\nKiss an’ hug her all da y long\,\nLawd\, she make me so much worry\nI had to leave home.\n[61]That is\, his pistol.\n\nThe selections that follow are typical of the large n umber of miscellaneous songs of almost every imaginable mixture and variet y. They are examples of corruptions and also of the song-making process an d of the insignificance of words and meaning in the workaday song.\n\nJuli a Long\n\nO Lawd\, Aunt Julia!\nJulia Long\, Julia Long!\nO Lawd\, Aunt Ju lia!\nJulia Long\, Julia Long.\nJulia Long\, dead and gone\,\nJulia Long\, Julia Long!\nO Lawd\, Aunt Julia!\nJulia Long\, Julia Long!\nJulia Long I used to know\,\nJulia Long\, Julia Long.\nO Lawd\, Aunt Julia!\nJulia Lon g\, Julia Long!\n[126]\n\nTurn Yo’ Damper Down\n\nWhen you see me comi n’\nRaise yo’ winder high\,\nWhen you see me leavin’\nHang yo’ h ead an’ cry.\nI got lovin’\nWay a rabbit hug a houn’\,\nAn’ if you two-time me\, daddy\,\nTurn yo’ damper down.\nCasey Jones[62]\n\nCasey was goin’ about ninety-four\,\nAn’ he forgot to blow.\nCasey told the fireman he’d better jump\,\nFor there’s two locomotives that’s about to bump.\nChorus:\nCasey Jones\, marchin’ to the cabin\,\nMarchin’ to the cabin with the orders in his hand.\nCasey said before he died\,\n“T hree mo’ roads I want to ride.”\nThe fireman ask him what could they b e\,\n“Southern Pacific an’ the Santa Fe.”\nCasey told his children \,\n“Go to bed and hush your cryin’\,\nYou have another papa\nOn the S alt Lake Line.”\n[62]Casey Jones is still heard occasionally. The versio n given here is somewhat below par\, but represents the sort of thing a wo rker is likely to sing. Note that Casey wants to ride “three mo’ roa ds\,” but names only two. Also\, in the last stanza\, Casey\, instead of his wife\, is represented as speaking to the children.\n\nWash My Overhal ls\n\nWash my overhalls\,\nSearch my overhalls\,\nStarch my overhalls\,\nW ash ’em clean\,\n’Cause I’m goin’ to ketch de train.\n[127]\nListe n at dis fireman blow de train.\nIf I don’t ring dat bell\,\nYou ring it fer yo’self\;\nIf you don’t ring it\,\nWon’t be no fault o’ mine. \nDove Came Down by the Foot of My Bed\n\nDove came down by the foot of my bed\,\nBy the foot of my bed\,\nBy the foot of my bed\,\nDove came down b y the foot of my bed\,\nAnd he carried the news that I was dead.\nI’m go ing away one day before long\,\nOne day before long\,\nOne day before long .\nI’m going away one day before long\,\nAnd I won’t be back before ju dgment day.\nIf you don’t believe I’ve been redeemed\,\nI’ve been re deemed\,\nI’ve been redeemed.\nIf you don’t believe I’ve been redeem ed\,\nJust follow me down by Jordan stream.\nDig my grave and dig it deep\ ,\nDig it deep\,\nDig it deep.\nDig my grave and dig it deep\,\nAnd cover me up with a linen sheet.\nTell my mother if she wants to see me\,\nIf she wants to see me\,\nIf she wants to see me\,\nTell my mother if she wants to see me\,\nShe must ride that horse in the battlefield.\nHe Wus de Gov ’nor of Our Clan\n\nHe wus de gov’nor of our clan\,\nHe wus a rough- an’-tumble man\,\nHe wus a rough-an’-tumble man.\nHe pull his pistol an’ a feller drap\,\nHe make his money playin’ crap\,\nHe make his mo ney playin’ crap.\n[128]\n\nI Got Chickens on My Back\n\nI got chickens on my back\,\nAn’ the white folks on my track\,\nI am hunting for a shan ty\,\nGod knows\, nobody knows.\nI am hunting for a shanty\,\nGod knows\, nobody knows.\nI Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Make a Fool Out o’ Me\n\nI’v e been all over the U. S. A.\,\nI’ve seen most everything\;\nI’ve shot craps with the president\,\nPlayed cards with the queen and king.\nBut I ain’t gonna let nobody\,\nNobody make a fool out o’ me.\nIf you give y our gal everything she needs\,\nYou will spend the winter in your B. V. D. ’S.\nI ain’t gonna let nobody\,\nNobody make a fool out o’ me.\nOn My Las’ Go-’Round[63]\n\nI had it in my head to join the U. S. A.\,\n But instead of gettin’ better I got still worse.\nEvery time I hear some church bell ringin’\,\nI begin to think I was on my las’ go-’round. \nO I believe I am on\, I think I am on\,\nI know I am on my las’ go-’ round.\nSo when I am dead\, wear no black\,\nWhen Gable blows his trumpet I’ll rush on back.\n[63]There are now popular songs entitled Last Go-’ Round Blues and I’m on My Last Go-’Round\, but they do not resemble th is song. For an older version\, see The Negro and His Songs\, p. 180.\n\nB erda\, You Come too Soon\n\nO Lord\, Berda\, you come too soon\,\nFound a man in my saloon.\nBerda walked out screamin’ an cryin’\,\nGirls on fr ont street skippin’ an’ flyin’.\nBerda\, you come too soon\,\nBerda\ , you come too soon.\n[129]\n\nRain or Shine\n\nI hoes an’ I plows\nIn a ll kinds o’ weather\,\nI got to keep a-goin’\n’Cause I can’t do no better.\nRain or shine\,\nSleet or snow\,\nWhen I gits done dis time\,\nW on’t work no mo’.\nEmpty or full\,\nSleep or ’wake\,\nI’m gwine to de party\,\nDance fer dat cake.\nWho’s Goin’ to Buy Your Whiskey?\n \nWho’s goin’ to buy your whiskey\nWhen I’m gone away from you?\nW ho’s goin’ to do your holdin’\nWhen I’m gone from you\, Lawd\, L awd?\nWho’s goin’ to bring you chicken\nFrom the white folks’ house\ nWhen I’m gone away from you?\nYou Calls Me in de Mornin’\n\nYou me in de mornin’\,\nYou calls me in de night\,\nAn’ you is de cause o’ me \nLosin’ my life.\nMy home ain’t here\, I don’t have to stay.\nWhen I leaves don’t wear no black\,\nDo\, I sho’ gonna come creepin’ back \,\nDo\, I sho’ gonna come creepin’ back.\nDig-a My Grave Wid a Silver Spade\n\nDig-a my grave wid a silver spade\,\nLet me down wid a golden ch ain.\nOh\, who’s gonna dig-a my grave?\nLet me down wid a golden chain.\ nYonder come mudder\,\nLook lak mudder comin’ on.\nOh\, who’s gonna di g-a my grave?\n[130]\n\nYonder Come de Devil\n\nYonder come de devil\,\nYo nder come de devil\,\nKetch him\, devil\, ketch him\,\nKetch him\, devil\, ketch him.\nHe done sin\, he done sin\,\nHe done sin\, he done sin.\nKetc h him\, devil\, ketch him\,\nKetch him\, devil\, ketch him.\nDem Turrible Red Hot Blues[64]\n\nNothin’ new\,\nHer name wuz Sue\,\nI got de turribl e\nRed hot blues\,\nOh\, dem turrible red hot blues.\nI got a pal\,\nThis gal is Sal\,\nBofe got de turrible red hot blues\,\nOh\, dem turrible red hot blues.\n[64]Compare Red Hot Blues\, a popular phonograph and sheet mus ic piece.\n\nDas ’Nough Said\n\nHit rains\, hit hails\,\nDifferent sorts o’ wedder\,\nHit rains\, hit hails\,\nWusser de better.\nSteal up to de back do’\nDen on to de bed\,\nLawsy\, lawsy\, mister\,\nDas ’nough sa id.\nDiamond Joe\n\nDiamond Joe wants a sack of flour\,\nDiamond Joe wants a sack of flour\,\nDiamond Joe he don’t work by de hour.\nDrive on\, Di amond Joe.\nSometimes he works in de country\,\nSometimes he works in de t own\,\nSometimes he has a good notion\nTo jump in de river an’ drown.\nD rive on\, Diamond Joe.\n[131]\n\nHe Run Me In\n\nTalkin’ ’bout yo’ g hosts\, let me tell:\nI thought I drapped dat nigger in dat well\nBut he r un me in\, yes\, Lawd\, he run me in.\n’Tain’t no fun I’s here to te ll\nWhen a dead nigger gits out’n an ol’ fiel’ well\nAn’ runs me i n\, yes\, Lawd\, he run me in.\nHe ain’t got no arms\, he ain’t got no haid\,\nI didn’t stop an’ count dem tracks I made\,\n’Cause he run me in\, yes\, Lawd\, he run me in.\nI believes in a ghost an’ I believes in a hant\nDis here nigger sho’ ain’t no saint\,\n’Cause he run me in\, yes\, Lawd\, he run me in.\nDe Goat’s Got a Smell\n\nDe goat’s go t a smell\,\nDe skunk’s got a stink\,\nBut de black gal\nGot a ’culiar odor.\nDe black gal\, de balmoral\,\nDey bofe got a ’culiar odor.\nGood by Sookie\n\nGoodby\, Sookie\, good by\, Sal\,\nYou struts about in dat ba lmoral.\nGoodby\, Sookie\, good by\, Sal\nI’s leavin’ dis hot town wid dat yallow gal.\nOut in de Cabin\n\nOut in de cabin\, banjo pickin’ low \;\nOut in de cabin\, banjo pickin’ low.\nUp in de big house\, singin’ soft an’ low\;\nUp in de big house dancin’ to an’ fro.\nI lubs my m issus\, I lubs ol’ marse\;\nI lubs my white folks mo’ an’ mo’\ ,\nMo’ an’ mo’.\n[132]\n\nDarlin’ Get on de Road\n\nDarlin’\, wh en you see me comin’\,\nHang your head an’ cry.\nWhen you see me lea vin’\,\nGet on the road.\nDarlin’\, get on the road\,\nDarlin’\, get on the road.\nWhen you see me cryin’\,\nHang you head in shame.\nWhen y ou see me smilin’\,\nYou know I am the same.\nSo let us get on the road\ ,\nDarlin’\, get on the road.\nI’m Gonna Have Me a Red Ball All My Own \n\nLawd\, lissen\, I believe I go to town\nAn’ ketch the Red Ball.[65]\ nAn’ I walked up to get in.\nWhat you reckin’ the man said to me?\n“ No nigger can ride the Red Ball.”\nSo I turned around an’ went back ho me\nAn’ began to paint my face.\nBut I forgot to paint my neck an’ han ds.\nSo I went back an’ tried him again.\nDidn’t have no luck. An’ I’m\nGonna get me a mule an’ name him Red Ball\,\nAn’ I can ride ju st the same.\nI’m gonna have me a Red Ball all my own.\n[65]A fast freig ht train.\n\nGreat Scots\, You Don’t Know What to Do\n\nBull frog sitt in’ on mantel-piece\,\nGreat scots\, you don’t know what to do\,\nClap ped his hand in a pan of grease\,\nGreat scots\, you don’t know what to do.\nI’m going down in new town to live.\n[133]\nLook out\, ladies\, let him by\,\nYou don’t know what to do\,\nHere he comes with a greasy eye\ ,\nGreat scots\, you don’t know what to do.\nI’m going down in new tow n to live.\nChicken Never Roost too High fo’ Me[66]\n\nOl’ massa’s c hicken\nLive in the tree\,\nChicken never roost\nToo high fo’ me.\nWent out strollin’\,\nSee what I can see.\nChicken never roost\nToo high fo ’ me.\nEver since the Yankee\nSet-er me free\,\nChicken never roost\nToo high fo’ me.\nThey think the old lady\nAn’ me agree.\nChicken never r oost\nToo high fo’ me.\nI’s in jail\,\nNot long till I’m free\,\nChi cken never roost\nToo high fo’ me.\n[66]In a somewhat different version\ , this song was popular as a minstrel some twenty years ago.\n\nStewball W as a Racer[67]\n\nStewball was a racer\,\nMollie was too.\nMy mist’iss b ets by hundred\,\nMy master bets by thousands.\n[134]\nI bet you mo’ cas h money\nOl’ Stewball won.\nRun on\, ol’ Stewball\,\nMollie done run.\ n[67]This is a fragment of a song\, Skewball\, which used to be almost an epic among the Negroes. Its origin probably goes back to an old Irish song . For a discussion of this point\, see Scarborough\, On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs\, pp. 61-4.\n\nShanghai Rooster\n\nShanghai rooster done lost all his feathers\,\nShanghai pullet eat by her betters.\nYou gits de gizza rd\, I eats the breast\,\nGot to save the preacher all the rest.\nChicken wid a preacher don’t stand no show\,\nWhen the preacher is about chicken gotta go.\nWent over to fishin’ on a little stream\,\nAll I got is a no d and dream.\nCatch Miss Catfish by the snout\,\nLed Miss Catfish all abou t.\n[135]\n\nCHAPTER VIII\nMAN’S SONG OF WOMAN\nThere is probably no the me which comes nearer being common to all types of Negro songs than the th eme of the relation of man and woman. It is the heart and soul of the blue s. The Negro bad man is often pictured as being bad because of a woman. Th e jail and chain gang songs abound in plaintive references to woman and sw eetheart\, and the worker in railroad gang and construction camp often sin gs to his “cap’n” about his woman. Likewise\, in the songs of woman\ , man plays the leading rôle. These man and woman songs are of such signi ficance that special attention must be given to them as a type of Negro so ng in order to round out the picture of Negro workaday life which this vol ume is trying to present. In this chapter and the one following\, therefor e\, there have been brought together examples of songs which deal primaril y with the relation of the sexes.\n\nConflicts\, disagreements\, jealousie s and disappointments in the love relation have ever been productive of so ng. They are the chief source of “hard luck” songs or blues\, and the Negro’s naïve way of singing of his failure and disappointments in love is what has made the blues famous. Sometimes his songs portray vividly\, often with a sort of martyr-like satisfaction\, his difficulties with wome n. At times his song is defiant. At other times it is merely a complaint. Again\, it is despondent\, in which case he is going “to jump in the riv uh an’ drown” or “drink some pizen down” or do[136] something else calculated to make the woman sorry that she mistreated him. Some of the “hard luck” stories of the Negro man are told in the following group of songs.\n\nLawd\, She Keep on Worryin’ Me\n\nLawd\, Lawd\, she keep on worryin’ me\,\nLawd\, captain\, she keep on worryin’ me.\nLawd\, she cry all night long\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, she cry all night long.\nMama\, the mo ’ I pet her\, Lawd\,\nThe mo’ I pet her the mo’ she cries.\nLawd\, I gonna give her mouf full o’ fist\nAn’\, Lawd\, she won’t cry no m o’.\nCaptain\, captain\, I don’t bother nobody\,\nWorks every day as bes’ I can.\nCaptain\, look like you could make her\,\nLawd\, leave me alone.\nCaptain\, she say she love me\nLike school boy love his pie.\nLawd \, she say I leave her alone\,\nLawd\, ain’t got no friends at all.\nMy Girl She’s Gone and Left Me\n\nMy girl\, she’s gone and left me\,\nShe left me all alone\,\nShe promised that she would marry me\nThe day that s he left home.\nSo kiss me\, all you brown skins\nAnd all you yellows\, too .\nI would give anything in this wide\, wide world\nJust because I do love you.\n[137]\n\nBrown Gal Baby Done Turn Me Down\n\nI’s goin’ down to de rivah\,\nJump in an’ drown\,\nDat brown gal baby\nDone turn me down\, \nDone turn me down.\nGoin’ down to de drug sto’\,\nPisen I drink down \,\nDen dey take de news\nTo my baby brown\,\nTo my baby brown.\nCall up d e doctah\nMighty quick\,\nTell my brown baby\nI sho’ is sick\,\nI sho’ is sick.\nDen my black baby\nCome hurryin’ ’roun’\,\nShe sho’ be sorry\nShe turn me down\,\nShe turn me down.\nI Brung a Gal From Tennessee \n\nAin’t yer heard my po’ story?\nDen listen to me:\nI brung a gal fr om Tennessee\nTennessee\, Tennessee\nI brung a gal from Tennessee.\nAin’ t yer heard my po’ story?\nDen listen to me:\nDat Georgia gal set de pol ice on me.\nTennessee\, Tennessee\,\nI brung a gal from Tennessee.\nDon’ t Wanta See Her No Mo’\n\nI ain’t never seed her befo’\,\nI ain’t never seed her befo’\,\nI ain’t never seed her befo’\,\nDon’t want a see her no mo’\, baby.\n[138]\nShe say\, “Come on\, go to my house \,”\nShe say\, “Come on\, go to my house\,”\nShe say\, “Come on\, go to my house\,”\nShe ain’t nuffin but a roust-about\, baby.\nShe s ’arch my pockets through\,\nShe s’arch my pockets through\,\nShe s’a rch my pockets through\,\nDen say\, “I ain’t got no need of you\, ba by.”\nDon’t e’r wanta see her no mo’\,\nDon’t e’r wanta see her no mo’\,\nDon’t e’r wanta see her no mo’\,\nNever had seed h er befo’\, baby.\nI’s Havin’ a Hell of a Time\n\nI’s a-havin’ a hell of a time\,\nI’s a-havin’ a hell of a time\,\nI’s a-havin’ a hell of a time\,\nLivin’ wid dese two women o’ mine.\nDe po’ boy\, d ey got no mercy at tall\,\nDe po’ boy\, dey got no mercy at tall\,\nDe po’ boy\, dey got no mercy at tall\,\nDey lock in de room\, he sets out in de hall.\nAin’t gonna stay here no mo’\,\nAin’t gonna stay her e no mo’\,\nAin’t gonna stay here no mo’\,\nDe creepers all ’r oun’ my do’.\nGoin’ back down to Georgia lan’\,\nGoin’ back down to Georgia lan’\,\nGoin’ back down to Georgia lan’\,\nWhere women don’t have jes’ one man.\nYer don’t haf to have no clo’es\,\nYe r don’t haf to have no clo’es\,\nYer don’t haf to have no clo’es\, \nDe women don’t never lock deir do’s.\n[139]\n\nLawdy\, What I Gonna Do?\n\nU—h\, Lawdy\, what I gonna do?\nU—h\, Lawdy\, what I gonna do ?\nU—h\, Lawdy\, what I gonna do?\nBeen havin’ jes’ ol’ lady\, but now I got two\, baby!\nU—h\, Lawdy\, ol’ lady got rough\,\nU—h\, La wdy\, ol’ lady got rough\,\nU—h\, Lawdy\, ol’ lady got rough\,\nSay\ , hell in fire\, she sho’ got ’nough\, baby!\nU—h\, Lawd\, ol’ un bring in de meat\,\nU—h\, Lawd\, ol’ un bring in de meat\,\nU—h\, La wd\, ol’ un bring in de meat\,\nDis new gal of mine she got all de sweet \, baby!\nU—h\, Lawdy\, dem rations am good\,\nU—h\, Lawdy\, dem ratio ns am good\,\nU—h\, Lawdy\, dem rations am good\,\nHave sech a good time \, if de ol’ woman would\, baby!\nSome o’ Dese Days\n\nSome o’ dese days\,\nHit won’t be long\,\nMammy gonna call me\nAn’ I be gone.\nSo me o’ dese nights\,\nAn’ I don’t kere\,\nMammy gonna want me\nAn ’ I won’t be here.\nSome o’ dese days\nIn de by an’ by\,\nYou wo n’t have no’n’ t’eat\,\nDen you gonna cry.\nSome o’ dese days\ nWhile I’s here to home\,\nBetter feed me an’ pet me\,\nDon’t\, I’ s gonna roam.\n[140]\n\nYou Take de Stockin’\, I Take de Sock\n\nYou tak e de stockin’\, I take de sock\, honey\,\nYou take de stockin’\, I tak e de sock\, baby\,\nYou take de stockin’\, I take de sock\,\nTake you al l night to wind dat clock\, honey.\nYou take de garter an’ I take de str ing\, honey\,\nYou take de garter an’ I take de string\, baby\,\nYou tak e de garter an’ I take de string\,\nYou gits de money\, I don’t git a thing\, honey.\nYou take de slipper\, I take de shoe\, honey\,\nYou take d e slipper\, I take de shoe\, baby\,\nYou take de slipper\, I take de shoe\ ,\nI don’t kere now whut you gonna do\, honey.\nYou take de boot an’ I take de laig\, honey\,\nYou take de boot an’ I take de laig\, baby\,\nY ou take de boot an’ I take de laig\,\nYou ain’t nuffin but a rotten ai g\, honey.\nPull off Dem Shoes I Bought You\nA\n\nGoin’ up de country\,\ nDon’t you wanta go?\nGit me out my\nRag time clo’es.\nPull off dem sh oes I bought you\,\nPull off dem socks I bought you\,\nPull off dat hat I bought you\,\nYou know you have mistreated me.\nTore up all my clo’es\;\ nPull off dat wig I brung you\,\nLet yo’ devilish head go bal’.\nB\n\n Mary\, Mary\, when I met you\nYou didn’t have no clo’es at all.\nNow I ax you kindly\, Miss Mary\,\nGive me dem shoes\, stockin’s\, an’ dat petticoat\,\nAn’ dat dress an’ hat\, an’ las’ dat wig\,\nAn’ l et yo’ head go bal’.\n[141]\n\nMammy-in-Law Done Turn Me Out\n\nKeep o n a-worryin’\,\nWhat’s it all about?\nMammy-in-law\nDone turn me out.\ nDon’t bring in no sugar\,\nDon’t bring in no meat\,\nDon’t never br ing in\nNothin’ to eat.\nMammy-in-law done turn me out.\nDon’t bring i n no rations\,\nDon’t bring in no dough\,\n’Nother man hang around h er do’.\nMammy-in-law done turn me out.\nDe Women Don’t Love Me No M o’\n\nDe women don’t love me no mo’\,\nI’s a broke man from po ’ man’s town.\nDe women don’t love me no mo’\,\n’Cause I can’t buy her stockin’s an’ a gown\,\n’Cause I can’t buy her stocki n’s an’ a gown.\nI don’t kere\, don’t matter wid me\,\nI don’t l ove to work no mo’.\nGot to have money\, got to have clo’es\,\nDon’t \, a feller can’t make no show.\nDe gal love de money\nAn’ de man love de gal\;\nIf dey bofe don’t git what dey wants\,\nIt’s livin’ in he ll.\nThe Negro man runs true to masculine style when he philosophizes upon the subject of woman. Needless to say\, his philosophy is often the resul t of his failure to get along with the other sex. When he is “down” on womankind the burden of his song is that woman is the cause of most of th e trouble in the world. He avows that\n\nWoman is a good thing an’ a bad thing\, too\,\nThey quit in the wrong an’ start out bran’ new.\n[142] \n\nOr he declares that he will never again have anything to do with women :\n\nAll I hope in dis bright worl’:\nIf I love anybody\, don’t let it be a girl.\nOne of his strong points is giving advice to others in order that they may avoid his mistakes. “Listen to me\, buddy\,” he says\, “let me tell you what a woman’ll do.”\n\nDon’t never git one wo man on yo’ min’\,\nKeep you in trouble all yo’ time.\nDe Woman Am De Cause of It All and the songs immediately following it are typical of the songs of the woman-hater. Dey Got Each and de Other’s Man is as clever a bit of cynicism as one could want.\n\nDe Woman Am de Cause of It All\nA\ n\nDe woman am de cause of it all\,\nDe woman am de cause of it all\,\nShe ’s de cause of po’ Adam’s fall\,\nDe woman’s de cause of it all.\n Bill and John fall jes’ de same\,\nBill and John fall jes’ de same\,\n De onliest difference\, dey ain’t got po’ Adam’s name\,\nBut de woma n am de cause of it all.\nShe strips yo’ pocket book\,\nShe strips yo’ pocket book\,\nDen tells de police you a damn crook\,\nDe woman am de cau se of it all.\nWorkin’ in de gang\, ’out no frien’\,\nWorkin’ in d e gang\, ’out no frien’\,\nNobody comes\, brings nuffin’ in\,\nDe wo man am de cause of it all.\n[143]\n\nB\n\nDe woman is de cause of it all\, \nShe’s de cause of Daddy Adam’s fall.\nOl’ Daddy Adam\, Ol’ Mudde r Eve\,\nTakin’ all dese years to bring in de sheaves.\nOl’ Miss Eve didn’t have no showin’\nWidout heaps of stags to keep her goin’.\ nIf dey’d been twenty stags in de Garden of Eden\,\nDe devil and de sarp ent sho’d got beaten.\nIf Dere’s a Man in de Moon[68]\n\nIf dere’s a man in de moon\,\nDere’s a woman hangin’ roun’.\nIf dere’s a man in de moon\,\nShe nag at ’im\, I be boun’.\nMan in de moon\, man in de moon\,\nWonder if dat man’s a coon\,\nWonder if dat man’s a coon\,\nW onder if dat man’s a coon\,\nDat man in de moon.\nGo fer a walkin’ out at night\,\nSee dat woman pickin’ a fight.\nMan in de moon\, man in de moon\,\nWonder if dat man am a coon\,\nWonder if dat man am a coon\,\nWond er if dat man am a coon\,\nDat roun’ face man in de moon.\n[68]Probably derived from the song If the Man in the Moon Were a Coon\, which was a pop ular minstrel several years ago.\n\nA Vampire of Your Own\n\nIf you want t o have a vampire of your own\,\nLet these loose women alone.\nFix up your wife you have at home\,\nAn’ you’ll have a vampire of your own.\n[144] \nStop spendin’ your money on other women\,\nAn’ your friends\, you ha ve not any.\nGo home at night\, treat your own wife right\,\nAn’ you’l l have a vampire of your own.\nDey Got Each and de Udder’s Man\n\nSee tw o passenger trains\, Lawd\,\nRunnin’ side by side.\nSee two womens\, see two womens\,\nStan’ an’ talk so long.\nBet yo’ life dey got\nEach a nd de udder’s man.\nThe Negro man is at his best when he sings of his “gal” or his “baby.” Sometimes his song is boastful of the qualiti es of his “gal.” Sometimes he compares the merits of the brown girl an d the yellow girl or of the black and the yellow and casts his vote for hi s favorite color. Again\, he sings the story of his courtship\, and he cou nts it a never-to-be-too-much-talked-about experience to have been driven away from his sweetheart’s house by an irate father. In My Jane the love r characterizes his “gal” with enviable terseness and humor.\n\nMy Jan e\n\nMy Jane am a gal dat loves red shoes\,\nMy Jane am a gal dat loves si lk clo’es.\nMy Jane am a gal what loves plenty money\,\nShe can devil a feller till it ain’t even funny.\nMy Jane am a gal dat loves heaps o’ men\,\nGits what you got an’ dat’s yo’ en’.\nMy Jane am a gal love s to frolic all night\,\nWon’t cook fer a feller\, not even a bite.\nMy Jane’s a gal gits all she can\,\nIf you ain’t got it\, she hunts anoth er man.\nMy Jane am a gal drive a feller to de bad\,\nBut Jane’s\, hell- o-mighty\, bes’ gal I ever had!\n[145]\n\nMy Gal’s a High Bo’n Lady\ n\nMy gal she’s a high bo’n lady\,\nShe’s dark but not too shady\,\n All de mens fall fer dat\nHigh bo’n gal o’ mine!\nChorus:\nShe’s a h igh bo’n baby\,\nShe’s a high bo’n lady\,\nShe’s a brown dat suits my eye.\nDe mens dey calls her cutie\,\nDat gal a natural bo’n beauty\, \nAll de same I’s in de ring\nFer dat high bo’n brown o’ mine.\nIf Y ou Want to See a Pretty Girl\n\nRubber is a pretty thing\,\nYou rub it to make it shine.\nIf you want to see a pretty girl\,\nTake a peep at mine\, take a peep at mine.\nTalkin’ about a pretty girl\,\nYou jus’ ought-a see mine.\nShe is not so pretty\nBut she is jus’ so fine.\nShe gives me sugar\,\nShe gives me lard\,\nShe works all the while\nIn the white folk s’ yard.\nHoney Baby\n\nIf I could lay my head on yo’ sweet breas’\, \nHoney baby\, I could fin’ sweet res’.\nSweet res’\, sweet res’\, \nHoney baby\, I could fin’ sweet res’.\nIf I could set down in your l ap\,\nBaby mine\, I could have a nap.\nGood nap\, sweet nap\,\nHoney baby\ , I could have a nap.\n[146]\n\nGive Me a Teasin’ Brown\n\nIf ’twant f er de ter’pin pie\nAnd sto’-bought ham\,\nDese country women\nCouldn ’t git nowhere.\nSome say\, give me a high yaller\,\nI say\, give me a t easin’ brown\,\nFor it takes a teasin’ brown\nTo satisfy my soul.\nFor some folksies say\nA yaller is low down\,\nBut teasin’ brown\nIs what I’s crazy about.\nYou Take de Yaller\, I Take de Black\n\nYaller gal’ s yourn\nAn’ de black gal’s mine\,\nYou never can tell\nWhen de yaller gal’s lyin’.\nGive me a chocolate drop\,\nShe’s white on de inside\ ,\nBlack on de back.\nShe don’t cause a feller\nTo ride de railroad trac k.\nYou take yaller\,\nI take de black\,\nHurry up\, nigger\,\nCome out’ n dat shack.\nDat chocolate\nGal am mine.\nLong\, Tall\, Brown-skin Girl\n \nI’m Alabama boun’\,\nLong\, tall\, brown-skin girl.\nI’m Alabama boun’\,\nI’m Alabama boun’.\n[147]\nI have a mule to ride\nTo that long\, tall\, brown-skin girl.\nI have a mule to ride\,\nI have a mule to ride.\nShe is on the road somewhere\,\nShe is a long\, tall\, brown-skin g irl.\nShe is on the road somewhere\,\nShe is on the road somewhere.\nYou c an leave me here\nWith my long\, tall\, brown-skin girl.\nYou can leave me here\,\nYou can leave me here.\nI Got a Gal an’ I Can’t Git Her\n\nI got a gal an’ I can’t git her\,\nI got a gal an’ I can’t git her\, \nI got a gal an’ I can’t git her\,\nMammy won’t lemme see ’er\, can’t even go wid her.\nWent to de house\, I wus lovin’ sick\,\nWent to de house\, I wus lovin’ sick\,\nWent to de house\, I wus lovin’ sic k\,\nI got over dat spell\, Lawd\, mighty quick.\nDaddy had a pistol\, mam my had a gun\,\nDaddy had a pistol\, mammy had a gun\,\nDaddy had a pistol \, mammy had a gun\,\nTotin’ my stuff roun’ de corner\, Lawd\, wus fun .\nI Went to See My Gal\n\nI went to see my gal at half pas’ fo’\nHe r ol’ fool daddy met me at de do’.\n“I come to git a match\,” so s ays\, says I.\n“Write it on yo’ tombstone\, by and by.”\nI kicked up dirt\, I kicked up san’\,\nLawd\, I kicked up everything but dry lan’ .\nYou ax me did I run?—No\, Lawd\, I flew.\nI’s a mighty black nigger \, he skeered me blue.\n[148]\n\nBaby\, Why Don’t You Treat Me Right\n \nI’m goin’ down to the rivuh\,\nI’m goin’ to jump overboard an’ drown\,\nBecause the girl I love\,\nI can’t see her all the time.\nChor us:\nBaby\, why don’t you treat me right\,\nSo that I can love you all t he night?\nThen you will be my sweet little wife.\nBaby\, why don’t you treat me right?\nI’m coming to see you tomorrow night\,\nI want everythi ng to be just right\,\nI’m coming to get my own\,\nAn’ I want that shi ne to leave you alone.\nDey’s Hangin’ ’Roun’ Her Do’\n\nDe y’s a-hangin’ ’roun’ her do’\,\nDey’s never done dat befo’ \,\nFer she’s wearin’ her aprons low.\nLawdy\, Lawdy\, I don’t wanta go\,\nAll dese niggers hang ’roun’ her do’\,\n’Cause she’s wearin’ ’em hangin’ low.\nUnfaithfulness in love is another great so urce of song. “Somebody stole my gal” is a common tale\, and the seque l\, “I’m gonna git dat man\,” is equally common. The “creeper\,” the man who “fools wid another man’s woman\,” is the most despised of all Negro characters. Says the Negro man\,\n\nA sarpent crawls on his b elly\,\nA cat wallers on his back\;\nDe meanest varmint in de worl’\nIs de creeper in my shack.\nIn the following group of songs the man pays his respects to the unfaithful woman and to the “creeper.”\n\n[149]\n\nA C reeper’s Been ’Roun’ Dis Do’\n\nYou don’t think I don’t know \nA creeper’s been ’roun’ dis do’\, dis do’.\nA sarpent crawls o n his belly\,\nA cat wallers on his back\,\nDe meanest varmint in dis worl ’\nIs de creeper in my shack.\nMy woman say hit’s her brother\,\nDen s ay hit’s her daddy\, too\;\nIf dat midnight creeper don’t stay ’way\ ,\nI know what I’s gonna do.\nMy han’s am long\,\nMy fingers am strong and slim\,\nWhen I gits through wid dat creeper’s neck\nDey won’t be creeps lef’ in him.\nDew-drop Mine\n\nKeep me\, sleep me\, close on yo ’ heart\,\nTell me\, angel Susie\, never mo’ to part.\nMy black baby\, you got no wings\,\nBut\, my black baby\, you got better things.\nAngel m ine\, you quit lyin’\nIn de bed wid dat udder man\,\nDew-drop mine\, I ’s a cryin’\nFer you\, but I’s spyin’.\nAngel mine\, dis I know\,\ nYou don’t love me no mo’.\nDew-drop mine\, dis I know\,\nA midnight c reeper come in my do’.\nHe Tuck Her Away\n\nI sho’ got to fight\, I’ s got to use de knife\,\n’Cause dat stray done got my wife.\nOh\, he tuc k her away\, he tuck her away.\n[150]\n\nI Got My Man\n\nLook out\, nigger \, hol’ up yo’ han’.\nWaited long time\, but I got my man.\nYou got de gal\, I got you\,\nDevil git us bofe ’fore we gits through.\nHome Aga in\, Home Again[69]\n\nHome again\, home again\,\nCrazy to git back.\nWhen I gets dere\,\nFinds a stray man in my shack\,\nFinds a stray man in my s hack\,\nFinds a stray man in my shack\,\nHome again\, home again\,\nFinds a stray man in my shack.\nHome again\, home again\,\nAxe handle in de yard \,\nWhales dat nigger over de head.\nNow I’s workin’ hard\,\nNow I’s workin’ hard\,\nNow I’s workin’ hard\,\nHome again\, home again\, \nNow I’s workin’ hard.\nDe chain gang got me\, an’ de coal mine\, t oo\,\nBut\, Lawd\, what’s a po’ nigger gonna do\nWhen a creeper comes creepin’ in\,\nWhen a creeper comes creepin’ in\,\nWhen a creeper come s creepin’ in?\nHome again\, home again\,\nWhen a creeper comes a-cree pin’ in.\n[69]Cf. Home Again Blues\, a popular phonograph piece.\n\nI’ s Done Spot My Nigger\n\nHan’ on my gun\,\nFinger on de trigger\,\nI’s goin’ to jail\n’Cause I’s done spot my nigger.\n[151]\nMy woman don e fool me\,\nEverything gone wrong\;\nI ain’t never gonna live\nTo sing dis song.\nJedge an’ jury\nSentenced me to hang\,\nJes’ as lieve to go dere\nAs to go to de gang.\nHe Got My Gal\n\nCome up Whitehall\,\nRun out ’Catur\,\nI’se boun’ fer to fin’ dat\nBig black waiter.\nChorus:\ nHe got my gal\, he got my gal\,\nHe got my gal\, he got my gal\,\nI bou n’ now to git dat man.\nHe give her money\,\nHe give her fine wear\;\nBu t when I finds dat waiter\,\nWatch out fer his hair.\nShe’s Got Another Daddy\n\nBill Snipe’s wife couldn’t buy no coffin\,\nBut ’hin’ her veil I seen her laughin’.\nShe’s got another daddy\, Lawd\,\nShe’s got another daddy.\nBill’s wife rid ’hin’ de hearse\,\nShe rid in a hack\,\nI kotch her grinnin’ at her new daddy\nOut’n a crack.\nShe’s got another daddy\, Lawd\,\nShe’s got another daddy.\n[152]\n\nCHAPTER IX\nWOMAN’S SONG OF MAN\nWoman’s song of man is in most respects paral lel to man’s song of woman. Her themes are about the same. She sings of her “man” or “daddy\,” of her disappointments and failures in love \, of her unfaithful lover\, and of her own secret amours.\n\nIt will be n oticed that woman’s song conforms quite closely to the blues type as it is popularly known today. In Chapter I examples of the “mama” blues ti tles were given and in Chapter II it was pointed out that the majority of the formal blues of today deal with the sex theme. Furthermore\, most of t hese blues are sung from the point of view of woman. Consequently\, as son gs that may be remembered and sung from day to day\, they appear more acce ptable to woman than to man. Perhaps this explains why the influence of th e formal blues is encountered so frequently in the kind of songs with whic h this chapter is concerned. At any rate\, it is becoming increasingly dif ficult to find a song of woman on the man theme which does not show the in fluence of the popular blues.[70]\n\n[70]After consulting dozens of popula r pieces\, in both sheet music and phonograph record form\, we have been a ble to trace some of these songs to them\, but we feel sure that the influ ence of the formal blues is present in many other songs in this and other chapters\, even though we have failed so far to locate the direct evidence . We have omitted many songs that were clearly of formal origin\, although the singers insisted that they were entirely original.\n\nWoman’s song of man frequently concerns itself with “the other woman\,” the rival i n the case. The first two songs given here are only indirectly concerned w ith man\, but they are of interest because they[153] touch upon the “con flict of color” within the Negro community. They are only samples of a v oluminous literature of “chocolate” versus “yellow\,” or “bl ack” versus “brown\,” which is to be found in the songs of the Negro .\n\nDe Mulatto Gal\n\nDe mulatto gal got yaller skin\, yaller skin\,\nDe mulatto gal got yaller skin\, yaller skin\,\nDe mulatto gal got yaller ski n\, yaller skin\,\nDe mulatto gal got yaller skin\,\nDen she got a devilis h grin\, daddy.\nDe mulatto gal got kinky hair\, kinky hair\,\nDe mulatto gal got kinky hair\, kinky hair\,\nDe mulatto gal got kinky hair\, kinky h air\,\nDe mulatto gal got kinky hair\,\nAlways wears her big laigs bare\, daddy.\nDe mulatto gal got white-gray eyes\, gray eyes\,\nDe mulatto gal g ot white-gray eyes\, gray eyes\,\nDe mulatto gal got white-gray eyes\, gra y eyes\,\nDe mulatto gal got white-gray eyes\,\nAn’ dat’s a gal dat ne ver lies\, daddy.\nDe mulatto gal got great big laigs\, big laigs\,\nDe mu latto gal got great big laigs\, big laigs\,\nDe mulatto gal got great big laigs\, big laigs\,\nDe mulatto gal got great big laigs\,\nShe’s de gal makes de men beg\, daddy.\nDe mulatto gal got great big hips\, big hips\,\ nDe mulatto gal got great big hips\, big hips\,\nDe mulatto gal got great big hips\, big hips\,\nDe mulatto gal got great big hips\,\nShe’s de gal got kissin’ lips\, daddy.\nDe Chocolate Gal\n\nDe chocolate gal got gre asy hair\, greasy hair\,\nDe chocolate gal got greasy hair\, greasy hair\, \nDe chocolate gal got greasy hair\, greasy hair\,\nShe is de gal can cuss an’ rare\, daddy.\n[154]\nDe chocolate gal got col’ black eye\, black eye\,\nDe chocolate gal got col’ black eye\, black eye\,\nDe chocolate gal got col’ black eye\, black eye\,\nShe am de gal what steals an’ li es\, daddy.\nDe chocolate gal got thick black skin\, black skin\,\nDe choc olate gal got thick black skin\, black skin\,\nDe chocolate gal got thick black skin\, black skin\,\nShe de kin’ of gal what go to de pen\, daddy. \nDe chocolate gal she got big laigs\, big laigs\,\nDe chocolate gal she g ot big laigs\, big laigs\,\nDe chocolate gal she got big laigs\, big laigs \,\nShe am de gal what cries an’ begs\, daddy.\nDe chocolate gal got hea vy hips\, heavy hips\,\nDe chocolate gal got heavy hips\, heavy hips\,\nDe chocolate gal got heavy hips\, heavy hips\,\nShe’s de gal got lyin’ l ips\, daddy.\nSongs like those just given are varied to suit the color of the singer. If the black girl has an off-color rival\, she sings that it i s the yellow girl who “steals an’ lies\,” who “cries an’ beg s\,” who “can cuss an’ rare\,” and so on.\n\nIn the next few songs woman sings of her “man.” Her appellations\, “my man\,” “my daddy\,” “sweet papa\,” “chocolate drop\,” “Black Jack\,” a nd others\, are an interesting study in themselves. I’s Dreamin’ of Yo u has simplicity and a note of tenderness which approaches the better type of love song. The other songs are quite crude\, but it should be remember ed that they are characteristic only of the Negro woman of the lower class .\n\nI’s Dreamin’ of You\n\nI’s dreamin’ of you\,\nI’s dreamin ’ of you\,\nI’s dreamin’ of you\nEvery night.\n[155]\nI’s thinki n’ of you\,\nI’s thinkin’ of you\nI’s thinkin’ of you\nAll rig ht.\nI’s wantin’ of you\,\nI’s wantin’ of you\,\nI’s wantin’ o f you\nDay an’ night.\nOn de Road Somewhere\n\nOn de road somewhere\,\nI got a long\, tall chocolate-drop\nOn de road somewhere.\nDon’t you leav e me here\,\nDon’t you leave me here\,\nIf you will leave me here\,\nLea ve me dime fer beer.\nOn de road somewhere\,\nOn de road somewhere\,\nI go t a long\, tall chocolate-drop\nOn de road somewhere.\nMy Black Jack\n\nWh en I gits to heaven I don’t wanta stay\nWidout my Black Jack live out da t way.\nBlack Jack’s a rounder\, but I don’t kere\,\nAll us need to be happy is a bed an’ a cheer.\nDaddy Mine\n\nOver de fiel’ an’ ’cro ss de line\,\nI got a daddy dat I call mine.\nDaddy mine\, daddy mine\,\nK eep me cryin’ all de time.\nAin’t got no heart\, ain’t got no mon\,\ nBut\, God\, I loves dat daddy lak fun.\nDaddy mine\, daddy mine\,\nI got a daddy dat I calls mine\,\nDaddy mine\, daddy mine.\n[156]\n\nMy Man Am a Slap-stick Man\n\nMy man am a slap-stick man\,\nMy man dance wid de band. \nHis head am nappy\,\nHis feetsies is long\;\nNone o’ dese things\nMake my man wrong.\nMy man’s a slap-stick man.\nMy man am a slap-stick man\, \nMy man dance wid dat yaller gal.\nHer head am nappy\,\nHer feet am long\ ;\nAll o’ dese things\nMake dat gal dead wrong.\nMy man’s de slap-stic k man.\nDon’t You Two-time Me\n\nIf you gonna be my honey\nDon’t you t wo-time me.\nIf you gonna be my papa\,\nBetter have one man ’stead of th ree.\nDon’t you two-time\,\nTry to two-time me.\nCan Any One Take Sweet Mama’s Place?[71]\n\nCan any one take sweet mama’s place?\nI ain’t g ood lookin’\,\nAin’t got no curly hair\,\nBut my mama give me someth in’\nTake me each an’ everywhere.\nCome here\, sweet papa\,\nLook me i n de face\,\nIs dere anybody can take yo’ mama’s place?\nDe Mississipp i River\nIs so deep and wide\,\nCan’t see my good brown\nFrom de other s ide.\n[71]Cf. phonograph record\, Can Anybody Take Sweet Mama’s Place?\n \n[157]\n\nBut the chief theme in woman’s song\, as in man’s\, is trou ble. Sometimes the dominant note is disappointment:\n\nDat nigger o’ min e don’t love me no mo’\,\nDat ungrateful feller don’t love me no m o’.\nSometimes it is regret:\n\nI wish I was single again\,\nOh\, I wish I was single again.\nAgain the key-note is one of despondency:\n\nDone so l’ my soul to de devil\,\nAn’ my heart done turned to stone.\nAnd it i s usually the “other woman” who is at the bottom of the trouble.\n\nHe don’t send me no hearin’—\nI knows another gal’s dere an’ I ’s fearin’.\nDat sly\, ’ceitful\, lyin’ gal\,\nYes\, Lawd\, she st ole my man away.\nThese “hard luck” songs of woman are presented in th e next group. It is here that one finds the closest relation between folk songs and the formal blues.\n\nWhen I Wore My Ap’on Low\n\nWhen I wore m y ap’on low\,\nWhen I wore my ap’on low\,\nWhen I wore my ap’on low\ ,\nBoys would pass by my do’.\nNow I’m wearin’ it to my chin\,\nNo w I’m wearin’ it to my chin\,\nNow I’m wearin’ it to my chin\,\nBo ys all pass and dey won’t come in.\n[158]\n\nI Done Sol’ My Soul to de Devil[72]\n\nI done sol’ my soul\,\nDone sol’ it to de devil\,\nAn’ my heart done turned to stone.\nI got a lot o’ gol’\,\nGot it from de devil\,\nBecause he won’t let me alone.\nHe says he can make me happy\n An’ give me back my man\nIf you follow me in sin\,\nAn’ I wus so blue he took me in.\nLook what a fool I am.\nDone sol’ my soul\,\nDone sol’ it to the devil\,\nAn’ my heart done turned to stone.\nI live down in d e valley\nBy a hornet’s nest\,\nWhere de lions\, bears\, and tigers\nCom e to take deir rest.\n[72]Very similar to phonograph piece\, Done Sold My Soul to the Devil.\n\nI Got a Letter From My Man[73]\n\nI got a letter fro m my man\,\nMy man’s dyin’\, Lawd\, Lawd.\nI’m goin’ down track\, never look back\,\nGoin’ where my man fell dead.\nI’m gonna follow my man\,\nLawd\, gonna follow him to the buryin’ groun’.\nBut I’m so so rry\, Lawd\,\nBut I just can’t take your place.\nWell\, captain\, told y ou about my man\,\nSay\, I’m goin’ away\, can’t stay behind.\n[159]\ nSay\, I’m goin’ away\, captain\,\nLawd\, I done lef’ this town.\n Say\, I’m goin’ home\, captain\, an’\, captain\,\nI won’t be here so long.\nSay\, I’m goin’ away\, Lawd\, Lawd\,\nSay\, I’m on my way home.\nO Lawd\, captain\, tell me what’s matter now\,\nNothin’ matter\ , jus’ leavin’ the town.\nCaptain\, captain\, I’m goin’ away so lo ng\,\nYou make me think o’ my man.\nSay\, captain\, captain\, don’t be so hard on me\,\nO Lawd\, I don’t do nothin’ but wash an’ iron all day.\nSay\, captain\, captain\, I can’t work so hard\,\nO Lawd\, I can ’t wash an’ iron so hard.\nSay\, captain\, when you call my name\,\nYo u make me think\, Lawd o’ my man.\nSay\, captain\, I ain’t got no hu sban’\,\nLawd\, captain\, you got my man.\n[73]This song represents the lament of a construction-camp woman. The sentiment of the first four stanz as is found\, in a very different form\, in the phonograph piece\, Death L etter Blues.\n\nI Ain’t No Stranger\n\nI ain’t no stranger\,\nI ain’ t no stranger\,\nI jes’ blow into your town.\nI didn’t come here\,\nI didn’t come here.\nTo be dawged around.\nLook-a here\, daddy\,\nLook-a h ere\, daddy\,\nSee what you done done.\nDone made me love you\,\nDen tryin ’ to throw me away.\nSee dem crazy fellows\, daddy?\nGo to jail about ’em\,\nBut I wont go in—\n[160]\n\nWhat Can the Matter Be?[74]\n\nWhat can the matter be\, O dear\, what can the matter be?\nWhat can the matter be\, O dear\, Johnnie is so long at the fair.\nHe promised to bring me a ring an’ a locket\nAn’ all the nice things you wear in your pocket.\nH e promised to bring me a bunch of blue ribbon\nTo wear on my pretty brown hair.\nHe said if I’d love him he never would leave me\,\nBut now I have chased him I hope he won’t grieve me\,\nI love him so dearly I hope he won’t leave me\,\nBut Johnnie is so long at the fair.\nO dear\, what can the matter be?\nJohnnie is so long at the fair.\n[74]This song\, which is probably of white origin\, has a wide distribution. The present version i s from North Carolina. The song is mentioned in Pound’s syllabus\, Folk Song of Nebraska and the Central West. Perrow gives a version in Journal o f American Folk-Lore\, vol. 28\, p. 169.\n\nWorried Anyhow[75]\n\nWhen de man dat I love says\nHe didn’t want me no mo’\,\nI thought it was de h ardest word\nI ever heard befo’.\nWhen de blues overtake you\,\nI’s can’t beat a deal\,\nIf it wusn’t fer my mother\nAn’ de man I loves. \nI give myself to de sick\nAn’ my soul to de God above.\nIf you quit me \, daddy\,\nIt won’t worry me now\,\nBecause when we are together\nI am worried anyhow.\n[75]Cf. phonograph record\, Worried Anyhow Blues.\n\n[161 ]\n\nDere’s Misery in Dis Lan’\n\nI got a man an’ a sweetheart\, too \,\nI got a man an’ a sweetheart\, too\,\nI got a man an’ a sweetheart \, too\,\nDere’s misery in dis lan’\, dis lan’.\nCan’t please my man an’ my sweetheart\, too\,\nCan’t please my man an’ my sweethear t\, too\,\nCan’t please my man an’ my sweetheart\, too\,\nDere’s mis ery in dis lan’\, dis lan’.\nMy man makes money an’ my sweetheart ma kes none\,\nMy man makes money an’ my sweetheart makes none\,\nMy man ma kes money an’ my sweetheart makes none\,\nDere’s misery in dis lan’\ , dis lan’.\nMy sweetheart makes love an’ my man makes none\,\nMy swee theart makes love an’ my man makes none\,\nMy sweetheart makes love an ’ my man makes none\,\nDere’s misery in dis lan’\, dis lan’.\nDat Chocolate Man\n\nI ain’t never goin’ to be satisfied\,\nAll day an’ night I cried.\nDat big Bill o’ mine he hide\nFrom me\, yes\, from me.\n My ol’ haid it’s weary\,\nMy ol’ heart it’s dreary\nFor dat chocol ate man.\nI wonder where dat slim Bill’s gone\,\nI can’t do nothin’ but set an’ mo’n.\nDat big Bill stray from me\,\nYes\, he stray from m e.\nMy bed it’s lonesome an’ col’\,\nI can’t sleep to save my soul .\nDat big Bill o’ mine\,\nHe’s got dat yaller gal.\nMy ol’ haid i t’s achin’\,\nMy ol’ heart it’s breakin’\nFor dat chocolate man. \n[162]\n\nDem Longin’\, Wantin’ Blues\n\nI loves dat bully\, he sho ’ looks good to me\,\nI always do what he wants me to.\nDen he don’t s eem satisfied.\nI got de blues\,\nYes\, Saro\, I’s got dem wantin’ blu es\,\nDem longin’\, wantin’ blues.\nHe don’t send me no hearin’\,\ nI know another gal’s dere an’ I’s fearin’.\nHe don’t seem satis fied.\nNow I got de blues\,\nYes\, Lawd\, I got dem wantin’ blues\,\nDem longin’\, wantin’ blues.\nDat Nigger o’ Mine Don’t Love Me No M o’.\n\nUp an’ down de street\, ain’t got no show\,\nDat nigger o’ mine don’t love me no mo’.\nNo mo’\, no mo’\, no show\, no show\ ,\n’Cause dat ungrateful feller don’t love me no mo’.\nStroll to de corner\, cop in sight\,\nGonna kill dat man\, he ain’t treat me right.\n No mo’\, no mo’\, no show\, no show\,\n’Cause dat ungrateful felle r don’t love me no mo’.\nI Don’t Love Him No Mo’.\n\nIf I don’t come back\,\nIf I don’t come back\,\nPut de cop on dat\nBlack man’s tr ack.\nHe’s a rough-neck black\,\nKeep de p’liceman on his track\,\nP ut ’im in de jail house\,\nKeep ’im dere.\nI don’t love him no mo’ \,\nSo I don’t care.\n[163]\n\nI Wish I Was Single Again[76]\n\nWhen I w as single I was livin’ at my ease\,\nNow I am married a drunker to pleas e.\nI wish I was single again\,\nI wish I was single again.\nWhen I was si ngle\, fine shoes I wo’\,\nNow I am married\, my feet on the flo’.\nI wish I was single again\,\nI wish I was single again.\nThe water is to bri ng\, the flo’ to sweep\,\nThe children are cryin’ and nothin’ to eat .\nI wish I was single again\,\nI wish I was single again.\nWash their lit tle faces\, tuck them in their bed\,\nIn comes that drunken man—I wish h e was dead.\nI wish I was single again\,\nI wish I was single again.\n[76] Cf. Campbell &\; Sharp\, English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachi ans\, p. 256\; also phonograph record version\, I Wish I Was a Single Girl .\n\nDere’s a Lizzie After My Man\n\nDere’s a Lizzie after my man\,\ nDere’s a Lizzie after my man\;\nShe git ’im if she can\,\n’Cause I kotch her holdin’ his han’\,\nDis-a mawnin’\, dis evenin’ more ’ n late.\nHer face am powdered white\,\nHer face am powdered white\;\nHer h air am greasy an’ slick\,\nOn my man she try to work ’er trick\,\nDis- a mawnin’\, dis evenin’ more ’n soon.\nShe comed ’roun’ to my do’\,\nShe comed ’roun’ to my do’\;\nDen I ripped offen her skirt\ ,\nDen I tore offen his shirt\,\nDis-a mawnin’\, dis evenin’\, more ’n soon.\n[164]\n\nDat Sly Gal\n\nDat sly gal\,\nOh\, dat sly\, ’ceitf ul\, lyin’ gal\,\nShe leads dat long tearful prayer\nWid her head proppe d on my chair.\nShe stole my man away\,\nYes\, Lawd\, she stole my man awa y.\nI Don’t Feel Welcome Here\n\nI’s goin’ down de road\nWhere I can get better care.\nI believe I’ll go\n’Cause I don’t feel welcome he re.\nI’s goin’ to ketch dat train\,\nDont’ kere where it’s from\ ,\n’Cause I ain’t gonna stay here\nAn’ be made no stumblin’ block. \nI landed here one night\nWhen de clock wus strikin’ nine\,\nLookin’ fer dat woman\nDat had stole dat man o’ mine.\nI hunts dat woman high\,\ nI hunts dat woman low\,\nI’s gonna rip dat woman\nFrom her mouf clean d own befo’.\nOccupied\n\nCoon\, coon\, coon\, great big yaller coon\,\nHe sets all night jis’ outern my do’.\nHe says\, “Please lemme res’ dere jis’ once mo’\,”\nBut\, Lawd\, it’s occupied\,\nBut\, Lawd\ , it’s occupied.\nDat coon’d be hot if he knowed de troof\,\nDat a cho colate-drop lef’ over de roof.\nBut he wanta come in once mo’\nAn’ b e occupied\,\nAn’ be occupied.\n[165]\n\nI’m Gonna Get Me Another Man\ n\nMy man ain’t treatin’ me right\,\nHe haven’t been home this wee k.\nI’m goin’ get me another man\nAn’ let that black kinky-headed ba stard go.\nHe don’t love me an’ he don’t mean me no good.\nI’m a b rown-skin woman an’ tailor-made\,\nI believe I can get me a man in anybo dy’s town.\nThe man I love an’ am wild about\,\nHe is brown-skin\,\nGo t curled hair an’ tailor-made hisself.\nI Got Another Daddy\n\nLeavin’ here\, I sho’ don’t wanta go.\nGoin’ up de country\,\nBrown-skin\ , I can’t carry you.\nDon’t write me no letters\,\nDont’ sen’ me n o word\,\nI got another daddy\nTo take your place.\n[166]\n\nCHAPTER X\nFO LK MINSTREL TYPES\nOne of the most interesting of all the Negro’s secula r songs is the folk minstrel type. This minstrel song is similar to the or iginal minstrel\, in which one or more wandering musicians and songsters t ravel from place to place rendering song and music with varied accompanime nts. Sometimes one singer goes alone\, sometimes two\, sometimes a quartet te. They are entertainers in the real sense that they exhibit themselves a nd their art with all the naturalness and spontaneity possible. Furthermor e\, such minstrels are not infrequently ingenious in composing new verses and adapting them to old tunes or to newly discovered ones. Such songs are also well adapted to social gatherings and to various special occasions. They should be distinguished from the black-face type of vaudeville song a nd the minstrel show\, although of course the song of the traveling show m ust inevitably influence the minstrel type a great deal. For sheer type-po rtraiture\, however\, the minstrel Negro and his song must undoubtedly be presented if the whole picture is to be complete.\n\nTypical scenes are th e singing on special gala occasions\, such as fairs\, holidays\, and picni cs\, at resorts of the whites\, on the road or on street corners. Such sin gers also accompany many a patent-medicine man or other street-corner vend er of wares. Sung in this way\, of course\, are many of the ordinary secul ar creations\, but in general the minstrel type is[167] more finished and formal\, with more of rhyme and something of the ballad technique\, with m uch of the humor and entertaining qualities implied in its kind. Most of t hese songs would repay special study on the part of the student of folk so ngs and ballads who wishes to trace origins and developments. While all th e songs we have listed are Negro songs in the sense that they are sung muc h and regularly by Negroes\, with the special artistic expression and mann er common to them\, they are\, of course\, often much mixed with similar s ongs originating elsewhere. In the case of It Ain’t Gonna Rain No Mo’\ ,[77] for instance\, the origin of course is a common one\, and many of th e scores of verses are sung alike by white and Negro minstrels\, with only minor distinctions due to manner and situation. And yet of the several hu ndred verses which are even now extant\, some are very clearly of Negro or igin\, exhibiting something of the Negro’s traditional phrases and his b lues. A Negro quartette singing It Ain’t Gonna Rain No Mo’ is undoubte dly singing a Negro song. Among the songs in the previous volume which are adapted to the minstrel type of singing are Railroad Bill\, Lilly\, Stago lee\, Eddy Jones\,[78] and some of the more recently composed religious ty pes.\n\n[77]No verses of It Ain’t Gonna Rain No Mo’ are given in this volume\, although our collection included several score. They are scarcely within the bounds of the present collection.\n\n[78]See The Negro and His Songs\, pp. 196\, 198\, 205\, 228.\n\nOne of the most attractive of all t he Negro songs we have heard was That Liar\, sung by two elderly Negro men at Columbia\, South Carolina\, through the courtesy of Dr. E. L. C. Adams . The main part of the song is always chanted by the leader in recitative sing-song very much after the fashion of a sermon when the minister has re ached his emotional climax. Then upon reaching the chorus\, he suddenly tu rns into rapid[168] song\, accompanied by his companion. They sing the cho rus with the usual accompaniment of “Oh” or “Lawd” or “Let me tell you.” The song\, with some variations and repetitions\, is good for almost an hour’s entertainment. It is also a very good shouting song.\n \nThat Liar[79]\n\nJes’ let me tell you how a liar will do.\nAlways co min’ with somethin’ new\,\nHe’ll steal yo’ heart with false preten se\,\nMakin’ out like he’s yo’ bes’ frien’\;\nAn’ when he find s out you believe what he say\,\nThen that liar gonna have his way.\nHe’ ll bring you news ’bout women and men\,\nMake you fall out with yo’ bes’ frien’.\nChorus:\nIf you don’t want to get in trouble\,\nIf y ou don’t want to get in trouble\,\nIf you don’t want to get in trouble \,\nYou better let that liar alone.\nWhen a liar takes a notion his friend s to improve\,\nHe lay around de neighbors and git de news.\nNearly every day when you look out\,\nSee that liar come to yo’ house\,\nTell you sic h lies surprise yo’ min’\nAn’ mix a little truth to make it shine. \nAn’ when he git his news fix jes’ right\,\nThat liar gonna cause a f ight.\nWhen everything’s in perfect peace\,\nHere come that liar with hi s deceit\,\nMake believe that he love you so well\,\nTill every day he mus t come an’ tell.\n“Let me tell you\, my sister\, if you jes’ knew\nW hat a certain somebody tell me ’bout you.”\nHe studies up lie and tell it so smooth\,\nUntil you think undoubtedly must be true.\nHe’ll bring you out to trace de tale\,\nAn’ if you don’t mind you’ll be put in j ail.\n[169]\nA hypocrite and liar both keep up a fuss\,\nDey both very bad \, but a liar’s the wuss\;\nHe’ll come to yo’ house in powerful rush \,\nSay\, “I can’t stay long for I must go to my work\,\nI jes’ come to tell you what somebody say.”\nThen he’ll take a seat an’ stay al l day.\nHe’ll tell you some things that’ll cause you to pout\,\nThen a t las’ he’ll force you out.\nHe knows that he owes you\, an’ if you ask him for pay\,\nHe’ll fall out wid you and stay away.\n[79]Cf. The so ng given by Ballanta in his St. Helena Island Spirituals\, p. 72.\n\nSung in very much the same way is the War Jubilee Song\, itself a type of popul ar traveling song. It was the favorite of the same two singers\, both note d songsters of the Columbia environs\, and they claimed to have learned it from a traveling Negro secretary of the Y. W. C. A.\, who came from Flori da immediately after the World War. Here again the chorus was sung with ef fective variations\, “Now I’m so glad\,” or “You know I’m so glad\,” or “I declare I’m so glad\,” and many others.\n\nWar Jubi lee Song\n\nWhen the U. S. got in de war\nWus de saddes’ day I ever saw. \nRegistration day began to start\nAn’ it come near breakin’ all mot hers’ heart.\nChorus:\nNow I’m so glad\, I’m so glad\,\nNow I’m so glad\, I’m so glad\,\nNow I’m so glad\, I’m so glad\nJesus brought peace all over dis lan’.\nYou know\, I declare\,\nJesus brought peace al l over dis lan’.\nBut God who called us here below\nTol’ de boys\, “ Get ready\, with you I’ll go.”\nJes’ take me over in Germany lan ’\nAn’ I will conquer every man.\n[170]\nWhen time fer train to roll\, \nUncle Sam had boys under his control\,\nAn’ when town bell begin to ri ng\nSome tried to be happy and begin to sing.\nSome from Newport News\, so I am tol’\,\nAn’ some in France where it was col’.\nJes’ carry me over in de lan’ of France\nWhere every soldier will have a fightin’ c hance.\nThat vessel leave New York with thousands on board\,\nSteam ship c arry such a heavy load.\nLawd\, I’m over in very strange lan’\,\nWid a ll soldiers walk han’ in han’.\nAn’ no good Christian did not fear \,\n’Cause Jesus Christ was engineer\,\nEngineer standin’ at chariot w heel\nBackin’ up children on battle fiel’.\nReason why war did last so long\,\nSo many people was livin’ wrong\,\nJes’ goin’ round runni n’ down colors and race\nAn’ oughter been beggin’ fer little mo’ g race.\nWhilst dey wus fightin’ great noise wus heard\,\nSmoke wus flyi n’ jes’ lak a bird\,\nMen were dyin’ wid thousands of groans\,\nNow peace declared an’ boys at home.\nUncle Sam he made and signed a decree\ nFor American nation to ben’ de knee.\nGod sits in Heaven an’ answers prayer\,\nAn’ dey had to stop fightin’ over there.\nWe put ourselves a s debt to God\,\nWe say we’d follow where he trod\,\nBut de way got dark and we couldn’t see\nJes’ who de winner of war would be.\nBut de Chri stians prayed until dey cried\,\nHypocrite say dat dey had lied.\nBut in d eir heads dey had a doubt\,\nBut when peace was declared\, Lawd\, dey want ed to shout.\n[171]\n\nOne of the most entertaining songs in all the reper toire of the Negro’s aggregate creations is Mr. Epting\, sung by four Ne gro pick-and-shovel men with such zest and harmony as we have rarely heard . It is apparently a parody on the war song Good Morning\, Mr. Zip\, and w ith this particular quartette of workers would make a hit on any stage. In the singing\, the largest member of the group dances a jig and exclaims i n his big bass voice\, “Lawd\, Lawd\, I feels funny when I sings this so ng. Lawd\, Lawd\, I can’t keep still\, it gives me such a funny feelin ’. Whoopee! Singin’ ’bout white man gives me funny feelin’.” In addition to the verses sung here the singer may substitute for whiskey and cocaine such words as gun\, woman\, policeman\, work\, and other forces w hich may be calculated to lead to the demise of these slanderers of Mr. Ep ting.\n\nGood Morning\, Mr. Epting\n\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYour ha ir just nappy as mine.\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYou belong to the K. K. kind.\nWell\, ashes to ashes\,\nWell\, dust to dust\,\nShow me a woman\ nThat you can trust.\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYour hair just nappy as mine.\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYour hair just kinky as mine.\nGood m orning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYou belong to the K. K. kind.\nWell\, ashes to ashe s\,\nWell\, dust to dust\,\nShow me a woman\nThat you can trust.\nGood mor ning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYour hair just kinky as mine.\n[172]\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYour hair just as black as mine.\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\ ,\nYou belong to the K. K. kind.\nWell\, if whiskey don’t kill me\,\nWel l\, cocaine must\,\nShow me a woman\nThat you can trust.\nGood morning\, M r. Epting\,\nYour hair just black as mine.\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nY our hair just black as mine.\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYou belong to t he K. K. kind.\nPistol don’t kill me\,\nWell\, cocaine must\,\nShow me a woman\nThat you can trust.\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYour hair just a s black as mine.\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYour hair just short as min e.\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYou belong to the K. K. kind.\nWell if wh iskey don’t kill me\,\nWell\, cocaine must\,\nShow me a woman\nThat you can trust.\nGood morning\, Mr. Epting\,\nYour hair just as short as mine.\ nThe old song Raise a Rukus Tonight is now a popular one in various forms\ , those given here representing Georgia\, Tennessee and North Carolina. Th ere are many other versions and fragments\, but these will suffice to indi cate the type and mixture so common at present. One may easily see the sim ilarity to the old song but also its corruption by such modern types[173] as It Ain’t Gonna Rain No Mo’. Wring Jing\, while not a “rukus” ch orus\, is so much of the same sort as to make its comparison of value. The other much varied and corrupted types are also valuable for comparative p urposes.\n\nRaise a Rukus Tonight\nA\n\nMy ol’ master promise me\,\nRais e rukus tonight\;\nBefore he died he’d set me free\,\nRaise rukus tonigh t.\nChorus:\nCome along\, chillun\, come along\,\nWhile the moon is shinin g bright\,\nGet on board\, down the river float\,\n’Cause we gonna raise a rukus tonight.\nHis hair come out and his head turned bal’\,\nRaise r ukus tonight\;\nHe got out o’ notion dyin’ at all\,\nRaise rukus tonig ht.\n’Scuse me\, mister\, don’t get mad\,\nRaise rukus tonight\;\n’C ause you look like sumpin the buzzards had\,\nRaise rukus tonight.\nLook a t that nigger\, ain’t he black?\nRaise rukus tonight\;\nGot hair on his head like a carpet tack\,\nRaise rukus tonight.\nBlack cat settin’ on ch imney jam\,\nRaise rukus tonight\;\nIf that ain’t hot place\, I’ll be damn\,\nRaise rukus tonight.\nWay down yonder on chit’lin’ switch\,\nR aise rukus tonight\;\nBull frog jump from ditch to ditch\,\nRaise rukus to night.\n[174]\nBull frog jump from bottom of well\,\nRaise rukus tonight\; \nSwore\, by God\, he jumped from hell\,\nRaise rukus tonight.\nRaise a Ru kus Tonight\nB\n\nSome folks say preacher won’t steal\,\nRaise rukus ton ight\;\nI caught two in my corn fiel’\,\nRaise rukus tonight.\nOne had a bushel\, one had fo’\,\nRaise rukus tonight\;\nIf that ain’t steali n’ I don’t know\,\nRaise rukus tonight.\nMy ol’ missus promised me\, \nRaise rukus tonight\;\nWhen she died she’d set me free\,\nRaise rukus tonight.\nShe live so long ’til she got bal’\,\nRaise rukus tonight\;\ nShe got out notion dyin’ at all\,\nRaise rukus tonight.\nSo come along\ , chillun\, come along\,\nWhere moon shine bright tonight\;\nGet on board before boat gone\,\nGonna raise rukus tonight.\nRaise a Rukus Tonight\nC\n \nCome on\, niggers\,\nWhile the moon is shining bright\,\nGet on the boat \,\nDown the river we’ll float\,\nWe’re gonna raise a rukus tonight.\n Come on\, little chillun\,\nWhile the moon is shining bright\,\n[175]\nW e’re gonna raise cornbread\nAn’ sweet potatoes tonight\,\nRaise rukus tonight.\nMy ol’ missus promised me\,\nRaise rukus tonight\,\nWhen she d ied she’d set me free.\nWe’re gonna raise a rukus tonight\,\nGonna rai se a rukus tonight.\nMy ol’ master promised me\,\nGonna raise a rukus to night\,\nWhen I grew to be a man\nHe’d give me a horse’s rein.\nGonna raise a rukus tonight.\nWring Jing Had a Little Ding\n\nIf I live to see n ext fall\,\nWring Jing had a little ding\,\nAin’t goin’ to have no lov er at all\,\nWring Jing had a little ding.\nMy ol’ missus promised me\,\ nWring Jing had a little ding\,\nWhen she died she’d set me free\,\nWrin g Jing had a little ding.\nWhen she died she died so po’\,\nWring Jing h ad a little ding\,\nShe left me sittin’ on de kitchen flo’\,\nWring Ji ng had a little ding.\nBull frog jumped into bottom of well\,\nWring Jing had a little ding\,\nSwore\, by golly\, he jumped in hell\,\nWring Jing ha d a little ding.\nMy ol’ missus had a mule\,\nWring Jing had a little di ng\,\nHis name was Martin Brown\,\nWring Jing had a little ding.\nEvery fo ot that Martin had\,\nWring Jing had a little ding\,\nWould cover an acre of groun’\,\nWring Jing had a little ding.\n[176]\n\nGwine to Git a Home By an’ By\n\nMy ol’ missus promised me\,\nGwine to git a home by an ’ by\,\nWhen she died\, she’d set me free\,\nGwine to git a home by an’ by.\nShe did live till she got bal’\,\nGwine to git a home by an ’ by\,\nAnd she never died at all\,\nGwine to git a home by an’ by.\nC horus:\nDen O dat watermelon!\nLamb of goodness\, you must die\;\nI’m gw ine to jine de contraband\, chillun\,\nGwine to git a home by an’ by.\nA shoo-fly cut a pigeon wing\,\nGwine to git a home by an’ by\;\nA rattle snake rolled in a ’possum’s skin\,\nGwine to git a home by an’ by.\n Cow path crooked gwine through the wood\,\nGwine to git a home by an’ by \,\nMissus says I shan’t\, I says I should\,\nGwine to git a home by a n’ by.\nSister Sue and ol’ Aunt Sallie\,\nGwine to git a home by an’ by\,\nBoth live down in shin-bone alley\,\nGwine to git a home by an’ b y.\nName on de house\, name on de do’\,\nGwine to git a home by an’ by \,\nBig green spot on de grocery sto’\,\nGwine to git a home by an’ by .\nThere are many songs of the mule\, some of which are old and being revi ved\, some of which have been made new by the phonograph records. The firs t illustration here was sung with remarkable effect at the Dayton\, Tennes see\, Scopes trial\, with hundreds of whites and Negroes standing around t he quartette of Negroes[177] who came for the occasion. Most of their song s were of the stereotyped sort\, such as Ain’t Gonna Rain No Mo’. The mule song is the best illustration of the minstrel type given in this volu me. The other mule songs are presented largely for comparison\, and are no t particularly valuable. One of these\, exhorting Miss Liza to keep her se at\, is similar to the version collected twenty years ago in Mississippi.[ 80]\n\n[80]See The Negro and His Songs\, p. 235.\n\nGo ’Long Mule\n\nI ’ve got a mule\, he’s such a fool\nHe never pays no heed\;\nI built a fire ’neath his tail\,\nAn’ then he showed some speed.\nChorus:\nGo ’long\, mule\,\nDon’t you roll dem eyes\;\nYou can change a fool\, but a doggone mule\nIs a mule until he dies.\nDrove down to the graveyard\,\n Some peaceful rest to fin’\;\nBut when a black cat crossed my path\nI su re did change my min’.\nMy gal’s ol’ man don’t like me much\,\nH e’s got a heart o’ flint\;\nLast night I saw him buy a gun\nAn’ I ca n take a hint.\nI bought some biscuits for my dog\nAn’ put them on the s helf\;\nTimes got so hard I shot the dog\nAn’ ate them up myself.\nBoth Rufus Akes an’ Rastus Payne\nGot married down in Gaines\;\nAn’ now the y say the Georgia woods\nAre full of Akes an’ Paynes.\n[178]\nA cowslip ain’t no kind o’ slip\nTo slip upon a cow\;\nThat’s why a catfish ne ver answers\nTo a cat’s meow.\nA man in Georgia pulled a gun\nAn’ took a shot at me\;\nJust as he took the second shot\nI passed through Tenness ee.\nBill Jones was taken ill while callin’\nOn his gal Salome.\nWhat re ally caused his illness was\nHer husband who came home.\nThey say some one ’s been stealin’ things\,\nIt’s kind-a newsed aroun’\;\nI swear I don’t know who it is\,\nBut I am leavin’ town.\nI’m goin’ to the river now\nTo lay me down and die\,\nAn’ if I find the water’s wet\ nI’ll wait until it’s dry.\nMy gal invited me to dine\,\nI went prepar ed to eat\;\nBut all she placed upon my plate\nWas chicken necks and feet. \nThey’re gonna hold a meetin’ there\nOf some society.\nThere’s ’l even sheets upon the line\,\nThat’s ten too much for me.[81]\n[81]Eviden tly refers to a Ku Klux Klan meeting.\n\n[179]\n\nHump-back Mule\n\nIf you want to sneeze\,\nTell you what to do\,\nGet some salt an’ pepper\,\nPu t it in yo’ shoe.\nRidin’ hump-back mule\,\nRidin’ hump-back mule\,\ nIf you want to see pretty yaller gal\,\nShe’s ridin’ a hump-back mule .\nOl’ massa bought pretty yaller gal\,\nBought her from the South\,\nSh e wrapped her hair so tight\nShe couldn’t open her mouth.\nRidin’ hump -back mule\,\nRidin’ hump-back mule\,\nIf you want to see pretty yaller gal\,\nShe’s ridin’ a hump-back mule.\nCarried her to blacksmith shop\ nTo have her mouth made small\,\nShe back her years and open her mouth\nAn ’ swallowed shop and all.\nRidin’ hump-back mule\,\nRidin’ hump-back mule\,\nIf you want to see pretty yaller gal\,\nShe’s ridin’ a hump-b ack mule.\nNiggers plant de cotton on hill\,\nNiggers pick it out\,\nWhite man pocket money\,\nNigger does without.\nRidin’ hump-back mule\,\nRi din’ hump-back mule\,\nIf you want to see pretty yaller gal\,\nShe’s r idin’ a hump-back mule.\nWhoa\, Mule\n\nI hear dem sleigh bells ringin ’\, snow am fallin’ fas’\,\nI’s got dis mule in de horness\, got h im hitched at las’.\nLiza\, get yo’ bonnet\, come an’ take a seat\,\ nGrab up dat robe you’re sittin’ on an’ cover up yo’ feet.\n[180]\ nChorus:\nWhoa\, mule\, whoa I say!\nKeep yo’ seat\, Miss Liza Jane\, an’ hold on to de sleigh.\nWhoa\, mule\, whoa I say!\nKeep yo’ seat\, Miss Liza Jane\, an’ hold on to de sleigh.\nWhat’s dis mule a-roamin ’ for? He ain’t got half a load.\nWhen you catch dis mule a-roamin ’\, jus’ give him all de road.\nDon’t get scared at nothin’\, you stay here today\,\nLiza\, help me hold dis mule\, or else he’ll get away .\nWatch dis mule a-goin’\, goodness how he can sail!\nWatch his big ear s floppin’\, see him sling his tail.\nGoin’ down to de ’possum\, Liz a\, you keep cool\,\nI ain’t got time to kiss you now\, I’s busy with dis mule.\nA Nigger’s Hard to Fool\n\nA Georgia nigger an’ a Georgia m ule\,\nDese two asses is hard to fool.\nMight fool a white man\,\nMight fo ol his mother\,\nMight fool his sister\,\nAn’ you might fool his brother \;\nBut a nigger’s hard to fool\,\nBut a nigger’s hard to fool.\nA Geo rgia yaller gal\nAn’ a Georgia black\nKin always dog\nA feller’s track \,\nBut he’s hard to fool.\nYes\, Lawd\, a nigger’s hard to fool.\nA G eorgia road’s red\,\nBottom lan’ black\,\nA Georgia nigger\nIs a crack er jack\,\nAn’ he’s hard to fool.\nYes\, Lawd\, a nigger’s hard to f ool.\n[181]\n\nI’m Fishin’ Boun’\n\nLook ’cross the fiel’\, see the sun comin’ down\,\nDis is de day to be layin’ ’roun’.\nBait in de can\, hook on de stick\,\nI’m done too lazy to hit a lick\,\nI’m f ishin’ boun’\, I’m fishin’ boun’.\nLazies got me\, an’ I don ’t keer\,\nStomach’s empty\, but who’s gonna fear?\nBait in de can\, hook on de stick\,\nFishin’ spell done got me\, I can’t hit a lick\ ,\nI’m fishin’ boun’\, I’m fishin’ boun’.\nCome on fellers\, wid yo’ luck in yo’ han’\nWe’s gonna eat minners out de fryin’ pan\,\nBait in de can\, hook on de line\,\nIf I don’t go to fishin’\, nigger\, I’ll be dyin’\,\nI’m fishin’ boun’\, I’m fishin’ boun’.\nStretch flat on yo’ belly wid yo’ back in de air\,\nLook o ut fo’ yo’ hook\, Lawd\, he’s bitin’ dere!\nBait in de can\, hook on de stick\,\nI’m plum’ so hungry\, I’m most nigh sick\,\nI’m f ishin’ boun’\, I’m fishin’ boun’.\nCo’n Bread\n\nCo’n brea d\, co’n bread\,\nFeed dis nigger on co’n bread.\nWhite man eats biscu it\,\nNigger eats pone\;\nNigger he’s de stronges’\nJes’ sho’s y ou bo’n.\nCo’n bread\, co’n bread\,\nGive dis nigger greasy co’n b read.\nPut on de skillit\,\nPo’ in de grease\,\nDon’t make a little\,\ nBut a great big piece.\nCo’n bread\, co’n bread\,\nAll lazy niggers l oves co’n bread.\n[182]\nSif’ out de bran an’\nDrap in de pone\,\nLa wd knowed whut he’s doin’\nWhen he made dat co’n.\nCo’n bread\, co’n bread\,\nGive dis nigger plenty co’n bread.\nYou loves Emma an’ \nI loves Jake.\nYou is de nigger\nSome greasy co’n bread to bake.\nCo ’n bread\, co’n bread\,\nBlack greasy nigger eats co’n bread.\nOne han’ in de hopper\,\nDe udder in de sack\,\nOl’ black nigger wid\nRed lips to smack.\nCo’n bread\, co’n bread\,\nBlack greasy nigger eats co’n bread.\n’Taters in de hill\,\nMeal in de bag\,\nHome-made sirup\ nIn de old black keg.\nCo’n bread\, co’n bread\,\nBlack lazy nigger ea ts co’n bread.\nAshes in de corner\,\nFire in de middle\;\nWoman cooks r ations\,\nMan sets an’ whittles.\nCo’n bread\, co’n bread\,\nFeed di s nigger on co’n bread.\nOther songs which are current through the singi ng of the minstrel type\, or distributed widely on printed sheets in much the same way as the “mule” songs\, are No Coon But You\, De Co’t Hou se in De Sky\, and[183] Hi-Jenny-Ho\, sent us by Mr. J. D. Arthur of Tenne ssee. The Pullman Porter is a little more sophisticated\, but represents a type of humor and easy-going vaudeville style.\n\nNo Coon But You\n\nAs I was strollin’ down the street\,\n“Who did you meet?”\nA yellah gal I chanced to meet.\n“What did you say?”\nSaid I\, “My little honey\, now who’s\nyou gwine to meet?\nMay I have the pleasure of walkin’\ndo wn the street\nWith the one I long so for? You are\nthe apple of my eye. ”\nAn’ then she turned her sparklin’ eyes\nan’ quickly said to me: \nChorus:\n“No coon but you\, babe\, no coon but you\,\nNo coon but you\ , babe\, will ever do.\nNo coon but you\, babe\, no coon but you\,\nNo coo n but you will ever do.”\nAs we were passin’ down the street\,\n“Wha t happened then?”\nHer Sunday babe we chanced to meet.\n“What happened then?”\nHe grabbed me by the shoulder\, he quickly\nturned me ’roun ’.\nSaid I\, “Look out here\, nigger\, I’ll fall\nyou to the gro un’.”\nBut he took away my yellah gal\, an’ as\nthey passed me by\,\ nI heard him say\, “Now who’s your babe?” an’\nthen she said to him:\n“No coon but you\, babe\,” etc.\n[184]\nThat very same night the re was a ball.\n“Where\, nigger\, where?”\nDown at the Black Fo’-H undred’s Hall\,\n“S’pose you were there?”\nYes\, I took along my r azuh\, an’ gave\nit such a swing\,\nI cut that yellah nigger right under \nhis left wing.\nAn’ as they carried out his corpse\nI heard the people say\,\n“Now who’ll be her babe?” an’ then\nshe said to me:\n“No coon but you\, babe\,” etc.\nDe Co’t House in de Sky\n\nI’s got a n otion in my head\nAs when you come to die\,\nYou’ll stand a ’zaminatio n\nIn de co’t house in de sky.\nYou’ll be astonished at the questions\ nThat the angels gwine to ax\,\nWhen they get you on the witness stan’\n An’ pin you to the facts.\nDen yo’ eyes will open wider\nThan they eve r done befo’\,\nWhen they ax you ’bout the chicken scrapes\nWhat happe ned long ago.\nChorus:\nTo de co’t house in de sky\nI will raise my wing s an’ fly\,\nAn’ stan’ the ’zamination\nIn de co’t house in de s ky.\nNow de angels on de picket line\nAlong the milky way\nKeeps watchin ’ what you’re doin’\nAn’ hearin’ what you say.\nNo matter what you’re gwine to do\,\nNo matter whar you’re gwine\,\nThey’s mighty apt to find it out\nAn’ pass it long de line.\n[185]\nDen often in de me etin’-house\nYou make a fuss or laugh\,\nDen the news it goes a kiti n’\n’Long the golden telegraph.\nDen de angel in de office\,\nWhat is settin’ by the gate\,\nJes’ reads the message with a look\nAn’ claps it on de slate.\nOh\, you’d better do yo’ duty\, boys\,\nAn’ keep yo’ conscience clear\,\nAn’ keep a-lookin’ straight ahead\nAn’ watchin’ whar you steer.\n’Cause after while the time will come\nTo jo urney from dis lan’\,\nDey’ll take you ’way up in de air\nAn’ plac e you on de stan’.\nDen you’ll have to listen mighty close\nAn’ answ er mighty straight\,\nIf you ever ’spects to enter\nThrough that pretty golden gate.\nOh\, you’d better stop yo’ foolin’\,\nThat’s a place you can’t slide by\,\nWhen you stan’ the ’zamination\nIn de co’t house in de sky.\nHi\, Jenny\, Ho\, Jenny Johnson\n\nOnce I loved a yaller gal\, she said she’d marry me\,\nHi\, Jenny\, ho\, Jenny\, ho\, my Jenn y Johnson!\nSaw her eatin’ apples at a huckleberry bee\,\nHi\, Jenny\, h o\, Jenny Johnson!\nTook her to a ball an’ we never did get back\nTill t he break of morn\, when you hear the chickens quack.\nShe wouldn’t take the cars\, so I took her in a hack\;\nHi\, Jenny\, ho\, Jenny Johnson!\nCh orus:\nHi\, Jenny\, ho\, Jenny\, come along with me\,\nHi\, Jenny\, ho\, J enny\, ho\, my Jenny Johnson!\nSweeter than the honey at a huckleberry bee \,\nHi\, Jenny\, ho\, Jenny Johnson!\n[186]\nO my darling Jenny\, she’s the sweetest girl in town\,\nHi\, Jenny\, ho\, Jenny\, ho\, my Jenny Johns on!\nCaptivates the neighborhood for miles an’ miles aroun’\,\nHi\, Je nny\, ho\, Jenny Johnson!\nSaid she loved another an’ it broke my heart in two\,\nAn’ I had to get it mended with a little piece of glue\;\nShe gave me back my locket an’ a little silver shoe\,\nHi\, Jenny\, ho\, Jen ny Johnson!\nNow my Jenny’s married to a little yaller coon\,\nHi\, Jenn y\, ho\, Jenny\, ho\, my Jenny Johnson!\nTake care for Jenny’s hubby\, f or he’ll kill you mighty soon\,\nHi\, Jenny\, ho\, Jenny Johnson!\nWooly -headed pickaninnies runnin’ roun’ the flo’\,\nFor they say there’ s only two\, but I wish they had a sco’\;\nI’m gwine away to China\, so I’ll never see her mo’\,\nHi\, Jenny\, ho\, Jenny Johnson!\nPullma n Porter\n\nRuns from California\nPlumb up to Maine.\nI’s a Negro porter \nOn de pullman train.\nPullman train\,\nPullman train\,\nI’s de Negro p orter\nOn de pullman train.\nBraid on the cap an’\nButtons in a row\,\nO n that blue uniform\nRight down the fo’.\nIn pullman train\,\nPullman tr ain\,\nI’s a Negro porter\nOn de pullman train.\nIt’s a tip right here \nAn’ a tip right thar\,\nTip all along\nUp an’ down de pullman car.\n [187]\nPullman train\,\nPullman train\,\nI’s a Negro porter\nOn de pullm an train.\nPocket full o’ money\,\nStomach full o’ feed\,\nWhat next i n the worl’\nDo a fellow need?\nPullman train\,\nPullman train\,\nI’s a Negro porter\nOn de pullman train.\nKitty Kimo[82]\n\nDar was a frog liv ed in a spring\,\nHe had such a cold dat he could not sing\,\nI pulled him out an’ frowed him on de groun’\,\nOl’ frog he bounced an’ run aroun’.\nChorus:\nCamo\, kimo\, daro\, war\,\nMy high\, my ho\, my rumst ipumstididdle\,\nSoot bag\, pidly-wickem\, linch ’em\, nip cat\,\nSing s ong\, Polly\, won’t you kime\, oh?\nMilk in de dairy\, nine days ol’\, \nRats an’ skippers are gettin’ hol’\;\nA long-tailed rat in a bucke t of souse\,\nJes’ come from de white folks’ house.\nIn North Carolina de niggers grow\,\nIf de white man only plant his toe.\nWater de ground w ith ’bacco smoke\,\nAn’ up de nigger’s head will poke.\nWay down Sou th in Cedar street\,\nDere’s where de niggers grow ten feet\,\nDey go to bed\, but ’tain’t no use\,\nDeir feet hang out for a chicken’s ro os’.\n[82]Cf. Scarborough\, On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs\, pp. 156-7 .\n\n[188]\n\nCHAPTER XI\nWORKADAY RELIGIOUS SONGS\nMany a laborer\, altho ugh singing his full quota of secular songs\, still finds his workaday sol ace best in his favorite heritage of church and religious melodies. There is surcease of sorrow in the plaintive\n\nYes\, Lawd\, burden down\, burde n down\,\nO Lawd\, since I laid my burden down.\nAnd the appeal for relief from present difficulties\, so eloquently expressed in the previous chapt ers\, finds its counterpart in this favorite of many workers of the presen t day.\n\nDo\, Lawd\, remember me\,\nDo\, Lawd\, remember me\,\nWhen I’m in trouble\,\nDo\, Lawd\, remember me.\nWhen I’m low down\,\nDo\, Lawd\ , remember me.\nOh\, when I’m low down\,\nDo\, Lawd\, remember me.\nDo n’t have no cross\,\nDo\, Lawd\, remember me\,\nDon’t have no crown\,\ nDo\, Lawd\, remember me.\nThere seems to be an impression abroad to the e ffect that the making of Negro spirituals stopped long ago. On the contrar y\, it is quite probable that more spirituals are being made today than du ring the days of slavery. As a matter of fact the old spirituals have neve r been[189] static. It is no longer possible to speak of the “pure” or “original” version of Swing Low\, Sweet Chariot\, of Roll\, Jordan\ , Roll\, or any other of the old favorites. If any one is in doubt of this \, let him compare the words and music of the spirituals as they were reco rded by Allen and others in 1867 with the records of the same songs later made by Fenner and Work and with the recent versions in James Weldon Johns on’s Book of American Negro Spirituals. Or let him compare the songs as they are sung at Hampton with the same songs as they are sung at Tuskegee or at Fisk. The spirituals\, like all other folk songs\, are dynamic. Some times in the process of constant change there appear variations which are so unlike the parent songs as to constitute virtually new songs. In this w ay the old spirituals have been the inspiration for untold numbers of new religious songs.\n\nAmong the lowly Negro folk of the South the making of spirituals is still a reality. Every community has its “composers.” Of ten they are supposed to possess some special gift of the “spirit.” Fr om sermon\, prayer\, and crude folk wisdom they draw ideas and inspiration for their compositions. Sometimes the results are pathetic\, but not infr equently there springs up a song which would compare favorably with the ol d spirituals.\n\nIt is not the purpose of this chapter to present the old spirituals or merely their newer variations\, but rather to give some of t he more unsophisticated religious songs of the workaday Negro as they are sung today in the South\, by the same groups and individuals whose songs a nd verbal pictures this volume presents. They are not the kind of songs wh ich are usually sung in the Negro churches\, for many of them have only in dividual or local significance\, while others show distinct secular touche s.\n\n[190]\n\nBiblical themes continue to find a place in the Negro’s r eligious songs. Moses and Pharaoh and Noah and the ark are still the favor ites. Here are a few of the workaday religious songs now current in the So uth. Pharaoh’s Army Got Drownded is a favorite with children\, and is of ten sung by them as a sort of reel. The three songs following it were sung by a woman in Georgia who is known locally as Sanctified Mary Harris. She claims that they are her own compositions and says that she composes only when she in “under de spirit.”\n\nPharaoh’s Army Got Drownded\n\nMa ry\, don’t you weep an’\, Marthie\, don’t you moan\,\nMary\, don’t you weep an’\, Marthie\, don’t you moan\;\nPharaoh’s army got drown ded\,\nO baby\, don’t you weep.\nI thinks every day an’ I wish I could \nStan’ on de rock whar Moses stood\;\nOh\, Pharaoh’s army got drownde d\,\nO baby\, don’t you weep.\nIf you git dere befo’ I do\,\nTell de Cap’n I’s a-comin’ too\;\nPharaoh’s army got drownded\,\nO baby \, don’t you weep.\nIf I had wings lak de angels have\,\nI never be caug ht drivin’ in anudder cab\;\nPharaoh’s army got drownded\,\nO baby\, don’t you weep.\nBaby\, don’t you weep an’\, baby\, don’t you moa n\,\nYou has to go to heaven wid yo’ buryin’ clothes on\;\nPharaoh’s army got drownded\,\nO baby\, don’t you weep.\n[191]\n\nGonna Turn Back Pharaoh’s Army\n\nWhen de children wus in bondage\nDey cried unto de La wd\,\n“O turn back Pharaoh’s army.”\nHallelu!\nChorus:\nGonna turn b ack Pharaoh’s army\,\nHallelu!\nYes\, a-gonna turn back Pharaoh’s army \,\nHallelu!\nI write to Marse Jesus\nTo send some valiant solders\nJus’ to turn back Pharaoh’s army\,\nHallelu!\nWhen Moses smit de water\nThe children all cross over\,\nDen dey turn back Pharaoh’s army\,\nHallelu!\ nDidn’t Ol’ Pharaoh Get Lost?\n\nGod spoke to Moses\, “Pharaoh now\, \nFer I have harden Pharaoh’s heart to me\,\nFer he will not bow.”\nCh orus:\nDidn’t ol’ Pharaoh get lost\, get lost!\nDidn’t ol’ Pharaoh get lost in de Red Sea?\nMoses went unto Pharaoh\nAn’ did whut de Lawd said how\,\nBut God had harden Pharaoh’s heart\,\nHe would not let dem g o.\nWho Built de Ark?\n\nDe very fust thing dat Nora done\,\nHe cut this t imber down.\nDe very next thing dat Nora done\nHe huded it all aroun’.\n [192]\nChorus:\nWho built de ark? Nora\, Nora.\nWho built de ark? Nora a n’ his Lawd.\nWho built de ark? Nora\, Nora.\nWho built de ark? Nora a n’ his Lawd.\nNora said to de rovin’ bird\,\n“Go bring me a grain of san’.”\nDe rovin’ bird cried\, “O Lawd\,\nI can’t find no lan’.”\nThe old songs had much to say about trouble\, the struggle wi th sin and the devil\, and the warning to the sinner man. Favorite lines u sed to be:\n\nNobody knows de trouble I’ve seen\nI’m a-rollin’ throu gh an unfriendly worl’\nO my good Lawd\, keep me from sinkin’ down\nWe are climbin’ Jacob’s ladder\nMy sins so heavy I can’t get along\nSi nner\, what you gonna do?\nO sinner\, don’t you let dis harves’ pass\n Perhaps Satan and the terrors of hell and judgment are not pictured as fre quently and as vividly as they used to be\, but they are still a vital par t of Negro song. The following songs portray the struggle with sin\, the w arning to the sinner\, and the superior status of the sanctified as oppose d to the sinner.\n\nGood Lawd\, I Am Troubled\n\nTroubles makes me weep an ’ moan\,\nGoin’ where troubles be no mo’\;\nGood Lawd\, I am trouble d.\nTroubles meet me at de do’\,\nGoin’ where troubles be no mo’\;\n Good Lawd\, I am troubled.\n[193]\nTroubles up and troubles down\,\nTroubl es never makes me frown\;\nGood Lawd\, I am troubled.\nWe Will Kneel ’Ro un’ de Altar\n\nLawd\, help me to be mo’ humble\,\nLawd\, help me to b e mo’ humble\,\nIn dat great gittin’-up mornin’\,\nLawd\, help me be mo’ humble in dis worl’.\nChorus:\nWe will kneel ’roun’ de alta r on our knees\,\nWe will kneel ’roun’ de altar on our knees\,\nWe wil l kneel ’roun’ de altar\nTill we view de risin’ sun.\nO Lawd\, have mercy on me.\nLawd\, help me be mo’ faithful\,\nLawd\, help me be mo’ faithful in dis worl’.\nWe will see God’s risin’ sun\,\nLawd\, help me be mo’ humble in dis worl’.\nLawd\, help de widders an’ de orphan s in dis worl’\,\nLawd\, help de widders an’ de orphans in dis worl’ .\nIn dis great gittin’-up mawnin’\,\nLawd\, help the widders an’ de orphans in dis worl’.\nDe Devil’s Been to My House[83]\n\nDe devil’ s been to my house today\, today\,\nDe devil’s been to my house today\, today\,\nLawd\, de devil’s been to my house today\, today\,\nDe devil’ s been to my house today\, today.\nI kicked him out my do’ today\, today \,\nI kicked him out my do’ today\, today\,\nLawd\, I kicked him out my do’ today\, today\,\nI kicked him out my do’ today\, today.\n[194]\n I’s goin’ sin-huntin’ today\, today\,\nI’s goin’ sin-huntin’ t oday\, today\,\nLawd\, I’s goin’ sin-huntin’ today\, today\,\nI’ s goin’ sin-huntin’ today\, today.\n[83]The next three songs are compo sitions of Sanctified Mary Harris. Have Everlastin’ Life has little orig inality\, however.\n\nJes’ Behol’ What a Number!\n\nYonder comes my si ster\nWho I’s loves so well.\nBy her disobedience\nShe have made her bed in hell.\nChorus:\nJes’ behol’ what a number!\nJes’ behol’ what a number!\nJes’ behol’ what a number\nFrom every grave-yard.\nI looks u nto de eas’\,\nI looks unto de wes’\,\nI see de dead a-risin’\nFrom every grave-yard.\nHave Everlastin’ Life\n\nBetter min’\, my sister\, how you walk on de cross\,\nHave on everlastin’ life\,\nYour foot might slip an’ your soul get los’\,\nHave everlastin’ life.\nChorus:\nOh\, he dat believe\, oh\, he dat believe\,\nHe shall have on everlastin’ li fe.\nHe dat believe on de father an’ de son\nShall have everlastin’ li fe.\nDe tallest tree in paradise\,\nHave everlastin’ life\,\nDe Christia n call it de tree of life\,\nPut on everlastin’ life.\n[195]\n\nThe Sanc tified\n\nSay\, who’s gonna ride my father’s horse?\nSay\, who’s gon na ride my father’s horse?\nSay\, who’s gonna ride my father’s horse ?\nThank God\, the sanctified.\nSay\, none can ride but the sanctified\,\n Say\, none can ride but the sanctified\,\nSay\, none can ride but the sanc tified\,\nThank God\, the sanctified.\nSay\, Paul he rode with the sanctif ied\,\nSay\, Paul he rode with the sanctified\,\nSay\, Paul he rode with t he sanctified\,\nThank God\, the sanctified.\nNo sinner rides with the san ctified\,\nNo sinner rides with the sanctified\,\nNo sinner rides with the sanctified\,\nThank God\, I’m sanctified.\nWhat You Gonna Do?\n\nSinner \, what you gonna do\nWhen de world’s on fi-er?\nSinner\, what you gonna do\nWhen de world’s on fi-er?\nSinner\, what you gonna do\nWhen de wo rld’s on fi-er?\nO my Lawd.\nBrother\, what you gonna do? etc.\nSister\, what you gonna do? etc.\nFather\, what you gonna do? etc.\nMother\, what you gonna do? etc.\nI Love Jesus\n\nDark was de night an’ cold was de gr oun’\nOn which de Lawd had laid\;\nDrops of sweat run down\,\nIn agony h e prayed.\n[196]\nWould thou despise my bleedin’ lam’\nAn’ choose de way to hell\,\nStill steppin’ down to de tomb\,\nAn’ yet prepared n o mo’?\nI love Jesus\,\nI love Jesus\,\nI love Jesus\,\nO yes\, I do\,\n Yes\, Lawdy.\nSave Me\, Lawd\n\nLawd\, have mercy\, Lawd\, have mercy.\nLa wd\, have mercy\, Lawd\, have mercy.\nSave po’ me\,\nSave po’ sinner\, \nSave po’ sinner\,\nSave po’ sinner\,\nSave me\, Lawd.\nI am a-dyin ’\,\nI am a-dyin’\,\nI am a-dyin’\,\nSave me\, Lawd.\nO Lawd\, bless me\, O Lawd\, bless me\,\nO Lawd\, bless me\, O Lawd\, bless me.\nSave po ’ me\,\nSave po’ sinner\,\nSave po’ sinner\,\nSave po’ sinner\,\nS ave me\, Lawd.\nParting and death are the subjects of the saddest songs th at the Negro sings. The following songs awaken thoughts of the old folk sa ying their goodby’s at the last service of a revival meeting or parting after a long-hoped-for family reunion. I Bid You a Long Farewell is one of the favorites of Aunt Georgia Victrum\, age eighty-three\, of Jasper Coun ty\, Georgia.\n\n[197]\n\nI Bid You a Long Farewell\n\nMother\, meetin’ is over\,\nMother\, we mus’ part.\nIf I never see you no mo’\,\nI love you in my heart.\nChorus:\nI bid you a long farewell\,\nBrother\, I bid y ou a long farewell.\nIf I never see you no mo’\nI bid you a las’ farew ell.\nBrother\, meetin’ is over\,\nBrother\, we must part.\nIf I never s ee you no mo’\,\nI love you in my heart.\nI Don’t Want You All to Grie ve After Me\n\nI don’t want you all to grieve after me\,\nI don’t want you all to grieve after me.\nOh\, when I’m dead an’ buried in my co l’ silent tomb\,\nI don’t want you all to grieve after me.\nAn’ I wi ll walk through the valley in peace\,\nAn’ I will walk through the valle y in peace.\nOh\, when I’m dead an’ buried in my col’\, silent tomb\ ,\nI don’t want you all to grieve after me.\nMy dear mother\, don’t yo u grieve after me\,\nMy dear mother\, don’t you grieve after me.\nOh\, w hen I’m dead an’ buried in my col’\, silent tomb\,\nI don’t want y ou all to grieve after me.\nMy ol’ uncle\, don’t you grieve after me\, etc.[84]\n[84]And so on for father\, sister\, brother\, etc.\, etc.\n\nWh en I’s Dead an’ Gone\n\nHe is a dyin’-bed maker.\nJesus met a woman at de well\,\nAn’ she went runnin’ home\nAn’ tol’ her friends\,\ n“A man tol’ me all I ever done.”\n[198]\nThe friends dey come a r unnin’ with de woman\,\nSaw Jesus settin’ on de well\,\nHe said he cou ld give de livin’ water\nAn’ save yo’ soul from hell.\nHe is a dyi n’-bed maker.\nWhen I’s dead an’ gone\nSomebody gonna say I’s lost \,\nBut dey ought-a go down by Jordan\nAn’ see whar Jesus led me ’cros s.\nWhen I’s dead an’ gone\,\nI don’t want you to cry\;\nJus’ go o n down to de ol’ church\nAn’ close my dyin’ eye.\nWhen Jesus hangi n’ on de cross\,\nHis mudder began to moan.\nHe looked at his dear ’ci ples\nAn say\, “Take my dear mudder home.”\nAngels Lookin’ at Me\n\n Dig my grave wid a silver spade\,\nAngels lookin’ at me.\nOh\, look-a de re\, look-a dere\,\nOh\, look-a dere\, look-a dere\,\nAngels lookin’ at me.\nDrive me dere in a cerriage fine\,\nAngels lookin’ at me.\nOh\, loo k-a dere\, look-a dere\,\nOh\, look-a dere\, look-a dere\,\nAngels looki n’ at me.\nLet me down wid a silver chain\,\nAngels lookin’ at me\, et c.\nAll dem sinners can moan an’ weep\,\nAngels lookin’ at me\, etc. \nI’s settin’ in heaven in a golden cheer\,\nAngels lookin’ at me\, etc.\n[199]\n\nYou Mus’ Shroud My Body\n\nPray\, mother\, pray fer me\,\ nPray\, Lawd\, until I die.\nYou mus’ shroud my body\, Lawd\,\nAn’ lay it away.\nChorus:\nI hear Jerusalem moan\,\nYou mus’ shroud my body\, L awd\,\nAn’ lay it away.\nPray\, sister\, pray fer me\,\nPray\, Lawd\, un til I die\,\nYou mus’ shroud my body\, Lawd\,\nAn’ lay it away.\nBut d eath holds no terror for the Negro. He maintains that death’s stream “ chills the body but not the soul\,” and he believes that\n\n’Way up in the Rock of Ages\nIn God’s bosom gonna be my pillah.\nAs of old\, heave n is the greatest theme of his religious song. He used to sing:\n\nWhen I git to heaven gonna ease\, ease\,\nMe an’ my God gonna do as we please.\ nNow wait till I gits my gospel shoes\,\nGonna walk about heaven an’ spr ead the news.\nDere’s a long white robe in de heaven for me.\nNo more ha rd trials in de kingdom.\nGonna feast off milk an’ honey.\nNow he sings: \n\nI wants to go to heaven\, set in de angel’s seat\;\nI wants to go to heaven\, eat what de angels eat.\n[200]\nI’s gonna be in my home in hea ven\nWhen I lay my burden down.\nI’m swingin’ in de swinger\,\nGonna s wing me home to heaven.\nI’s gonna bathe my weary soul in paradise.\nBut let the songs speak for themselves. Among them are some which might now b e famous if they had only been born seventy years ago.\n\nI Never Will Tur n Back\n\nJesus my all to heaven is gone\,\nI never will turn back\nWhile de heaven’s in my view\,\nHe who I fix my heart upon.\nI never will turn back\nWhile heaven’s in my view.\nChorus:\nI never will\,\nI never will \,\nI never will turn back\nWhile de heaven’s in my view.\nWhile de heav en’s in my view\nMy journey I prosue.\nI never will turn back\nWhen heav en’s in my view.\nWhen I Lay My Burden Down\n\nGlory\, glory\, halleluja h\, when I lay my burden down\,\nGlory\, glory\, hallelujah\, when I lay m y burden down\,\nGlory\, glory\, hallelujah\, when I lay my burden down\,\ nI gonna be in heaven when I lay my burden down.\nGlory\, glory\, halleluj ah\, I’s goin’ to my home on high\,\nGlory\, glory\, hallelujah\, I’ s goin’ to my home on high\,\nGlory\, glory\, hallelujah\, I’s goin’ to my home on high\,\nI’s gonna be in my home in heaven when I lay my b urden down.\n[201]\n\nSince I Laid My Burden Down\n\nI been shoutin’\,\n I been shoutin’\nSince I laid my burden down\;\nI been shoutin’\,\nI b een shoutin’\nSince I laid my burden down.\nChorus:\nGlory\, glory\, hal lelujah\,\nSince I laid my burden down\;\nGlory\, glory\, hallelujah\,\nSi nce I laid my burden down.\nI been prayerin’\,\nI been prayerin’\nSinc e I laid my burden down\;\nI been prayerin’\,\nI been prayerin’\nSince I laid my burden down.\nIn de Mornin’ Soon\n\nSister Sal she got on her travelin’ shoes\,\nIn de mornin’ soon\,\nIn de mornin’ soon\,\nIn d e mornin’ soon.\nYes\, I’s goin’ to bury my weary soul\nIn de morn in’ soon.\nSinners\, I hates to leave you here\,\nSinners\, I hates to l eave you here\,\nSinners\, I hates to leave you here\,\n’Cause I goin’ to go to paradise\nIn de mornin’ soon.\nSome o’ dese days jes’ abou t noon\,\nSome o’ dese days jes’ about noon\,\nSome o’ dese days j es’ about noon\,\nI’s goin’ to bathe my weary soul in paradise\nIn d e mornin’ soon.\n[202]\n\nOh\, de Gospel Train’s A-Comin’\n\nOh\, de gospel train’s a-comin’\,\nGoodby\, good by\, good by.\nOh\, de gospe l train’s a-comin’\,\nGoodby.\nOh\, de gospel train’s a-comin’\,\n Oh\, de gospel train’s a-comin’\,\nOh\, de gospel train’s a-comin’ \,\nGoodby.\nOh\, she’s comin’ ’roun’ de curve\,\nGoodby\, good by \, good by.\nOh\, she’s comin’ ’roun’ de curve\,\nGoodby.\nOh\, de train am heavy loaded\, etc.\nOh\, sinner have you got you ticket? etc.\n Oh\, she’s boun’ straight way to heaven\, etc.\nCan’t you change you way o’ livin? etc.\nOh\, Marse Jesus am de captain\, etc.\nOh\, de ride am free to heaven\, etc.\nSome o’ These Days\n\nI’m a-goin’ to cros s that river Jordan\,\nI’m a-goin’ to cross that river Jordan\, hal-lu -yah!\nI’m a-goin’ to cross that river Jordan\,\nI’m a-goin’ to cr oss that river Jordan some o’ these days.\nI’m a-goin’ to sit down side o’ my Jesus\,\nI’m a-goin’ to sit down side o’ my Jesus\, ha l-lu-yah!\nI’m a-goin’ to sit down side o’ my Jesus\,\nI’m a-goi n’ to sit down side o’ my Jesus some o’ these days.\nI’m a-goin’ to tell him how I love him\,\nI’m a-goin’ to tell him how I love him\ , hal-lu-yah!\nI’m a-goin’ to tell him how I love him\,\nI’m a-goi n’ to tell him how I love him some o’ these days.\n[203]\nI’m a-go in’ to wear them golden slippers\,\nI’m a-goin’ to wear them golden slippers\, hal-lu-yah!\nI’m a-goin’ to wear them golden slippers\,\n I’m a-goin’ to wear them golden slippers some o’ these days.\nI Want s to Go to Heaven\n\nI wants to go to heaven\,\nJine de angels’ ban’\; \nI wants to go to heaven\,\nStan’ where de angels stan’.\nI wants to go to heaven\,\nHave some angel wing\;\nI wants to go to heaven\,\nSee de Jesus King.\nI wants to go to heaven\,\nShout lak de angels shout\;\nI wan ts to go to heaven\nAn’ walk about.\nI wants to go to heaven\,\nSet in d e angels’ seat\;\nI wants to go to heaven\,\nEat what de angels eat.\nI wants to go to heaven\,\nWeep when de angels weep\;\nI wants to go to heav en\nSleep where de angels sleep.\nWhen I Git Home\n\nGonna shout trouble o ver\nWhen I git home\,\nGonna shout trouble over\nWhen I git home.\nNo m o’ prayin’\, no mo’ dyin’\nWhen I git home\,\nNo mo’ prayi n’ an’ no mo’ dyin’\nWhen I git home.\n[204]\nMeet my father\nWhen I git home.\nMeet my father\nWhen I git home.\nShake glad hands\nWhen I g it home\,\nShake glad hands\nWhen I git home.\nMeet King Jesus\nWhen I git home\,\nYes\, I meets King Jesus\nWhen I git home.\nI’s Gonna Shine\n \nI’s gonna shine\nWhiter dan snow\,\nWhen I gits to heaven\nAn’ dey m eets me at de do’.\nOh\, shine\, I will shine\,\nHow dey shine\, glory s hine\,\nWhen I gits to heaven\nAn’ dey meets me at de do’.\nShine\, God a’-mighty shine\,\nAll de sinners shine in de row\;\nBut I’ll be d e out-shinedest\nWhen dey meets me at de do’.\nOh\, shine\, de brudders shine\,\nDey sisters shine ever mo’\,\nWhen we all gits to heaven\nAn’ dey meets us at de do’.\nI’s Swingin’ in de Swinger[85]\n\nI’s swingin’ in de swinger\,\nThank God.\nI’s swingin’ in de swinger\,\n Thank God.\n[205]\nIt’s a bran’ new swinger\,\nThank God.\nIt’s a bran’ new swinger\,\nThank God\,\nThank God.\nGoin’ to swing me to hea ven\,\nThank God.\nGoin’ to swing me to heaven\,\nThank God\,\nThank God .\nKing Jesus in de swinger\,\nThank God.\nKing Jesus in de swinger\,\nTha nk God\,\nThank God.\n[85]The idea for this novel song probably came from Swing Low\, Sweet Chariot. It is another composition of Sanctified Mary Ha rris\, as are also the two remaining songs in this chapter.\n\nGoodby\, Si ng Hallelu\n\nGoodby to sin an’ sorrow\,\nGoodby\, sing hallelu.\nFarewe ll\, sinner\, I see you no mo’\,\nGoodby\, sing hallelu.\nGoodby\, hypoc rite\, you Beelzebub\,\nGoodby\, sing hallelu.\nI’m goin’ away\, I’l l meet you in heaven\,\nGoodby\, sing hallelu.\nFarewell\, mother\, I meet you in de mawnin’\,\nGoodby\, sing hallelu.\nI Calls My Jesus King Eman uel\n\nO King Emanuel\,\nI calls my Jesus King Emanuel.\nKing Emanuel\, he ’s a mighty ’Manuel\,\nI calls my Jesus King Emanuel.\nSome calls him Jesus\,\nBut I call my Jesus King Emanuel.\nBecause his power so great and strong\,\nI calls my Jesus King Emanuel.\n[206]\n\nCHAPTER XII\nTHE ANNAL S AND BLUES OF LEFT WING GORDON\nHere is a construction camp which employs largely Negro workers. In four years 8\,504 laborers were employed and th ere was an average labor turnover of once each month\, or forty-eight diff erent sets of men working on the buildings and road under construction dur ing that time. This camp employed men from different Southern states in th e order named: North Carolina\, South Carolina\, Virginia\, Tennessee\, Ge orgia\, Florida\, Alabama\, Texas\, Mississippi\, Louisiana\; while stragg lers represented eleven states outside the South. Why this turnover? Why d o men travel from state to state? Of what sort are they? How many road cam ps and construction groups throughout the South duplicate this record? Wha t are the experience\, history\, difficulties of the Negro worker by the r oadside? Why does he quit his job? Where will he go for the next?\n\nThe e ntire story of the casual laborer will\, of course\, have to be told elsew here in thorough studies of migration and case studies of many individuals . It is a remarkable story\, sometimes unbelievable. It is not the purpose of this chapter to go into the matter of causes\, but to present a pictur e of the workaday songster as a sort of cumulative example of the whole st ory of this volume. It is true that his early home life\, his training\, h is experience\, his relation to the whites\, have all influenced him great ly. It is true also that there is often slack work\, poor conditions of ho using and work\, little recreation\, small wages\, and always a[207] call to some better place. But we are concerned with these here only as they ar e a part of the background of the picture. Here is a type perhaps more rep resentative of the Negro common man than any other. Now a youngster of eig ht\, father and mother dead\, off to Texas to an uncle\, then—“po’ m istreated boy”—he goes to Louisiana\, then to Mississippi\, then to Ge orgia\, across South Carolina\, back home to North Carolina\, then off to Philadelphia\, to Pittsburg\, to Ohio\, to Chicago\, then back to the East and Harlem and back South again. He is typical of a part of the Negro mov ement of the decade. But there is continuously a stream of moving laborers from country to town\, from town to town\, from city to city\, from state to state\, from South to North. Here is hardship\, but withal adventure\, romance\, and blind urge for survival.\n\nAs an example of this worker an d songster we present John Wesley Gordon\, alias Left Wing[86] Gordon\, co mmonly called “Wing.” He is very real\, and one could scarcely imagine a better summary of the lonesome road\, if made to order. Recent popular volumes portraying the species hobo show no wanderers arrayed like these b lack men of the lonesome road. Walt Whitman’s\n\nAfoot and light-hearted I take to the open road\nHealthy and free\, the world before me\,\nThe lo ng brown path before me\, leading wherever I choose\nwould seem a gentle t aunt to Left Wing Gordon on the red roads of Georgia or on the Seaboard ro ds in “sweet ol’ Alabam’.” He had\, at the last writing\, given ex cellent tale of working\, loafing\, singing his way[208] through thirty-ei ght states of the union\, with such experience and adventure as would make a white man an epic hero. “You see\, boss\, I started travelin’ when I wus ’leven years ol’ an’ now I’ll be thirty this comin’ August 26th. I didn’t have no father an’ mother\, so I jes’ started somewh eres. I’d work fer folks\, an’ they wouldn’t treat me right\, so I m oved on. An’\, Lawd\, cap’n\, I ain’t stopped yet.” And so he ha dn’t\, for when on the morrow we came to put the finishing touches on hi s story\, a fellow laborer said\, “Law’\, boss\, Wing done gone to Phi ladelphia.”\n\n[86]So called because he had lost his right arm.\n\n“Wi ng\,” who started from St. Joseph in Missouri\, lost his arm at eighteen years of age. He gives the following concrete data about some of the plac es where he has worked and loafed. What story might have been written if w e had taken the states alphabetically\, asking him for full details\, with plenty of time\, one can only imagine. Here is the order in which he volu nteered information about the different states\, in the geography of which he appears to be something of a scholar. The phraseology belongs to Wing and the inconsistencies remain as in his Iliad.\n\nLouisiana. Worked on bo at some an’ saw-mill some.\n\nFlorida. Worked on hard roads.\n\nAlabama. Worked in steel plants six miles from Birmingham.\n\nTexas. Didn’t do n othin’ in Texas\, had a little money to spend.\n\nArkansas. Worked a t H—— Hotel at New Port\, fellow runnin’ name Jack N——.\n\nMisso uri. Worked on boat.\n\nIllinois. Sold papers in Chicago\, started mowin ’ lawns\, white-washin’ fences\, brushin’ furniture\, an’ worked i n packin’ house.\n\n[209]\n\nWyoming. Had a little money in Cheyenne a n’ didn’t have nothin’ to do.\n\nNebraska. At Omaha worked at pack in’ house.\n\nIowa. Worked in mines and on railroad.\n\nCanada. Worked a t government camp ’cross from Detroit\, an’ broom factory at Montreal. \n\nMichigan. Worked at Ford factory at district on P. &\; M. railroad out north of Detroit.\n\nKansas. In harvest fields ’bout 37 miles from L eavenworth—Naw sir\, never been in Leavenworth prisons.\n\nNorth Carolin a. On a job.\n\nArizona. Didn’t do nothin’ much.\n\nSouth Carolina. On hard roads an’ Southern Power Company.\n\nGeorgia. Comin’ in a hurry\ , never fooled ’round there much. Did work in saw mill eight miles out f rom Waycross two weeks.\n\nTennessee. Out at Knoxville and Maysville at ma loominum plant.\n\nMississippi. In boats at Vicksburg and Natchez.\n\nVirg inia. Worked most everywhere—Richmond at Broad Meadows\, 1227 Brook Aven ue.\n\nNew York. Out at Bessemer plants stirrin’ pots.\n\nWashington. At Alexandria\, Virginia side.\n\nOhio. Worked for Mayor of Bridgeport\, nam ed C. J—.\n\nWest Virginia. At coal mines.\n\nPennsylvania. Worked in Pi ttsburg steel mills eight miles from Pittsburg.\n\nMaryland. I’s in Balt imore\, had boat carry us out an’ bring us back\, Double A flashlight fa ctory at 47 cents a hour.\n\nNew Jersey. Cross from New York\, four miles from Nooark\, work on Hansack River.\n\nWisconsin. Used to work out o’ M ilwaukee\, butler on C. B. &\; Q. road\; eight miles out but we stayed in Milwaukee.\n\n[210]\n\nConnecticut. Used to ketch boat an’ go over to New Haven\, Hartford\, Thomasville\, eight miles out from Springfiel’\, Massachusetts.\n\nMassachusetts. Springfiel’ and Boston\, too. Didn’t work none in Boston but had sister there.\n\nRhode Island. Never stopped there but I could walk all over that little state. Hartford is capital.\n\ nNorth Dakota. Wiped up engine on Great Northern\, 237 miles from Minneapo lis.\n\nSouth Dakota. Worked out in Aberdeen in wheat fields\, harvest for Al T——\, mostly carried water.\n\nCalifornia. When war was goin’ on \, time of government camp at Los Angeles an’ Sacramento an’ Miles Cit y.\n\nWing was also a great songster. “When de ‘Wing Blues’ come out \, dat’s me\,” he would say. His chief refrain was always\n\nO my babe \, you don’t know my min’\,\nWhen you see me laughin’\,\nLaughin’ to keep from cryin’\,[87]\nof which he had many versions. This chorus wa s easily adapted to a hundred songs and varied accordingly. “When you se e me laughin’\, I’m laughin’ just to keep from cryin’\,” o r “I’m tryin’ to keep from cryin’\,” or “When you think I’m laughin’\, I’m cryin’ all the time.” There were his other ve rsions\, such as\n\nO my babe\, you don’t know my min’\,\nWhen you thi nk I’m lovin’ you\nI’m leavin’ you behin’\,\nwith its similar va riety\, such as “I’m leavin’ to worry you off my min’\,” or “W hen you think I’m leavin’[211] I’m comin’ right behin’.” Win g claimed a “Blues” for every state and more\; if there was none alrea dy at hand\, he would make one of his own. There were the various Southern blues\, the Boll Weevil Blues\, Cornfield Blues\, Gulf Coast Blues\, Atla nta Blues\, Alabama Blues\, Birmingham Blues\, Mississippi Blues\, Louisia na Low Down\, Shreveport Blues\, New Orleans Wiggle\, Norfolk Blues\, Virg inia Blues\, Oklahoma Blues\, Memphis Blues\, Wabash Blues\, St. Louis Blu es\, Carolina Blues\, Charleston Blues\, and many others.\n\n[87]One of th e most popular blues today is a piece called You Don’t Know My Mind Blue s. We have evidence\, however\, which tends to show that numerous vulgar v ersions of the same title were current among the Negroes long before the f ormal song was published.\n\nIt must be admitted that Wing’s blues were mixed and of wonderful proportions. He could sing almost any number of blu es\, fairly representative of the published type\, with\, of course\, the typical additions\, variations\, and adaptations to time and occasion.\n\n Ohio\, Ohio\, West Virgini\, too\,\nDe blues dis nigger’s had only very few.\nWhat you gonna do?\nLawd\, what you gonna do?\nWhen I come from New York\,\nWalkin’ ’long the way\,\nPeople pick me up\nJes’ to get me t o pay\,\nAin’t my place to live\,\nAnyway you can’t stay here.\nO Illi nois Central\,\nWhat can you spare?\nFo’ my baby’s in trouble\nAn’ I ain’t dere.\nHey\, Lawdy\, Lawdy\, I got crazy blues\,\nCan’t keep from cryin’\,\nThinkin’ about that baby o’ mine.\nLawd\, I woke up d is mornin’\,\nFound my baby gone\,\nMissed her from rollin’\nAn’ t umblin’ in my arms.\n[212]\nO Lawd\, if I feel tomorrow\nLak I feel to-d ay\,\nGood God\, gonna pack my suitcase\,\nLawd\, an’ walk away.\nI’d rather be in jail\,\nStandin’ like a log\,\nThan be here\nTreated like a dog.\nCreek’s all muddy\,\nPond’s gone dry\,\nI never miss my baby\nT ill she said goodby.\nWell\, I went to graveyard\nAn’ looked in my bab y’s face\,\nSaid\, “I love you\, sweet baby\,\nJes’ can’t take yo’ place.”\nWhistle blowed on\,\nChurch bell softly toned\;\nWell\, I had good woman\nBut po’ girl dead an’ gone.\nWell\, I woke up dis mo rnin’\,\nHad blues all ’round my bed\;\nI believe to my soul\nBlues go nna kill me dead.\nO baby\, you don’t know my min’.\nWhen you think I’m laughin’\,\nLaughin’ to keep from cryin’\,\nLaughin’ to keep from cryin’.\nWing called that the Louisiana Blues\, and certainly for the time being it was so. And for Georgia\, although in his narrative he h ad given the Empire State of the South the usual Negro reputation of quick passage\, he sang a mixed blues.\n\n[213]\n\nDear ol’ Georgia\, my hear t is sinkin’\nAn’ my way come blinkin’ to you\,\nIf you ever leave G eorgia any length o’ time\,\nYo’ heart come blinkin’\, no other way but you\,\nCan’t be no other way.[88]\nThen for Alabama\, Tennessee\, Fl orida\, California\, Virginia\, there were other fragments\, besides numer ous formal versions.\n\nAlabama\, Tennessee\,\nI wrote my mother letter.\n Don’t write back to me\,\nReason I tell you\, I got de ’fo’-day blue s.\nI got de Florida blues\,\nHey\, mama\, hey\, baby\, I got de crazy blu es\,\nHey\, baby\, you don’t know my min’\,\nWhen you think I’m le avin’\, I’m comin’ all the time.\nI ain’t got no money\,\nNo place to stay.\nHey\, baby\, hey\, honey\,\nI got de Florida blues.\nI got Elgi n watch\nMade on yo’ frame.\nHey\, baby\, hey\, honey\,\nI got Florida b lues.\nCalifornia ridden\,\nDon’t think I’m didden\,\nDe reason I’m tellin’ you\,\nI have no place to stay.\nMother an’ father dead\,\nDon e gone away\,\nI’m a lonesome boy\,\nGot nowhere to stay.\n[214]\nHey\, mama\, hey\, baby\,\nI got de ’fo’-day blues.\nI’m California ridden \,\nI got de California blues.\nCalifornia in U. S.\,\nDat is where my lov e lie\,\nAn’ she will treat me best\,\nYou all take Alexander for ol’ plaything\,\nBut Alexander no name for you.\nO baby\, you don’t know my min’\,\nWhen you think I’m lovin’ you\, I’m leavin’ you behin’ .\n[88]This and many other of Wing’s stanzas have no clear meaning as fa r as we can tell. Sometimes his songs give the impression that he has lear ned the titles of numerous popular blues and has woven as many of them as possible into each stanza.\n\nBefore continuing Left Wing’s story\, givi ng something more of the scope of his adventures\, perhaps the best furthe r introduction will be the exact record of some of his songs in the order in which he gave them. Wing had practically no variation in his tunes and technique of singing. A high-pitched voice\, varied with occasional low to nes\, was the most important part of his repertoire. But what variation in words and scenes\, phrases and verses\, the recording of which would exha ust the time and endurance of the listener and call for an ever-recording instrument! For certainly the effort to transcribe everything Wing gave le ft the visitor amazingly exhausted\, marveling at the jumbled resourcefuln ess of the singer\, wishing for some new type of photography which would r egister the voice\, looks\, experience\, and inimitable temperament of thi s itinerant camp follower.\n\nAnna yo’ peaches\, but I’s yo’ man.\nH ow I wonder where you goin’ to-day\,\nThat my mother an’ father have n owhere to stay.\nWould you take them in\, oh\, would you take them in?\nHo w I love you\, how I love you\,\nWould you take me in\, would you take me in?\nAnna yo’ peaches\, but I’s yo man\,\nWould you take me in\, would you take me in?\n[215]\nLawd\, I woke up dis mornin’\,\nCouldn’t keep from cryin’\,\nThinkin’ about that\nLovin’ babe o’ mine.\nO my ba be\, you don’t know my min’\,\nO you don’t know my min’.\nWhen you think I’m laughin’\,\nI’m cryin’ all de time.\nReason I love yo u so\,\n’Cause my heart is true\,\nReason I love you so\,\nI’m goi n’ ’way.\nI’m goin’ ’way to worry you off my min’.\nReason I t hink you worry\,\nI’m ’way all the time\,\nI got de ’fo’-day blues .\nYou put yo’ coat on yo’ shoulder\,\nYou want to walk away\,\nYou go t yo’ lovin’ baby\,\nYou want a place to stay.\nWell\, I love you\, ba by\,\nGod knows I do.\nReason I love you\,\nYo’ heart is true.\nReason I love you\,\nGot de weary blues.\nDiffering slightly in tone\, Wing sets o ut on a new song only to swing back again to the same lonesome blues\; ind eed he makes his technique and his whines as he goes\, the result blending into a remarkable product.\n\nEddy Studow been here\,\nYou got de so long well\,\n’Cause I feel you sinkin’\,\nEasin’ down to hell\,\nO sweet baby\, you don’t know my min’\,\n’Cause when you think I’m la ughin’\, I’m cryin’.\n[216]\nIf you don’t b’lieve I’m sink in’\,\nJes’ look what a hole I’m in.\nIf you don’t b’lieve I lov e you\,\nJes’ look what a fool I been.\nO sweet baby\, you don’t know my min’.\nWhen you think I’m lovin’ you\, I’m leavin’ you behi n’.\nO baby\, jes’ ship my clo’es out in valise\,\nO baby\, jes’ s hip my clo’es out in valise.\nReason I tell you ship ’em\,\nYo’ hear t I don’t believe.\nThought I woke up yesterday\,\nMy heart was very sic k\,\n’Cause reason I love you.\n’Day’s nearer pay day.\nThe reason I love my lovin’ baby so\,\nOh\, reason I love my lovin’ baby so\,\n’ Cause if she make five dollars\nShe sho’ bring her father fo’.\nYes\ , it’s hey\, sweet baby\,\nYou don’t know my min’.\n’Cause it’s hey\, sweet baby.\nYou don’t know my min’.\nWhen you think I’m lau ghin’\,\nLaughin’ jes’ to keep from cryin’.\nO Lawd\, what you gon na say\,\nI need de woman for de money\,\nI got no place to stay.\nFor de reason I love my lovin’ baby so\,\nWhen she make eight dollahs\,\nSho’ bring her father fo’.\nRuther see you dead\,\nFloatin’ in yo’ grave \;\nRuther see you dead\,\nLawd\, floatin’ in yo’ grave.\nThan be here \, Lawd\,\nTreated dis a-way.\n[217]\nGeech had my woman\nAn’ two or thr ee mo’\;\nOh\, de Geech had my woman\nAn’ two or three mo’.\nHe’s a hard headed man\nAn’ won’t let me go.\nI wake up dis mornin’\,\nFe et half-way out de bed\,\nLawd\, I wake up dis mornin’\,\nOh\, de blues you give me\nSho’ gonna kill me dead.\nLeft Wing’s story of his wander ings does not omit\, of course\, the woman part of his “lovin’ wor l’.” Try as he might to sing of other experiences\, inevitably he woul d swing back to his old theme.\n\nI ruther be dead\nIn six feet o’ clay\ ,\nThan to see my baby\,\nLawd\, treated dis a-way.\nWell\, I love my baby \,\nI tell the worl’ I do\,\nBut reason I love her\,\nHer heart is true. \nGonna lay my head\nOn some ol’ railroad iron\,\nDas de only way\, baby \,\nTo worry you off my min’.\nI went to depot\,\nI looked up on de bo a’d\,\nMy baby ain’t here\,\nBut she’s somewhere on de road.\nBut I’m goin’ to town\,\nGoin’ to ask chief police\,\nFo’ my baby done quit me\nAn’ I can’t have no peace.\n[218]\nAn’ I’m goin’ away\ , baby\,\nTo worry you off my min’\,\n’Cause you keep me worried\nAn ’ bothered all de time.\nI wonder whut’s de matter\,\nLawd\, I can’t see.\nYou love some other man\, sweet woman\,\nAn’ you don’t love me. \nBefo’ I’d stay here\nAn’ let these women mistreat me\,\nI’d do l ike a bull frog\,\nJump in de deep blue sea.\nWing\, however\, does not ju mp into the deep blue sea\, although like the other traditional bull frog he does jump from place to place. Concerning the women about whom he sings \, he affirmed\, “Can’t count ’em\, take me day after tomorrow to count ’em. Find fifteen or twenty in different cities. New Orleans best place to find most fastest\, mo’ freer women\,—person find gang of ’ em in minute.\n\n“But I had some mighty fine women. Fust one was Abbie J ones\, ’bout —— Ioway Street. Nex’ was in M——\, Missouri\, Jen nie Baker\, Susan Baker’s daughter. Nex’ one St. Louis\, lady called B ulah Cotton\, Pete Cotton’s daughter. Nex’ one was in Eas’ St. Louis \, her name Sylvia Brown. Nex’ I had in Poplar Bluff\, one dat took my m oney an’ went off\, Effie Farlan\, had father name George Farlan. Nex’ Laura\, she’s in Memphis\, Tennessee\, she’s ’nother took my mone y an’ gone. Jes’ lay down\, went to sleep\, jes’ took money an’ go ne. Wake up sometimes broke an’ hongry\, they jes’ naturally take my m oney. Nex’ woman was at Columbia\, S. C.\, ’bout las’ regular one I had\, Mamie Willard\, mother an’ father dead. Sweethearts I can git plen ty of if I got money. If I[219] ain’t got none I’se sometimes lonesome \, but not always\, ’cause sometimes dey feel sorry fer you an’ treat you mighty fine anyway.”\n\nWing tells some remarkable stories\, evident ly products of the perfect technique of appeal and approach\, in which for mality and easy-going ways are blended with great patience and persistence . This series of adventures alone would make a full sized volume albeit th ere is no need to publish it abroad. Typical\, however\, are the chant ver ses below.\n\nI seed a pretty brown\,\nLawd\, walkin’ down the street\,\ nI sided long up to her\,\nSaid\, “Lady\, I ain’t had nothin’ to e at.”\nLawd\, she don’t pay me no min’\,\nWalkin’ wid her head hung high.\nBut still I knows\nI’ll git dat gal by an’ by.\nSo I walks up behin’ her\,\nAnd asts her good an’ polite\,\n“Miss\, can you tell m e\nWhere po’ boy can stay tonight?”\nStill she don’t pay me no m in’\,\nAn’ she’s movin’ on her way\,\nI asks her\, “Good Lawd\, lady\,\nWhere can po’ boy stay?”\nI ast her to tell me\nIf she knows g irl name Sady\,\n’Cause if she does\,\nI’s her man Brady.\nCo’se I don’t know no Sady\nAn’ I could git place to stay\,\nBut I wants to s tay wid dis lady\,\nSo I walks on her way.\n[220]\nSo she takes me to her home\nAn’ makes me pallet on de flo’\;\nAn’ she treats me\, baby\,\n Better ’n I been treated befo’.\nWing says he never stays in any place more than three weeks\, “leastwise never mo’ ’n fo’.” Sometimes he walks\, sometimes he rides the rods\, sometimes when money is plentifu l he rides in the cars. He has had his tragic and his comic experiences. T he spirit of the road is irrevocably fixed in him and he can think in no o ther terms. Some day a Negro artist will paint him\, a Negro story teller will tell his story\, a “high she’ff” will arrest him\, a “jedge ” will sentence him\, a “cap’n” will “cuss” him\, he will “r ow here few days longer\,” then he’ll be gone.\n\n[221]\n\nCHAPTER XII I\nJOHN HENRY: EPIC OF THE NEGRO WORKINGMAN\nLeft Wing Gordon was and is a very real person\, “traveling man” de luxe in the flesh and blood. No t so John Henry\, who was most probably a mythical character. Whatever oth er studies may report\, no Negro whom we have questioned in the states of North Carolina\, South Carolina and Georgia has ever seen or known of John Henry personally or known any one who has\, although it is well understoo d that he was “mos’ fore-handed steel-drivin’ man in the world.” S till he is none the less real as a vivid picture and example of the good m an hero of the race.\n\nAlthough\, like the story of Left Wing\, the John Henry ballad carries its own intrinsic merit\, this song of the black Paul Bunyan of the Negro workingman is significant for other reasons. It is\, first of all\, a rare creation of considerable originality\, dignity and i nterest. It provides an excellent study in diffusion\, and\, as soon as th e settings\, variations\, comparisons\, and adaptations have been complete d\, will deserve a special brochure. For the purposes of this volume\, how ever\, we shall present simply the John Henry ballad in the forms and vers ions heard within the regions of this collection\, with some comparative e vidence of the workingman’s varied mirror of his hero. John Henry is sti ll growing in reputation and in stature and in favor with the Negro singer \, ranging in repute from the ordinary fore-handed steel-driving man to a martyred president of the United States struck down\, with the[222] hammer in his hand\, by some race assassin. One youth reminiscent of all that he had heard\, and minded to make his version complete\, set down this:\n\nW hen John Henry was on his popper’s knee\,\nThe dress he wore it was red\ ;\nAnd the las’ word he said\,\n“I gonna die with the hammer in my h and.”\nWe have found a few Negroes who were not clear in their minds abo ut Booker T. Washington\, but we have found none in North Carolina\, South Carolina\, and Georgia who had not heard something some time about John H enry. In other places\, however\, in Mississippi and Maryland\, for instan ce\, we understand he is not so well known. To trace the story of the ball ad to its origin[89] is a difficult task and one awaiting the folk-lorist\ ; but to gather these samples of this sort of nomad ballad is a comparativ ely easy and always delightful task.\n\n[89]Prof. J. H. Cox traces John He nry to a real person\, John Hardy\, a Negro who had a reputation in West V irginia as a steel driver and who was hanged for murder in 1894. We are in clined to believe that John Henry was of separate origin and has become mi xed with the John Hardy story in West Virginia. We have never found a Negr o who knew the song as John Hardy\, and we have no versions which mention the circumstance of the murder and execution. For Cox’s discussion and s everal versions of John Hardy\, see his Folk-Songs of The South\, pp. 175- 188\; also Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 32\, p. 505 et seq. Biblio graphies will be found in these references.\n\nThere are many versions of the common story. Some hold that John Henry’s “captain” made a large wager with the boss of the steel-driving crew that John Henry could beat the steam drill down\, and that John Henry did succeed but died with the l ast stroke of his hammer. Others claim that the wager was John Henry’s o wn doing and that he never could stand the new-fangled steam contraption. Leastwise he died with the hammer in his hand\, some claiming in the mount ain drilling stone\, others in railroad cuts or tunnels[223] of various ro ads recently under construction. But in all cases the central theme is the same: John Henry\, powerful steel-driving man\, races with the steam-dril l and dies with the hammer in his hand.\n\nOf the fragments or variations of John Henry there seems to be no end. One at Columbia\, South Carolina\, sets the standard of conduct as at par with John Henry and affirms that “If I could hammer like John Henry\, I’d bro-by\, Lawd\, I’d bro- by\,” which was interpreted to mean the act of passing by the whole proc ession of steel drivers. An Atlanta version represented John Henry as sitt ing on his mother’s knee\, whereupon she “looked in his face an’ s ay\, ‘John Henry\, you’ll be the death o’ me’.” Another fragment from an old timer\, self-styled “full-handed musicianer\,” described John Henry as a steel driver who “always drove the steel” and always “beat the steam drill down\,” and added that if he could drill like J ohn Henry he would “beat all the steam drills down.” While most of the versions limited John Henry to steel driving on mountain or railroad\, ne vertheless there seems to be a general idea that he took turns at being a railroad man\, not in the sense of working on the railroad section gangs b ut as an engineer\, perhaps a skilled one. Part of this is the natural sto ry centering around the logical outcome of a railroad man\, and part is co rruption of the Casey Jones and other noted engineer songs. One opening st anza has it\,\n\nJohn Henry was a little boy\,\nHe was leanin’ on his fa ther’s knee\,\nSay\, “That big wheel turnin’ on Air Line Road\,\nWil l sure be death o’ me\,”\nwhile still others thought the K. C. or Fris co or C. &\; O. roads would be fatal. In the colloquial story\, part of [224] which is given later\, John Henry usually told his mother and friend s\, just as did Jagooze and the other railroad men\, about his proprietary powers in the noted railroads across the continent. Then there were the r eferences to his firemen and “riders” and the fear of a wreck. Sometim es\, as indicative of the changing form\, the singer switches off from the standard John Henry lines to some other\, like “goin’ up Decatur wid hat in my hand\, lookin’ for woman ain’t got no man.”\n\nFor the mos t part\, however\, the versions are rather consistent. The chief differenc es have to do with minor details. The main story is always the same. We ar e now presenting a dozen or more versions of the song\, beginning with wha t may be called the purer or more composite versions and ending with versi ons that have strayed far from the simple story of John Henry. The first i s a common Chapel Hill version\, but even that is varied almost as often a s it is sung by different groups. In this and the other versions\, John He nry’s wife or woman becomes in turn Delia Ann\, Lizzie Ann\, Polly Ann\, or whatever other Ann may be thought of as representing an attractive per son. Sometimes John Henry carried her in the “palm of his hand\,” as i ndeed he is also reported to have carried his little son. When a child\, J ohn Henry also sat on his father’s knee as well as his mother’s. Somet imes it was seven-\, sometimes nine-\, sometimes ten-pound hammer that wou ld be the death of him. Sometimes it was the C. &\; O. tunnel\, sometim es steel\, sometimes the hammer which was going to bring him down.\n\n[225 ]\n\nJohn Henry[90]\nA\n\nJohn Henry was a steel-drivin’ man\,\nCarried his hammer all the time\;\n’Fore he’d let the steam drill beat him dow n\,\nDie wid his hammer in his han’\,\nDie wid his hammer in his han’. \nJohn Henry went to the mountain\,\nBeat that steam drill down\;\nRock wa s high\, po’ John was small\,\nWell\, he laid down his hammer an’ he d ied\,\nLaid down his hammer an’ he died.\nJohn Henry was a little babe\n Sittin’ on his daddy’s knee\,\nSaid\, “Big high tower on C. &\; O . road\nGonna be the death o’ me\,\nGonna be the death o’ me.”\nJohn Henry had a little girl\,\nHer name was Polly Ann.\nJohn was on his bed s o low\,\nShe drove with his hammer like a man\,\nDrove with his hammer lik e a man.\n[90]The music of this version is given in Chapter XIV. For the m usic of a version of John Hardy\, see Campbell and Sharp\, English Folk-So ngs From The Southern Appalachians\, p. 87. There is available also a very good phonograph version of John Henry.\n\nB\n\nJohn Henry was a little bo y\nSittin’ on his papa’s knee\,\nSay\, “Papa you know I’m boun’ to die\,\nThis hammer be the death of me.”\nJohn Henry say one day\,\n “Man ain’t nothin’ but a man\,\nBefo’ I’ll be dogged aroun’\ nI’ll die wid de hammer in my han’.”\n[226]\nJohn Henry said to his captain\,\n“Man ain’t nothin’ but a man.\nBefo’ I work from sun to sun\nI’d die wid de hammer in my han’.”\nJohn Henry was a steel -drivin’ man\,\nCarried hammer all time in his han’\;\nBefo’ he let you beat him down\nHe’d die wid de hammer in his han’.\nJohn Henry had a little girl\,\nName was Polly Ann.\nJohn Henry was on his dyin’ bed\, O Lawd\,\nShe drove with his hammer like a man.\nJohn Henry went up to th e mountain\nTo beat that steel drill down\;\nBut John Henry was so small\, rock so high\,\nLaid down his hammer an’ he died.\nC\n\nJohn Henry was a steel-drivin’ man.\nHe drove so steady an’ hard\;\nWell\, they put J ohn Henry in head to drive\,\nHe laid down his hammer an’ he cried.\nUp stepped girl John Henry loved\,\nShe throwed up her hands and flew\,\nShe ’clare to God\,\n“John Henry\, I been true to you.”\n“O where did you get yo’ new shoes from\,\nO’ dat dress dat you wear so fine?”\ n“I got my shoes from a railroad man\,\nMy dress from a driver in de min e.”\nJohn Henry had a little wife\,\nDress she wore was blue\,\nAn’ sh e declare to God\,\n“I always been true to you.”\n[227]\nJohn Henry wa s a little boy\nSittin’ on his papa’s knee\,\nHe said to his papa\, “Drivin’ steel\nIs gonna be the death of me.”\nD\n\nJohn Henry was a coal black man\,\nChicken chocolate brown\;\n“Befo’ I let your steame r get me down\,\nI die wid my hammer in my han’\, Lawd\, Lawd.”\nJohn Henry had a pretty little woman\,\nShe rode that Southbound train\;\nShe s topped in a mile of the station up there\,\n“Let me hear John Henry’s hammer ring\, Lawd\, Lawd.”\nJohn Henry sittin’ on the left-han’ s ide\nAn’ the steam drill on the right\;\nThe rock it was so large an’ John Henry so small\,\nHe laid down his hammer an’ he cried\, “Lawd\, Lawd.”\nJohn Henry had a pretty little woman\,\nHer name was Julie Ann\, \nShe walked through the lan’ with a hammer in her han’\,\nSayin’\ , “I drive steel like a man\, Lawd\, Lawd.”\nJohn Henry had a little w oman\,\nHer name was Julie Ann\;\nJohn Henry took sick on his work one day \,\nAn’ Julie Ann drove steel like a man\, Lawd\, Lawd.\nJohn Henry had a pretty little boy\,\nSittin’ in de palm of his han’\;\nHe hugged a n’ kissed him an’ bid him farewell\,\n“O son\, do the best you can\, Lawd\, Lawd.”\nJohn Henry was a little boy\nSittin’ on his papa’s k nee\,\nLooked down at a big piece o’ steel\,\nSaying\, “Papa\, that’ ll be the death o’ me\, Lawd\, Lawd.”\n[228]\nJohn Henry had a pretty little woman\,\nThe dress she wore was red\,\nShe went down the track an ’ never did look back\,\nSayin’\, “I’m goin’ where John Henry fe ll dead\, Lawd\, Lawd.”\nJohn Henry had a pretty little girl\,\nThe dres s she wore was blue\,\nShe followed him to the graveyard sayin\,’\n“Jo hn Henry I’ve been true to you\, Lawd\, Lawd.”\nE\n\nJohn Henry had a little wife\,\nName was Julia Ann\;\nJohn Henry got sick on his dyin’ be d\,\nJulia drove steel like a man\,\nO Lawd\, Julia drove steel like a man .\nJohn Henry had a little woman\,\nThe dress she wore was red\,\nWent dow n the track\, never look back\,\n“Goin’ where my man is dead\,\nLawd\, goin’ where may man is dead.”\nJohn Henry was a little boy\nSittin’ on his father’s knee\,\nSay\, “Ten-pound hammer gonna be the death o’ me\,\nLawd\, gonna be the death o’ me.”\nJohn Henry went up to th e rock\,\nCarried his hammer in his han’\,\nRock was so tall\, John Henr y was so small\,\nLaid down his hammer an’ he died.\nLawd\, laid down hi s hammer an’ he died.\nJohn Henry had a little woman\nAn’ she always d ressed in blue\,\nShe went down track\, never look back\,\nSay\, “John H enry I’m always true to you\,\nLawd\, I’m always true to you.”\n[229 ]\nJohn Henry on the right side\,\nSteam drill on the lef’\;\n“Bef o’ I’ll let you beat me down\nI die wid de hammer in my han’\,\nLa wd\, I’d die wid de hammer in my han’.”\n“Who gonna shoe yo’ pre tty little feet\,[91]\nWho gonna comb yo’ bangs?\nWho gonna kiss yo’ r ose-red lips\,\nWho gonna be yo’ man?\nLawd\, who gonna be yo’ man ?”\n“Sweet Papa gonna shoe yo’ pretty little feet\,\nSister gonna comb yo’ bangs\,\nMama gonna kiss yo’ rose-red lips\,\nJohn Henry gonn a be yo’ man\,\nLawd\, John Henry gonna be yo’ man.”\n“Where you g et them high top shoes\,\nThat dress you wear so fine?”\n“Got my shoes from a railroad man\,\nMy dress from a worker in mine\,\nLawd\, my dress from worker in mine.”\nJohn Henry said to his captain\,\n“Man is not hin’ but a man\,\nBefo’ I let this rock beat me down\nI’d die wid de hammer in may han’\,\nLawd\, I’d die wid de hammer in my han’.”\n [91]Stanzas of this kind are frequent in John Henry. They came originally from the old English ballad\, The Lass of Roch Royal. See Child\, The Engl ish and Scottish Popular Ballads\, No. 76.\n\nF\n\nJohn Henry had a little woman\,\nThe dress she wore was red\;\nShe went on down the railroad trac k\,\nSay\, “Goin’ where John Henry fall dead.”\nJohn Henry said to h is captain\,\n“Lawd\, a man ain’t nothin’ but a man\,\nBefo’ I let a man beat me down\nI’d die wid de hammer in my han’.”\n[230]\nJohn Henry said to his woman\,\n“Who gonna shoe yo’ little feet?\nWho gonn a kiss yo’ rosy cheeks?\nWho gonna be yo’ man?\n“Where you get them high top shoes\,\nThat dress you wear so fine?”\n“Got my shoes from a railroad man\,\nMy dress from a man in the mine.”\nG\n\nJohn Henry said to his captain\,\n“Captain\, befo’ you leave this town\,\nIf you give me another drink of your corn\nI’ll beat yo’ steel drill down.”\nHam mer on the right side\,\nBucket on the lef’\,\n“Befo’ I let you beat me down\nI hammer myself to death.”\nJohn Henry up on the mountain top\ ,\nSay\, “Man ain’t nothin’ but a man\,\nBefo’ I let you beat me down\nI’d die wid de hammer in my han’.”\nJohn Henry was a little b oy\,\nHe set on his mother’s knee\,\nCryin’\, “O Lord\, nine-pound h ammer\nGonna be the death o’ me.”\nH\n\nJohn Henry had a little wife \nAn’ he carried her in the palm of his han’\,\nHe hug an’ kiss he r an’ bid her farewell\nAn’ told her do the bes’ she can.\nChorus:\n John Henry was a steel-drivin’ man\,\nJohn Henry was a steel-drivin’ m an\,\nJohn Henry was a steel-drivin’ man\,\nJohn Henry was a steel-dri vin’ man.\n[231]\nJohn Henry was a little boy\nSittin’ on his mother ’s knee\,\nSay\, “Tunnel on C. &\; O. road\nGonna be the death o’ me.”\nJohn Henry said to his shaker\,[92]\n“Shaker\, you better p ray\;\nIf I make this six-foot jump\,\nTomorrow ’ll be yo’ buryin’ day.”\nJohn Henry had a little woman\,\nName was Polly Ann\,\nShe took a big hammer an’ went to the hills\,\nPolly Ann drive steel like a man.\ n[92]The “shaker” is the man who holds the drill upright and turns it between the strokes of the hammer.\n\nI\n\nJohn Henry told his captain\,\n “Hand me down my time\,\nI can make more money on Georgia Southern Road\ nThan I can on old Coast Line.”\nJohn Henry told his captain\,\n“Man ain’t nothin’ but a man\,\nBefo’ I let you beat me drivin’ stee l\nI’d die wid de hammer in my han’.”\nJohn Henry had a little woman \,\nThe dress she wore was red\,\nLas’ word I heard her say\,\n“Goin ’ where my man fall dead.”\nJohn Henry told his captain\,\n“Captain\ , when you go to town\,\nBring me back a ten-pound hammer\nSo I can drive this steel on down.”\nJ\n\nJohn Henry told his captain\,\n“A man ain ’t nothin’ but a man\,\nBefo’ I work from sun to sun\nI’d die wid de hammer in my han’.”\n[232]\nJohn Henry had a little woman\,\nDress she wore was red\;\nGoin’ down railroad weepin’ and cryin’\,\nGoin ’ where John Henry fall dead.\nSay\, I ain’t gonna work much longer\,\ nAin’t gonna work on no farm\;\nAn’ I’m gonna stay here till pay-day \,\nAin’t gonna do nobody no harm.\n“Where’d you git them pretty lit tle shoes?\nWhere’d you git that dress so fine?”\n“Got my shoes from a railroad man\,\nDress from a man in the mine.”\n“Who’s gonna sh oe yo’ pretty little feet?\nWho’s gonna comb yo’ bangs?\nWho’s gon na kiss yo’ rosy cheeks?\nWho’s gonna be yo’ man?\n“Papa gonna s hoe yo’ pretty little feet\,\nSister gonna comb yo’ bangs\;\nMama gonn a kiss yo’ rosy cheeks\,\nJohn Henry gonna be yo’ man.”\nJohn Henry had a little woman\,\nName was Polly Ann\;\nJohn Henry got sick an’ coul dn’t hit a lick\,\nPolly Ann hit steel like a man.\nJohn Henry told his captain\,\n“Captain\, when you go to town\,\nOh\, bring me back a nine-p ound hammer\nSo I can drive this steel on down.”\nJohn Henry was a littl e boy\nSettin’ on his papa’s knee\,\nSay\, “The tunnel on the L. &am p\; N.\nGonna be the death o’ po’ me.”\nJohn Henry had a little girl \,\nName was Nellie Ann\;\nJohn Henry took sick an’ had to go home\,\nEv ery day po’ Nellie drove steel like a man.\n[233]\nJohn Henry had a litt le pistol\,\nHe carried it around in his han’\nWell\, look way over in S outhwest\,\nYou will find a steel-drivin’ man.\n“Who gonna buy yo’ p retty little shoes?\nWho gonna be yo’ man?\nWho gonna buy yo’ dress so fine?\nWhile I’m in some distant lan’?”\nJohn Henry bought a pistol \,\nPut it up in forty-fo’ frame\,\nHe look over in Southwest\,\nSpied t hat steel-drivin’ man.\nJohn Henry’s wife settin’ on do’-step cr yin’\,\nSay\, “Where po’ John Henry gone?”\nJohn Henry’s wife settin’ on do’-step cryin’\,\nSay\, “Where po’ John Henry gone ?”\nJohn Henry’s wife said to his chillun\,\n“Little chillun\, don ’t you worry none\,\n’Cause mama goin’ down to steel-drivin’ place \nWhere po’ daddy done gone.”\nChildren come runnin’ and cryin’\ ,\n“Mama\, what we gonna do?\nNews done reach gran’ma’s do’\,\nPap a done fall stone dead.”\nPeople went up in the mountain\,\nSay mountain was fallin’ in.\nJohn Henry say it was sad mistake\,\n“Nothin’ but my hammer in the win’.”\nJohn Henry say to his captain\,\n“Man ain ’t nothin’ but a man\,\nOh\, befo’ I let steel drill beat me down\nI die wid de hammer in my han’.”\nJohn Henry say to his captain\,\n“I have been with you ninety-nine-years\,\nAn’\, captain\, you don’t hur ry nobody\,\nBut always hurry me.”\n[234]\n\nK\n\nJohn Henry was a littl e boy\,\nWas settin’ ’roun’ playin’ in the san’\,\nTwo young lad ies come a-ridin’ by\,\nSay\, “I want you to be my man.”\nJohn Henry was a little boy\,\nSettin’ on his mamy’s knee\,\nSay\, “Dat ol’ nine-poun’ hammer\nGonna be the death o’ me.”\nJohn Henry was a crue l boy\,\nNever did look down\;\nBut when he start to drivin’ steel\nHe e ver-mo’ did drive it down.\nJohn Henry went to cap’n Monday\nAll worri ed in his min’\,\nSay\, “Give me a heavy axe\,\nLet me tear dis ol’ mountain down.”\nJohn Henry told the captain\,\n“Cap’n\, when you go to town\,\nBring me back a ten-poun’ hammer\nAn’ I lay dis ol’ se v’n-poun’ down.”\nJohn Henry went to captain\,\n“What mo’ you wa nt me to have?\nSay\, han’ me drink o’ ol’ white gin\,\nAn’ I’ll be a steel-drivin’ man.”\nJohn Henry had a little woman\,\nThe dress she wore was red\,\nShe went down de track\, never look back\,\nSay\, “I goin’ where my man fall dead.”\n“Who gonna shoe my pretty little fe et?\nMommer gonna glove my han’.\nPopper gonna kiss my rosy cheeks\,\nJo hn Henry gonna be my man.”\n[235]\nJohn Henry went to captain\,\nSay\, “Man ain’t nothin’ but a man.\nBefo’ I let you beat me down\nI di e wid de hammer in my han’.”\nJohn Henry had a little woman\,\nName wa s Lizzie Ann.\nSay she got her dress from man in mine\nAn’ her shoes fro m railroad man.\nJohn Henry on right\,\nSteam drill on lef’\,\n“Befo ’ I let steam drill beat me down\nI’ll drive my fool self to death.\ n“I drill all time\,\nI drill all day\,\nI drill all way from Rome\nTo D ecatur in one day.”\nJohn Henry say\,\n“Tell my mother\nIf she want to see me\,\nBuy ticket all way to Frisco.”\nJohn Henry on way to Frisco\, \nWid orders in his han’\,\nSay\, “All you rounders who want to flirt\ ,\nHere come a woman wid a hobble-skirt.”\nJohn Henry say to his captain \nBefo’ he lef’ town\,\n“If you give me ’nother drink o’ y o’ co’n\,\nI’ll beat yo’ steel drill down.”\nIt would take a lar ge volume to record all of the ways in which John Henry is known to the Ne gro worker and singer. He is known far and wide in song and story and he i s the hero of hundreds of thousands of black toilers. Negroes who do work that requires rhythmic movements\, such as digging or driving steel\, natu rally like to dwell upon the thought of the great[236] John Henry\, and th ey make work songs about the great hero. The four songs which follow are n ot only good examples of this kind of work song\, but reveal something of the worker’s feeling for John Henry.\n\nDis Here Hammer Kill John Henry\ n\nDis here hammer\, hammer\nKill John Henry\,\nKill John Henry\;\nDis her e hammer\, hammer\nKill John Henry\,\nCan’t kill me\,\nO Lawd\, can’t kill me.\nIf I Could Hammer Like John Henry\n\nIf I could hammer like John Henry\,\nIf I could hammer like John Henry\,\nLawd\, I’d be a man\,\nLa wd\, I’d be a man.\nIf I could hammer like John Henry\,\nIf I could hamm er like John Henry\,\nI’d bro-by\, Lawd\,\nI’d bro-by.\nNine-poun’ h ammer kill John Henry\,\nNine-poun’ hammer kill John Henry\,\nWon’t ki ll me\,\nLawd\, won’t kill me.\nI been hammerin’\,\nAll ’roun’ mou ntain\,\nWon’t kill me\, babe\,\nLawd\, won’t kill me.\nHeard Mighty R umblin’\n\nHeard mighty rumblin’\,\nHeard mighty rumblin’\,\nHeard m ighty rumblin’\nUnder the groun’.\n[237]\nWell\, heard mighty rumbli n’\,\nUnder the groun’\,\nUnder the groun’\,\nMus’ be John Henry turnin’ aroun’.\nUp on the mountain\,\nUp on the mountain\,\nWell\, u p on the mountain\,\nHeard John Henry cryin’.\nHeard John Henry cryin’ \,\nHeard John Henry cryin’\,\nWell\, I heard John Henry cryin’\,\ n“An’ I won’t come down.”\nJohn Henry Was a Man o’ Might\n\nJohn Henry was a man o’ might\,\nJohn Henry was a man o’ might\,\nJohn Hen ry was a man o’ might\,\nHe beat de iron man down.\nJohn Henry had a ham mer han\,’[93]\nAn’ he beat de iron man down.\n“Lawd\, Lawd\, boss \,” he cried\,\n“De iron man too much fo’ me.”\nAn’ dey laid Joh n Henry low\,\nHe won’t swing dat hammer no mo’.\nJohn Henry was big an’ strong\nBut de iron man brung ’im down.\nJohn Henry was big an’ brown\nBut de iron man brung him down.\nJohn Henry say\, “I got to go\, \nI can’t swing de ball no mo’.”\nJohn Henry was a mighty man\,\nA n’ he swing dat hammer.\n[93]The first line of each stanza is sung three times as indicated in the first stanza.\n\n[238]\n\nIn story John Henry ’s deeds often assume magnificent proportions. Indeed\, the stories abou t him are in many respects more interesting than the songs\, for the stori es usually have more range and reflect more imagination than the songs. Oc casionally one can find a Negro who will tell the story simply and without exaggeration\, but one usually gets a version which is more or less embel lished with the legendary attributes and attainments of John Henry. In the following story\, John Henry is credited with such powers as would make h im a close rival of Paul Bunyan himself.[94]\n\n[94]This story was recorde d at Chapel Hill\, N. C.\, but\, as far as we can tell it came originally from Stone Mountain\, Ga. It is given as nearly as possible in the words i n which it was told.\n\n“One day John Henry lef’ rock quarry on way to camp an’ had to go through woods an’ fiel’. Well\, he met big black bear an’ didn’t do nothin’ but shoot ’im wid his bow an’ arre r\, an’ arrer went clean through bear an’ stuck in big tree on other s ide. So John Henry pulls arrer out of tree an’ pull so hard he falls bac k ’gainst ’nother tree which is full o’ flitterjacks\, an’ first t ree is full o’ honey\, an’ in pullin’ arrer out o’ one he shaken d own honey\, an’ in failin’ ’gainst other he shaken down flitterjacks . Well\, John Henry set there an’ et honey an’ flitterjacks an’ set there an’ et honey an’ flitterjacks\, an’ after while when he went t o git up to go\, button pop off’n his pants an’ kill a rabbit mo’ ’n hundred ya’ds on other side o’ de tree. An’ so up jumped brown baked pig wid sack o’ biscuits on his back\, an’ John Henry et him too .\n\n“So John Henry gits up to go on through woods to camp for supper\ , ’cause he ’bout to be late an’ he mighty hongry for his supper. Jo hn Henry sees lake down hill and thinks he’ll git him a drink o’ water \, cause he’s thirsty\, too\, after eatin’ honey an’ flitterjacks an’[239] brown roast pig an’ biscuits\, still he’s hongry yet. An’ so he goes down to git drink water an’ finds lake ain’t nothin’ but lake o’ honey\, an’ out in middle dat lake ain’t nothin but tree full o’ biscuits. An’ so John Henry don’t do nothin’ but drink d at lake o’ honey dry. An’ he et the tree full o’ biscuits\, too. \n\n“An’ so ’bout that time it begin’ to git dark\, an’ John Hen ry sees light on hill an’ he think maybe he can git sumpin to eat\, caus e he’s mighty hongry after big day drillin’. So he look ’roun’ a n’ see light on hill an’ runs up to house where light is an’ ast peo ple livin’ dere\, why’n hell dey don’t give him sumpin’ to eat\, ’cause he ain’t had much. An’ so he et dat\, too.\n\n“Gee-hee\, h ee\, dat nigger could eat! But dat ain’t all\, cap’n. Dat nigger could wuk mo’ ’n he could eat. He’s greates’ steel driller ever live\, regular giaunt\, he wus\; could drill wid his hammer mo’ ’n two steam drills\, an’ some say mo’ ’n ten. Always beggin’ boss to git ’im bigger hammer\, always beggin’ boss git ’im bigger hammer. John Henry wus cut out fer big giaunt driller. One day when he wus jes’ few weeks ol’ settin’ on his mammy’s knee he commence cryin’ an’ his mom mer say\, “John Henry\, whut’s matter\, little son?” An’ he up a n’ say right den an’ dere dat nine-poun’ hammer be death o’ him. An’ so sho’ ’nough he grow up right ’way into bigges’ steel d riller worl’ ever see. Why dis I’s tellin’ you now wus jes’ when he’s young fellow\; waits til’ I tells you ’bout his drillin’ in mountains an’ in Pennsylvania. An’ so one day he drill all way from Ro me\, Georgia\, to D’catur\, mo’ ’n a hundred miles drillin’ in one day\, an’ I ain’t sure dat wus his bes’ day. No\, I ain’t sure da t wus his bes’ day.\n\n“But\, boss\, John Henry wus a regular boy\, no t lak some o’ dese giaunts you read ’bout not likin’ wimmin[240] a n’ nothin’. John Henry love to come to town same as any other nigger\, only mo’ so. Co’se he’s mo’ important an’ all dat\, an’ c o’se he had mo’ wimmin ’an anybody else\,’some say mo’ ’n ten\ , but as to dat I don’t know. I means\, boss\, mo’ wimmen ’an ten men\, ’cause\, Lawd\, I specs he had mo’ ’n thousand wimmin’. An ’ John Henry wus a great co’tin’ man\, too\, cap’n. Always wus dat way. Why\, one day when he settin’ by his pa’ in san’ out in fron t o’ de house\, jes’ few weeks old\, women come along and claim him fe r deir man. An’ dat’s funny\, too\, but it sho’ wus dat way all his life. An’ so when he come to die John Henry had mo’ wimmin\, all dress ed in red an’ blue an’ all dem fine colors come to see him dead\, if i t las’ thing they do\, an’ wus mighty sad sight\, people all stand in’ ’roun’\, both cullud an’ white.”\n\nOf course\, no Negro bel ieves that the foregoing story is true. But there are innumerable stories which stay within the bounds of possibility—though not always probabilit y\, to be sure—and which are thoroughly believed by the Negroes who tell them. One of the most widespread of these\, and at the same time interest ing and artistic\, was concluded as follows by a North Carolina Negro work man:\n\n“An’ John Henry beat dat ol’ steam drill down\, but jes’ a s he took his las’ stroke he fell over daid wid de hammer in his han’. Dey buried him dere in de tunnel\, an’ now dey got his statue carved in solid rock at de mouth o’ de Big Ben’ tunnel on de C. &\; O.—das right over dere close to Asheville somewhere. No\, I ain’t never been d ere\, but dere he stan’\, carved in great big solid rock wid de hammer i n his han’.”\n\n[241]\n\nCHAPTER XIV\nSOME TYPICAL NEGRO TUNES\nWe hav e pointed out again and again the utter futility of trying to describe acc urately the singing of a group of Negroes when they are at their best. A g roup of twenty workers singing\, carrying various parts\, suiting song to work\, and vying with one another for supremacy in variations and innovati ons—this is a scene which defies musical notation and description. And y et the picture which we have tried to present in this volume would certain ly be incomplete without the addition of some of the simple melodies of ty pical workaday songs. They are added\, therefore\, merely as final touches to the picture rather than as attempts to reproduce the complex harmonies of Negro songs.\n\nHeretofore the spirituals have received most of the at tention of those who were working toward the preservation of Negro music. The secular songs have nothing like the standardization of words and music that the spirituals have\, simply because they have not been preserved. I t is inevitable\, however\, that due attention will be given to Negro secu lar music. Indeed much has recently been done toward that end.[95] But the task of recording the majority of Negro secular tunes is yet to be done. It is to be hoped that the forthcoming volume of secular songs which is be ing edited by James Weldon Johnson will go a long way toward giving the Ne gro’s secular music the place which it deserves.\n\n[95]For a discussion of the recent collections of Negro songs\, see Guy B. Johnson\, “Some R ecent Contributions to the Study of American Negro Songs\,” Social Force s\, June\, 1926.\n\n[242]\n\nAny one who has tried to record the music of Negro songs knows that it is very difficult to do more than approximate th e tunes as they are actually sung. Several reasons may be cited to account for this. In the first place\, there are slurs and minute gradations in p itch in Negro songs which it is impossible to represent in ordinary musica l notation. Some of these effects can be reproduced on a stringed instrume nt\, but they cannot be shown on a musical scale which is only divided int o half-step changes of pitch. A notation in the form of curved lines would come nearer representing the Negro’s singing than does the system of de finite notes along a staff. It is what the Negro sings between the lines a nd spaces that makes his music so difficult to record.\n\nAnother factor w hich must be reckoned with is the inconsistency of the singer. When the re corder thinks that he has finally succeeded in getting a phrase down corre ctly and asks the singer to repeat it “just one more time\,” he often finds that the response is quite different from any previous rendition. Re quests for further repetition may bring out still other variations or a re turn to the previous version. Again\, after the notation has been made fro m the singing of the first stanza of a song\, the collector may be chagrin ed to find that none of the other stanzas is sung to exactly the same tune . The variations are not marked. They are elusive and teasing\, and they a dd beauty to the song.\n\nHow often the song collector wishes for some ins trument which will record group singing in its native haunts! He cannot ho pe to catch by ear alone all of the parts—and there are undoubtedly six or eight of many of these songs—that go into the making of those rare ha rmonies which only a group of Negro workers[243] can produce. If he coaxes the singers to keep repeating their song\, some of them become self-consc ious and drop out. Perhaps the whole group will refuse to sing any more. I f perchance he gets one or two singers to give him some special help\, he gets but a suggestion of the group effect. He must be contented with secur ing the leading part of the song and harmonizing it later as best he can.\ n\nSo these rare work harmonies have never been faithfully reproduced in m usical notation.[96] Rather than give an artificial harmonization to the t unes recorded in this chapter\, we are presenting only the leading part of each song.\n\n[96]The nearest approach ever made to accurate recording of such songs is found in the work of the late Natalie Curtis Burlin. See he r Negro Folk Songs\, Hampton Series\, vols. III and IV.\n\nSince several o f the songs in this chapter are work songs\, let us examine for a moment t he technique of the worker-singer. Many work songs\, of course\, are not r eally work songs except in the sense that they are sung during work. When the work is such that it does not necessitate continuous rhythmic movement s\, one song is about as good as another. But rhythmic movements\, being e specially adapted to song accompaniment\, have given rise to a distinct ty pe of work song. Digging\, hammering\, steel-driving\, rowing\, and many o ther kinds of work fall in the rhythmic class. The technique for all of th ese is practically the same.\n\nLet us take digging as an example\, since it is a very common type of Negro labor in the South. Typical pick-song pa tterns are as follows:\n\nI got a rainbow\,\nRainbow ’roun’ my shoulde r\;\nI got a rainbow\,\nRainbow ’roun’ my shoulder\;\n’Tain’t gonn a rain\,\nLawd\, Lawd\, ’tain’t gonna rain.\n[244]\nWell\, she asked m e\nIn her parlor\nAn’ she cooled me\nWid her fan\;\nLawd\, she whispered \nTo her mother\,\n“Mama\, I love\nThat dark-eyed man.”\nNow in the ty pe of song illustrated by the first of the above patterns the strokes of t he pick are not all of equal length. The rhythm of the song demands a shor t stroke alternated with a longer stroke. In the second type of song\, how ever\, the meter is such that all of the strokes of the pick may be of equ al length. At the end of each line there is a cæsura or pause. This repre sents the time during which the worker swings his pick from the upright po sition to the ground. When the pick strikes the ground\, the worker gives a grunt\, loosens the pick\, and raises it. It is during this loosening an d upward movement that he sings. The down-stroke calls for much more effor t than raising the pick\, so he rarely ever sings on the down-stroke. The time required for a digging stroke is\, however\, shorter than the time re quired for loosening and raising the pick\, so that ordinarily the pauses in the song are relatively brief.\n\nIt is in a group that the work song i s to be heard at its best. When a group is digging and singing\, picks are swung in unison. On a few occasions we have observed that one or two men took their strokes out of unison in order to sing certain exclamations or echoes during the pauses in the singing of their companions. This\, howeve r\, is a rare procedure\, for the most striking variations in both music a nd words can be introduced without breaking the unison of the strokes.\n\n [245]\n\nTo call a song a pick song does not mean that it is not also a go od song for general purposes. I Got a Rainbow\, I Don’t Want No Trouble Wid de Walker\, and other pick songs are quite effective when sung as solo s with guitar accompaniment. On the other hand\, many general songs can ea sily be converted into pick songs by slight changes in meter.[97]\n\n[97]F or other discussions of work songs\, see Natalie Curtis Burlin\, Negro Fol k Songs\, vols. III and IV\; Dorothy Scarborough\, On the Trail of Negro F olk Songs\, chapter VIII\; R. Emmet Kennedy\, Mellows\; Odum and Johnson\, The Negro and His Songs\, chapter VIII.\n\nA few of the tunes presented i n the following pages are the older Negro secular tunes. Stagolee and Rail road Bill are rarely heard now\, but they were common twenty years ago\, a nd their music is included in the present collection for whatever its pres ervation may be worth. The words of Stagolee\, Railroad Bill and She Asked Me in de Parlor are reprinted in full from The Negro and His Songs\, but only the first stanzas of the other songs are given\, since the rest of th e words can be found in the preceding chapters of the present volume. The songs in every case are written in the key in which they were sung.\n\nSta golee\n\nMusical score\nStag-o-lee\, Stag-o-lee\, What’s dat in yo’ gr ip? “Noth-in’ but my\n\nSunday clothes\, I’m gonna take a trip.” O h\, dat man\, bad man\, Stagolee done come.\n\n\nStagolee\, Stagolee\, wha t’s dat in yo’ grip?\nNothin’ but my Sunday clothes\, I’m gonna to take a trip\,\nOh\, dat man\, bad man\, Stagolee done come.\n[246]\nStago lee\, Stagolee\, where you been so long?\nI been out on de battle fiel’ shootin’ an’ havin’ fun.\nOh\, dat man\, etc.\nStagolee was a bully man\, an’ ev’ybody knowed\nWhen dey seed Stagolee comin’ to give Sta golee de road.\nStagolee started out\, he give his wife his han’\;\n“G oodby\, darlin’\, I’m goin’ to kill a man.”\nStagolee killed a m an an’ laid him on de flo’\,\nWhat’s dat he kill him wid? Dat same ol’ fohty-fo’.\nStagolee killed man an’ laid him on his side\,\nW hat’s dat he kill him wid? Dat same ol’ fohty-five.\nOut of house an ’ down de street Stagolee did run\,\nIn his hand he held a great big s mok’n’ gun.\nStagolee\, Stagolee\, I’ll tell you what I’ll do\;\ nIf you’ll git me out’n dis trouble I’ll do as much for you.\nAin’ t it a pity\, ain’t it a shame?\nStagolee was shot\, but he don’t want no name.\nStagolee\, Stagolee\, look what you done done:\nKilled de best ol’ citerzen\, now you’ll have to be hung.\nStagolee cried to de jur y\, “Please don’t take my life\,\nI have only three little children an’ one little lovin’ wife.”\nRailroad Bill\n\nMusical score\nRail-r oad Bill might-y bad man\, Shoot dem\n\nlights out de brake-man’s han’ \, Was look-in’ for Rail-road Bill.\n\n\nRailroad Bill mighty bad man\,\ nShoot dem lights out o’ de brakeman’s han’\,\nWas lookin’ fer Rai lroad Bill.\n[247]\nRailroad Bill mighty bad man\,\nShoot the lamps all of f de stan’\,\nAn’ it’s lookin’ fer Railroad Bill.\nFirst on table\ , next on wall\;\nOl’ corn whiskey cause of it all\,\nIt’s lookin’ f er Railroad Bill.\nOl’ McMillan had a special train\;\nWhen he got there was shower of rain\,\nWus lookin’ fer Railroad Bill.\nEv’ybody tol’ him he better turn back\;\nRailroad Bill wus goin’ down track\,\nAn ’ it’s lookin’ fer Railroad Bill.\nWell\, the policemen all dressed in blue\,\nComin’ down sidewalk two by two\,\nWus lookin’ fer Railroad Bill.\nRailroad Bill had no wife\,\nAlways lookin’ fer somebody’s lif e\,\nAn’ it’s lookin’ fer Railroad Bill.\nRailroad Bill was the wo rst ol’ coon:\nKilled McMillan by de light o’ de moon\,\nIt’s look in’ fer Railroad Bill.\nOl’ Culpepper went up on number five\,\nGoin ’ bring him back\, dead or alive\,\nWus lookin’ fer Railroad Bill.\nSh e Asked Me in de Parlor\n\nMusical score\nWell\, she asked me in her par-l or An’ she cooled me wid her fan\,\n\nAn’ she whis-pered to her moth-e r\, “O Ma\, I love that dark-eyed man.”\n\n\nWell\, she ask me in her parlor\nAn’ she cooled me wid her fan\,\nAn’ she whispered to her moth er\,\n“Mama\, I love that dark-eyed man.”\n[248]\nWell\, I ask her mot her for her\nAn’ she said she was too young.\nLawd\, I wished I never ha d seen her\nAn’ I wished she’d never been born.\nWell\, I led her to d e altar\,\nAn’ de preacher give his comman’\,\nAn’ she swore by God that made her\nThat she never love another man.\nJohn Henry\n\nMusical sco re\nJohn Hen-ry was a steel-driv-in’ man\, Ca’d his hammer all the\n\n time\,... An’ be-fo’ he’d let the steam-drill beat him down\,\n\nDie with the hammer in his han’\, Die with the hammer in his han’.\n\n\ nGoin’ Down That Lonesome Road\n\nMusical score\nGoin’ down that lone- some road\, Oh\, goin’ down that lone-some\n\nroad\, An’ I won’t be treat-ed this-a way. Springs on my\n\nbed done brok-en down\, An’ I ai n’t got no-where to lay my head.\n\n\n[249]\n\nShoot That Buffalo\n\nMus ical score\nWent down to Raleigh\, Was nev-er there be-fo’\, White folks on de feather bed\,\n\nNig-gers on de flo’. Shoot dat buf-fa\, shoot da t lo\, Shoot dat buf-fa-lo.\n\n\nI Got a Rainbow\nA\n\nMusical score\nOh\, ev-’ry-where I\, where I look this morn-in’\, It looks like\n\nrain\, Lawd\, O my Lawd\, looks like rain\, it looks like rain\, Lawd\, O my Law d\,\n\nlooks like rain\, Oh\, ev-’ry-where I\, where I look this morn- in’.\n\n\nI Got a Rainbow\nB\n\nMusical score\nOh\, ev-’ry-where I\, W here I look dis morn-in’\, Oh\, ev-’ry-where I\,\n\nWhere I look dis m orn-in’\, It look like rain\, Lawd\, Lawd\, looks like rain.\n\n\nI Do n’t Want No Trouble Wid de Walker\n\nMusical score\nOh\, I don’t want no\, Want no trouble wid de walk-er\; Oh\, I don’t want no\,\n\nWant no trouble wid de walker. Wanta go home\, Lawd\, Lawd\, wanta go home.\n\n\n[ 250]\n\nReason I Stay on de Job So Long\n\nMusical score\nReason I stay on de job so long\, Gimme flam-donies an’ de cof-fee strong.\n\n\nTol’ M y Cap’n That My Feet Was Col’\n\nMusical score\nTol’ my cap’n that my feet was col’\, “God damn yo’ feet\, let the car wheel roll.”\ n\n\nIf I’d Known My Cap’n Was Blin’\n\nMusical score\nIf I’d a-kn own my cap’n was blin’\, dar-lin’\,\n\nIf I’d a-known my cap’n was blin’\, dar-lin’\, If I’d a-known my\n\ncap’n was blin’\, I wouldn’-a went to work till half-pas’ nine\, dar-lin’.\n\n\nI Got a Muley\n\nMusical score\nI got a mul-ey\, Mul-ey on the mountain\, call him Jer-ry\; Oh\, I can\n\nride him\, Ride him an-y time I wanta\, All day long\, Lawd\, Lawd\, all day long.\n\n\nShot My Pistol in the Heart of To wn\n\nMusical score\nO - o - o - h\, L - a - a - w-d\, Shot my pis-tol\n\n in de heart o-town\,......... Lawd\, de big Chief holled\, “Don’t you blow me down.”\n\n\n[252]\n\nCHAPTER XV\nTYPES OF PHONO-PHOTOGRAPHIC REC ORDS OF NEGRO SINGERS\nWe have referred often in these pages to the wealth of material found in the great variety and number of the Negro’s songs. We have appraised the collections which have been published and those whi ch are to come as valuable source material for the study of folk life and art and especially for their value in the portrayal of representative Negr o life. Adequate analysis and presentation of these values will be possibl e only after a number of the other collections have been completed and com prehensive studies made.\n\nThere are other values not yet presented. For example\, the scientific study of the Negro’s musical ability has barely begun\, but it promises much. The work of Professor Carl E. Seashore and others has resulted in the formulation of various tests and methods for st udying musical talent and singing ability. Many valuable studies have been reported from various psychological laboratories. One of the latest devel opments in this field is the phono-photographic method of recording voices . In this method the phono-photographic machine makes it possible to take pictures of sound waves of all kinds. Among other things\, it registers th e most delicate variations in pitch\, variations which are often too subtl e for the human ear to perceive. In short\, it gives a picture of exactly what a voice or a musical instrument does.\n\nNaturally this method of sou nd wave analysis may be of untold value in the study of the human voice. I t[253] enables the singer to see his voice in detail. It furnishes the sci entist with data for the study of the qualities which make a voice good or poor. It opens up many possibilities\, both practical and theoretical\, a s a method of voice analysis.\n\nOf special interest and importance is the application of this method to the study of Negro singers and Negro voices . It was therefore a fortunate turn of circumstances which made it possibl e for the authors of this volume to join Professor Seashore and Dr. Milton Metfessel of the University of Iowa in making extensive phono-photographi c studies of various Negro singers during the fall of 1925\, with headquar ters at the University of North Carolina Institute for Research in Social Science. Professor Seashore was able to coöperate personally in the work at Hampton\, while Dr. Metfessel remained throughout the entire period of the study.[98]\n\n[98]Dr. Metfessel\, using the perfected machine which lo ng years of work at the University of Iowa psychological laboratories have produced\, was successful in obtaining a large number of satisfactory rec ords. He also took moving pictures of the singers. Needless to say\, we ar e indebted to him for the material of this chapter.\n\nAmong the types of Negro singers whose voices were subjected to the phono-photographic proces s were practically all of the common types which we have been recording in the pages of this volume and of The Negro and His Songs. There were the t ypical laborers\, working with pick and shovel. There was the lonely singe r\, with his morning yodel or “holler.” There were the skilled workers with voices more or less trained by practice and formal singing. There wa s the more nearly primitive type\, swaying body and limb with singing. The noted quartet from Hampton Institute\, as well as individual singers ther e\, coöperated. Men and women from the North Carolina College for Negroes represented other types. Quartets[254] and individuals from the high scho ols at Chapel Hill and Raleigh\, North Carolina\, were still other types. Finally the voices of one hundred and fifty Negro children from the Orange County Training School at Chapel Hill and the Washington School at Raleig h were recorded. Types of songs included in the experiments were the gang work song\, the pick-and-shovel song and various other work songs\, the yo del\, the “1926 model laugh\,” the blues\, formal quartet music\, spir ituals\, and children’s songs. It would thus appear that both the select ions and the numbers were adequate to make a valuable beginning in a new p hase of the subject.\n\nThe results of this study will be published fully later. The present chapter is in no sense a report of the results. It is i ntended merely to describe the phono-photographic study\, to give some exa mples of records obtained during the study\, and to indicate certain possi bilities of this method as a scientific means of research into Negro singi ng abilities and qualities.\n\nThe following explanation will suffice to a cquaint the reader with the method of reading the photographic records pre sented in this chapter. Along the left side of each graph are the notes of the scale in half steps. When the heavy line which represents the voice r ises or falls one space on the graph\, the voice has changed a half tone i n pitch. Time value is shown along the bottom of the graph. The vertical b ars occurring every 5.55 spaces along the bottom mark off intervals of one second.\n\nIf one were to sing a perfectly rigid tone\, its photographic record would be a horizontal straight line. Such a thing is very rare\, ho wever\, in any type of singing\, for most sustained tones photograph as mo re or less irregular wavy lines. Indeed\, a voice whose sustained tones ph otographed as a straight line would[255] not produce as good tones as one with rapid and regular variations of the vocal cords. A good singing voice possesses what is called the vibrato. In terms of the photographic record s\, the pitch vibrato consists of a rise and fall of pitch of about half a tone about six times a second. In Figure I are given samples of tones pho tographed by Seashore and Metfessel from the singing of Annie Laurie by Lo well Welles. The first represents the singing of the word “dew” in the line\, “Where early fa’s the dew.” The second is the word “and” from the line\, “And for bonnie Annie Laurie.” The vibrato is present in both tones. Note how the voice line varies above or below the note E o n “dew” and F-sharp on “and\,” sometimes as much as a quarter of a tone. Note also the smoothness and regularity of the pitch fluctuations. It is this smoothness of the vibrato which characterizes good singing.\n\n Singing photograph\n“AND” F♯\n\n“DEW” E\n\nFig. I\n\nTo illustra te their scope\, methods\, and possibilities three specimens of photograph ic records of Negro voices are presented: a song\, I Got a Muley\,[99] by[ 256] Odell Walker\; a yodel or “holler\,” as it is commonly called\, b y Cleve Atwater\; and Cleve’s “1926 Model Laugh.”\n\n[99]The tune is slightly different from the music of the song of the same name given in C hapter XIV. It is variously called I Got a Mule on the Mountain\, I Got Mu le Named Jerry\, I Got a Muley\, Jerry on Mountain.\n\nFigure II is the ph otographic notation of I Got a Muley. The music of the song as best it can be represented in ordinary notation is given below. Several interesting t hings are revealed by the song picture in Figure II.[100] For one thing\, we have here a picture of some of those elusive slurs which are so common among Negro singers. Take the words “muley on a mount’n” in Figure I I-A\, for example.\n\nMusical score\nI GOT A MULEY\, MULEY ON A MOUNT’N CALL ’IM JERRY\; I GOT A MULEY\,\n\nMULEY ON A MOUNT’N CALL’IM JERRY . I CAN RIDE HIM\, RIDE’IM ANY TIME I\n\nWAN’ UH\; I CAN RIDE HIM RI DE’IM ANY TIME I WAN’UH\, LAWD\, LAWD\, ALL DAY LONG.\n\n\nWhen one he ars these words as they were sung by Odell Walker\, one is apt to feel tha t with the exception of the last syllable of “mount’n” they are all sung on the same pitch. The graph shows that this is not so. There are rea lly drops in pitch of one and a half or two whole tones at two places in t his phrase. Or take the word “ride\,” as it occurs in the phrase\, “ride ’im any time I wan’ uh\,” which phrase occurs twice in the song. One can tell while listening to the song that there is some sort of slur present\, but it is impossible to tell by means of the ear alone exac tly what is happening. The graph reveals the fact that the singer[257] act ually begins the word “ride” between D-sharp and E and carries it as h igh as G-sharp. The outstanding tone heard\, however\, is G-sharp. Other p itch changes not shown in the ordinary musical notation may be easily dete cted by the reader.\n\n[100]A measure on the graph is equivalent to approx imately nine spaces on the horizontal scale. Note that the singer did not keep accurate time. His measures range from six to twelve spaces.\n\nThe v ibrato is present in places in the record of this song. In section A there is a trace of it on the word “muley” the first time it occurs. In sec tion B there is an approach to it on the word “Jerry.” In section C it occurs on the word “ride” the first time it appears. In section D the re is a tendency toward it on “Lawd\, Lawd\,” but it shows best in “long”\, the last word of the song. A comparison with the examples of artistic singing in Figure I shows that our Negro workman’s vibrato is rough and irregular and that it does not maintain a steady general pitch l evel as does Welles’s vibrato. It must be borne in mind\, however\, that this particular song does not afford good opportunities for sustained ton es and that the Negro singer’s vibrato might have shown to better advant age on a different song.\n\nIn Figure III is a picture of a yodel or “ho ller.” It is the sort of thing which one hears from field hands as they go to work in the morning\, or from some gay-spirited pick-and-shovel man as he begins digging on a frosty morning.\n\nNo attempt is made to include the ordinary musical notation of the yodel\, for it would give but a sugg estion of the vocal idiosyncrasies involved in the execution of the yodel. The most remarkable thing about this record is the sudden changes of pitc h which it portrays. In Figure III-A just at the beginning of the fifth se cond interval the voice takes a sudden drop. Then it rises from F to G in the octave above in about a third of a second. In section B of the yodel\, near the end of the fifth second interval\, the same spectacular rise occ urs\, this time from F-sharp to G-sharp in about one-tenth of a second. St ill more remarkable are the several rapid rises and falls in pitch in sect ion C. In the production of such sudden changes the vocal cords must under go a snap. Even in speech\, where pitch changes are very rapid\, such sudd en ascents and descents do not occur.\n\n[258]\n\nChart\nFig. II-A\n\nChar t\nFig. II-B\n\n[259]\n\nChart\nFig. II-C\n\nChart\nFig. II-D\n\n[260]\n\n Chart\nFig. III-A\n\nChart\nFig. III-B\n\n[261]\n\nChart\nFig. III-C\n\nCh art\nFig. III-D\n\n[262]\n\nChart\nFig. IV-A\n\nChart\nFig. IV-B\n\n[263]\ n\nIt is also interesting to note that the vibrato is present at times in the yodel. It is fairly plain on C-sharp along the middle of section A and still better on G at the end of the same section. It also shows at the en d of section B\, continuing into section C\; and the yodel ends with a sem i-vibrato. There is an approach to it in several other places. The vibrato of our Negro worker\, however\, is rather erratic and wavering in compari son with the vibrato of the vocal artist in Figure I. Yet one must remembe r that our subjects\, both in Figure II and Figure III\, were Negro worker s whose voices have never had a touch of formal training.\n\nIn Figure IV we have a photographic record of a hearty Negro laugh. Its musical quality is at once evident. In the first three seconds of the laugh there is an u nusual effect. It would not be called a vibrato because the pitch changes are too rapid and too extensive to give the vibrato effect. Near the begin ning of the fifth second of the laugh the voice breaks up into a series of interrupted speech sounds. During the sixth second it suddenly becomes mu sical again and remains so for about two seconds. Then\, after a rest\, (s ee section the speech sounds reappear and continue intermittently to the end of the laugh. These observations indicate some of the possibilities of the phono-photographic method of studying Negro voices and Negro songs. W hen the complete results of[264] the recent study are ready for publicatio n we may have data which will make it possible to compare scientifically t he voices of different kinds of Negro singers as well as the voices of Neg ro and white singers. Other studies and correlations may be made through t he articulation of the moving pictures of the singers\, their faces\, thei r bodily movements\, their emotional expressions\, and whatever reactions the camera may reveal. In nearly all instances where phono-photographic re cords were made of Negro voices in the recent study\, moving pictures were made of the singers. In addition to these\, moving pictures were made of groups of workmen while singing. Some remarkable examples of skill in move ment\, of coördination of song with work\, of mixture of humor\, pathos\, and recklessness with work and song were brought to light. These have bee n incorporated into a series of three reels. Some of these pictures of fac ial expression during singing will be included in the report of the study when it is published in complete form. Many interesting questions may find their solutions if the scientific method is applied to the study of Negro singing ability. Is the vibrato a native endowment? Is the vibrato more f requent among Negroes than among whites? At what age does it appear in the voice?[101] What other qualities cause the rank and file of Negroes to ex cel as singers? Is the Negro’s capacity for harmony greater than the whi te man’s? Is his sense of rhythm better? These are some of the questions which science should be able to answer in the near future. [101]A study o f the voices of white and Negro school children now being made by Milton M etfessel and Guy B. Johnson may throw some light upon some of these questi ons. [265] SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY[102] [102]This bibliography is not intend ed to cover all that has been written on Negro songs. It includes referenc es to actual collections of songs and to a few other contributions which a re of value to the serious student of Negro songs. Dozens of merely apprec iative articles have been omitted. For a larger bibliography one may consu lt the latest issue of the Negro Year Book. BOOKS Abbot\, F. H.\, and Swan \, A. J.\, Eight Negro Songs. Enoch &\; Sons\, New York\, 1923. Eight s ongs from Bedford County\, Virginia. Explanatory comments and notes on dia lect are given for each song. Allen\, W. F.\, and others\, Slave Songs of the United States. New York\, 1867. Words and music of 136 songs are given . Armstrong\, M. F.\, Hampton and Its Students. New York\, 1874. Fifty pla ntation songs. Ballanta\, N. G. J.\, St. Helena Island Spirituals. G. Schi rmer\, New York\, 1925. A collection of 115 spirituals from Penn School\, St. Helena Island. This island is off the coast of South Carolina\, and it s semi-isolation makes it an interesting field for the study of Negro song s. Ballanta’s work is prefaced by a valuable but somewhat pedantic discu ssion of Negro music. Burlin\, Natalie Curtis\, Negro Folk-Songs. G. Schir mer\, New York\, 1918-19. Four small volumes of Negro songs recorded at Ha mpton Institute. Volumes I and II are spirituals\, volumes III and IV are work songs and play songs. These songs are of special value in that the la te Mrs. Burlin came nearer than any one else to the accurate reproduction of Negro songs in musical notation. Campbell\, Olive Dame\, and Sharp\, Ce cil J.\, English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians. The student wh o is interested in the origin of Negro songs and their relation to English folk songs will find valuable data in this book. Cox\, J. H.\, Folk Songs of the South. Harvard University Press\, 1924. Most of these songs are so ngs of the whites of the mountains\, but they are particularly valuable in that they throw light on the origin of many Negro songs. Fenner\, T. P.\, Religious Folk Songs of the American Negro. Hampton Institute Press\, 192 4. (Arranged in 1909 by the Musical Directors of Hampton Normal and Indust rial Institute[266] from the original edition by Thomas P. Fenner. Reprint ed in 1924.) This volume contains the words and music of 153 religious son gs. Fenner\, T. P.\, and Rathbun\, F. G.\, Cabin and Plantation Songs. New York\, 1891. Old Negro plantation songs with music. Hallowell\, Emily\, C alhoun Plantation Songs. New York\, 1910. A number of songs with music col lected from the singing of Negroes on the Calhoun plantation. Harris\, Joe l Chandler\, Uncle Remus\, His Songs and Sayings. New York\, 1880. Nine so ngs. Harris\, Joel Chandler\, Uncle Remus and His Friends. New York\, 1892 . Sixteen songs. Higginson\, Thomas Wentworth\, Army Life in a Black Regim ent. Boston\, 1870. Chapter IX of this book is devoted to Negro spirituals as they were sung in Col. Higginson’s regiment during the Civil War. Ho bson\, Anne\, In Old Alabama. New York\, 1903. Ten dialect stories and son gs. Johnson\, James Weldon\, The Book of American Negro Spirituals. Viking Press\, New York\, 1925. A collection of sixty-one spirituals. Most of th ese songs have been published in other collections\, but the musical arran gements in this volume are new. While the melodies of the old songs are re tained intact\, an effort has been made to improve the rhythmic qualities of the accompaniments. The preface of the book is devoted to the origin\, development\, and appreciation of Negro spirituals. Kennedy\, R. Emmet\, B lack Cameos. A. &\; C. Boni\, New York\, 1924. A collection of twenty-e ight stories\, mostly humorous\, with songs interwoven. The words and musi c of seventeen songs are given. Kennedy\, R. Emmet\, Mellows: Work Songs\, Street Cries and Spirituals. A. &\; C. Boni\, New York\, 1925. Several spirituals and street songs from New Orleans. The author includes charact er sketches of his singers. His discussion of the relation of Negro songs to printed ballad sheets is especially interesting. Krehbiel\, H. E.\, Afr o-American Folk Songs. G. Schirmer\, New York and London\, 1914. A careful study of Negro folk songs from the point of view of the skilled musician. Songs and music[267] from Africa and other sources are analyzed and compa red with American Negro productions. The music of sixty or more songs and dance airs is given. Marsh\, J. B. T.\, The Story of the Jubilee Singers. Boston 1880. An account of the Jubilee Singers\, with their songs. Odum\, Howard W.\, and Johnson\, Guy B.\, The Negro and His Songs. University of North Carolina Press\, Chapel Hill\, 1925. A study of the origin and chara cteristic of Negro songs from the historical and sociological point of vie w. The words of 200 songs are given. The songs are discussed under three g eneral classes: spirituals\, social songs\, and work songs. Peterson\, C. G.\, Creole Songs from New Orleans. New Orleans\, 1902. Pike\, G. D.\, The Jubilee Singers. Boston and New York\, 1873. Sixty-one religious songs. S carborough\, Dorothy\, On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs. Harvard Universit y Press\, Cambridge\, 1925. One of the most important contributions yet ma de to the study of Negro songs. This book presents some 200 secular songs\ , including the music of most of them. Especially interesting is the chapt er on “The Negro’s part in the Transmission of Traditional Songs and B allads.” The lack of any sort of index somewhat decreases the value of t he book for purposes of reference and comparison. Talley\, Thomas W.\, Neg ro Folk Rhymes. Macmillan\, New York\, 1922. This volume contains about 35 0 rhymes and songs and a study of the origin\, development\, and character istics of Negro rhymes. Besides a general index of songs\, a comparative i ndex is included. Work\, John Wesley\, Folk Songs of the American Negro. F isk University Press\, Nashville\, 1915. The words of fifty-five songs and music of nine\, together with a study of the origin and growth of certain songs. PERIODICALS Adventure Magazine. The files of this magazine for the last few years should be of considerable interest to the student of folk song. A department called “Old Songs That Men Have Sung” is conducted by Dr. R. W. Gordon\, a Harvard-trained student of folk song. Many of the songs printed in this department are Negro songs or Negro adaptions. [268] Backus\, E. M.\, “Negro Songs from Georgia\,” Journal of American Fol k-Lore\, vol. 10\, pp. 116\, 202\, 216\; vol. 11\, pp. 22\, 60. Six religi ous songs. Backus\, E. M.\, “Christmas Carols from Georgia\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 12\, p. 272. Two songs. Barton\, W. E.\, “H ymns of Negroes\,” New England Magazine\, vol. 19\, pp. 669 et seq.\, 70 6 et seq. A number of songs with some musical notation and discussion. Ber gen\, Mrs. F. D.\, “On the Eastern Shore\,” Journal of American Folk-L ore\, vol. 2\, pp. 296-298. Two fragments\, with a brief discussion of the Negroes of the eastern shore of Maryland. Brown\, J. M.\, “Songs of the Slave\,” Lippincott’s\, vol. 2\, pp. 617-623. Several songs with brie f comments. Cable\, George W.\, “Creole Slave Songs\,” Century\, vol. 31\, pp. 807-828. Twelve songs with some fragments\, music of seven. Clark e\, Mary Almsted\, “Song Games of Negro Children in Virginia\,” Journa l of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 3\, pp. 288-290. Nine song games and rhymes . Cox\, J. H.\, “John Hardy\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 32 \, p. 505 et seq. Here will be found Cox’s discussion of the John Hardy or John Henry story\, together with several versions of the song. Garnett\ , L. A.\, “Spirituals\,” Outlook\, vol. 30\, p. 589. Three religious s ongs. However\, they appear to have been polished considerably by the writ er. Haskell\, M. A.\, “Negro Spirituals\,” Century\, vol. 36\, pp. 577 et seq. About ten songs with music. Higginson\, T. W.\, “Hymns of Negro es\,” Atlantic Monthly\, vol. 19\, pp. 685 et seq. Thirty-six religious and two secular songs\, with musical notation. Lemmerman\, K.\, “Improvi sed Negro Songs\,” New Republic\, vol. 13\, pp. 214-215. Six religious s ongs or improvised fragments. Lomax\, J. A.\, “Self-pity in Negro Folk S ong\,” Nation\, vol. 105\, pp. 141-145. About twenty songs\, some new\, others quoted from Perrow and Odum\, with discussion. “Negro Hymn of Day of Judgment\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 9\, p. 210. One rel igious song. [269] Niles\, Abbe\, “Blue Notes\,” New Republic\, vol. 4 5\, pp. 292-3. A discussion of the significance of the blues and the music of the blues. The style is somewhat too verbose and technical for the ave rage reader. Odum\, Anna K.\, “Negro Folk Songs from Tennessee\,” Jour nal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 27\, pp. 255-265. Twenty-one religious an d four secular songs. Odum\, Howard W.\, “Religious Folk Songs of the So uthern Negroes\,” Journal of Religious Psychology and Education\, vol. 3 \, pp. 265-365. About one hundred songs. Odum\, Howard W.\, “Folk Song a nd Folk Poetry as Found in the Secular Songs of the Southern Negroes\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 35\, pp. 223-249\; 351-396. About 120 songs. Odum\, Howard W.\, “Swing Low\, Sweet Chariot.” Country Gentle man\, March\, 1926\, pp. 18-19\, 49-50. Several religious songs with discu ssion. Odum\, Howard W.\, “Down that Lonesome Road.” Country Gentleman \, May\, 1926\, pp. 18-19\, 79. Several secular songs\, music of six\, som e new and some quoted from The Negro and His Songs and from the present co llection. Peabody\, Charles\, “Notes on Negro Music\,” Journal of Amer ican Folk-Lore\, vol. 16\, pp. 148-52. Observations on the technique of th e Negro workman in the South\, with some songs and music. Perkins\, A. E.\ , “Spirituals from the Far South\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vo l. 35\, pp. 223-249. Forty-seven songs. Perrow\, E. C.\, “Songs and Rhym es from the South\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 25\, pp. 137-1 55\; vol. 26\, pp. 123-173\; vol. 28\, pp. 129-190. A general collection c ontaining 118 Negro songs\, mostly secular. Redfearn\, S. F.\, “Songs fr om Georgia\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 34\, pp. 121-124. One secular and three religious songs. Speers\, M. W. F.\, “Negro Songs and Folk-Lore\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 23\, pp. 435-439. One religious and one secular song. Steward\, T. G.\, “Negro Imagery\,” N ew Republic\, vol. 12\, p. 248. One religious improvisation\, with discuss ion. [270] Thanet\, Octave\, “Cradle Songs of Negroes in North Carolin a\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 7\, p. 310. Two lullabies. Tru itt\, Florence\, “Songs from Kentucky\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore \, vol. 36\, pp. 376-379. Four white songs\, one of which contains several verses often found in Negro songs. Webb\, W. P.\, “Notes on Folk-Lore o f Texas\,” Journal of American Folk-Lore\, vol. 28\, pp. 290-299. Five s ecular songs. [271] INDEX TO SONGS PAGE A Creeper’s Been ’Roun’ Di s Do’ 149 A Nigger’s Hard to Fool 180 A Vampire of Your Own 143 All Boun’ in Prison 79 All Right 109 All Us Niggers ’hind de Bars 87 Angel s Lookin’ at Me 198 Baby\, Why Don’t You Treat Me Right? 148 Bad Man L azarus 50 Bear Cat Down in Georgia 121 Berda\, You Come Too Soon 128 Bette r’n I Has at Home 85 Billy Bob Russell 54 Bloodhoun’ on My Track 66 Bo lin Jones 62 Boys\, Put Yo’ Hands on It 107 Buffalo Bill 67 Can Any One Take Sweet Mama’s Place? 156 Captain\, Captain\, Let Wheelers Roll 102 C aptain\, I’ll Be Gone 100 Captain\, I Wanta Go Home 45 Casey Jones 126 C hain Gang Blues 78 Chicken Never Roost Too High fo’ Me 133 Co’n Bread 181 Creepin’ ’Roun’ 63 Daddy Mine 155 Darlin’\, Get on de Road 1 32 Das ’Nough Said 130 Dat Brown Gal Baby Done Turn Me Down 137 Dat Choc olate Man 161 Dat Leadin’ Houn’ 67 Dat Nigger o’ Mine Don’t Love Me No Mo’ 162 Dat Sly Gal[272] 164 De Chocolate Gal 153 De Co’t House in de Sky 184 De Devil’s Been to My House 193 De Goat’s Got a Smell 1 31 De Mulatto Gal 153 De Woman Am de Cause of It All A 142 B 143 De Women Don’t Love Me No Mo’ 141 Dem Chain Gang Houn’s 86 Dem Longin’\, Wantin’ Blues 162 Dem Turrible Red Hot Blues 130 Dere’s a Lizzie After My Man 163 Dere’s Misery in Dis Lan’ 161 Dew-Drop Mine 149 Dey Got Ea ch and de Udder’s Man 144 Dey’s Hangin’ ’roun’ Her Do’ 148 Dia mond Joe 130 Didn’t Ol’ Pharaoh Get Lost? 191 Dig-a My Grave Wid a Sil ver Spade 129 Don’t Fool Wid Me 63 Don’t Wanta See Her No Mo’ 137 Don’t You Give Me No Cornbread 105 Don’t You Hear? 68 Don’t You Two- time Me 156 Dove Came Down by the Foot of My Bed 127 Dupree 55 Dupree’s Jail Song 123 Dupree Tol’ Betty 57 Everybody Call Me the Wages Man 116 “Free Labor” Gang Song 90 Give Me a Teasin’ Brown 146 Go ’Long Mu le 177 Goin’ Back to de Gang 86 Goin’ Down Dat Lonesome Road[273] 46 G onna Turn Back Pharaoh’s Army 191 Good Lawd\, I Am Troubled 192 Good Mor ning\, Mr. Epting 171 Goodby\, Sing Hallelu 205 Goodby\, Sookie 131 Got Me in the Calaboose 76 Great Scots\, You Don’t Know What to Do 132 Gwine t o Git a Home By an’ By 176 Have Everlastin’ Life 194 He Got My Gal 151 He-i-Heira 92 He Run Me In 131 He Tuck Her Away 149 He Wus de Gov’nor o f Our Clan 127 Help Me Drive ’Em 109 Hi\, Jenny\, Ho\, Jenny Johnson 185 Home Again\, Home Again 150 Honey Baby 145 Hot Flambotia an’ Coffee Str ong 112 Hump-back Mule 179 I Ain’t Done Nothin’ 69 I Ain’t Free 71 I Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Make a Fool Out o’ Me 128 I Ain’t No Stran ger 159 I Am Ready For de Fight 64 I Belong to Steel-drivin’ Crew 110 I Bid You a Long Farewell 197 I Brung a Gal From Tennessee 137 I Calls My Je sus King Emanuel 205 I Can’t Keep From Cryin’ 40 I Done Sol’ My Soul to de Devil 158 I Don’t Feel Welcome Here 164 I Don’t Love Him No M o’ 162 I Don’t Mind Bein’ in Jail 77 I Don’t Want No Trouble Wid d e Walker[274] 113 I Don’t Want No Cornbread 114 I Don’t Want You All t o Grieve After Me 197 I Got a Gal an’ I Can’t Git Her 147 I Got a Lett er\, Captain 82 I Got a Letter From My Man 158 I Got a Muley 120 I Got Ano ther Daddy 165 I Got Chickens on My Back 128 I Got My Man 150 I Love Jesus 195 I Never Will Turn Back 200 I Rather Be in My Grave 38 I Steal Dat Cor n 68 I Tol’ My Cap’n That My Feet Was Col’ 102 I Wants to Go to Heav en 203 I Went to de Jail House 79 I Went to See My Gal 147 I Wish I Was De ad 39 I Wish I Was Single Again 163 If Dere’s a Man in de Moon 143 If I Can Git to Georgia Line 75 If I’d A-known My Cap’n Was Blin’ 101 If You Want to See a Pretty Girl 145 I’m a Natural-bo’n Ram’ler 65 I’m Comin’ Back 85 I’m de Hot Stuff Man 65 I’m de Rough Stuff 69 I’m Fishin’ Boun’ 181 I’m Goin’ Back Home 96 I’m Goin’ Home \, Buddie 43 I’m Goin’ On 112 I’m Goin’ Out West 124 I’m Gonna G et Me Another Man 165 I’m Gonna Have Me a Red Ball All My Own 132 In de Mornin’ Soon[275] 201 I’s a Natural-bo’n Eastman 68 I’s Done Spot My Nigger 150 I’s Dreamin’ of You 154 I’s Gonna Shine 204 I’s Ha vin’ a Hell of a Time 138 I’s Swingin’ in de Swinger 204 Jail House Wail 73 Jes’ Behol’ What a Number 194 Jes’ Fer a Day 87 John Henry ( See Chapter XIII) 221-240 Judge Gonna Sentence Us So Long 80 Julia Long 12 5 July’s for the Red-bug 106 Kitty Kimo 187 Lawd\, She Keep on Worryin ’ Me 136 Lawd\, Lawd\, I’m on My Way 46 Lawdy\, What I Gonna Do? 139 L ayin’ Low 62 Left Wing Gordon (See Chapter XII) 206-221 Long\, Tall\, Br own-skin Girl 146 Lookin’ Over in Georgia 121 Mammy-in-law Done Turn Me Out 141 Missus in de Big House 117 Mule on the Mountain 119 My Black Jack 155 My Gal’s a High Bo’n Lady 145 My Girl She’s Gone and Left Me 136 My Home Ain’t Here\, Captain 98 My Jane 144 My Man Am a Slap-stick Man 156 My Man He Got in Trouble 81 Never Turn Back 107 No Coon But You 183 No More 108 Nothin’ to Keep[276] 115 O Buckeye Rabbit 110 O Captain\, Capt ain 94 O Lawd\, Mamie 91 Oh\, de Gospel Train’s A-comin’ 202 Occupied 164 Ol’ Black Mariah 87 On de Road Somewhere 155 On My Las’ Go-’roun d 128 Out in de Cabin 131 Outran Dat Cop 67 Pharaoh’s Army Got Drownded 190 Pity Po’ Boy 38 Please\, Mr. Conductor 44 Po’ Homeless Boy 43 Po ’ Little Girl Grievin’ 41 Po’ Nigger Got Nowhere to Go 39 Prisoner ’s Song 83 Pull off Dem Shoes I Bought You 140 Pullman Porter 186 Rain o r Shine 129 Raise a Rukus Tonight A 173 B 174 C 174 Reason I Stay on Job S o Long 112 Reuben 66 Roscoe Bill 62 Save Me\, Lawd 196 Section Boss 93 Sha nghai Rooster 134 She’s Got Another Daddy 151 Ship My Po’ Body Home 37 Shoot\, Good God\, Shoot! 87 Shoot That Buffalo 123 Shootin’ Bill[277] 63 Shot My Pistol in the Heart o’ Town 70 Since I Laid My Burden Down 20 1 Slim Jim From Dark-town Alley 64 Some o’ Dese Days 139 Some o’ These Days 202 Stewball Was a Racer 133 ’Taint as Bad as I Said 75 Take Me Ba ck Home 44 That Liar 168 That Ol’ Letter 43 The Judge He Sentence Me 82 The Sanctified 195 This Ol’ Hammer 111 Throw Myself Down in de Sea 38 Tr avelin’ Man 59 Trouble All My Days 40 Turn Yo’ Damper Down 126 U-h\, U -h\, Lawdy 110 War Jubilee Song 169 Wash My Overhalls 126 ’Way Up in the Mountain 104 We Are Climbin’ Jacob’s Ladder 111 We Will Kneel ’Ro un’ de Altar 193 What Can the Matter Be? 160 What You Gonna Do? 195 When He Grin 69 When I Git Home 203 When I Lay My Burden Down 200 When I Wore My Ap’on Low 157 When I’s Dead an’ Gone 197 Who Built de Ark? 191 Wh oa\, Mule 179 Who’s Goin’ to Buy Your Whiskey? 129 Will I Git Back Hom e?[278] 45 Woke up Wid My Back to the Wall 84 Worried Anyhow 160 Wring Jin g Had a Little Ding 175 Yonder Come de Devil 130 You Calls Me in de Mornin ’ 129 You Mus’ Shroud My Body 199 You Take de Stockin’\, I Take de S ock 140 You Take de Yaller\, I Take de Black 146 Transcriber’s Notes The text has been transcribed verbatim from the source document\, including i nconsistencies and (phonetic representations of) dialects and speech and p ejorative and offensive language. Page 29\, table: the percentages are as printed in the source document\, but appear to be off slightly for brand C and by several percentage points for brands A and B. Page 255\, The first represents ...: first and second are reversed compared to the illustratio n. Changes made: Footnotes have been moved to under the song or text parag raph in which they are referenced. Some minor inconsistencies and obvious typographical and punctuation errors have been corrected silently. Several contractions such as aint’\, dont’ and wont’ etc. have been changed to ain’t\, don’t and won’t etc. Text in a dashed box was not presen t in the text as such\, but has been transcribed from the accompanying ill ustration. Page 25: Love\, careless\, love changed to Love\, careless love . Page 30: Lake Ponchartrain Blues changed to Lake Pontchartrain Blues. Pa ge 66: I’m a greasy streak o’ lightin’ changed to I’m a greasy s treak o’ lightnin’ (last verse but one). Page 111: trottin’ Sallie c hanged to Trottin’ Sallie (second verse). Page 226: O dat dress dat you wear so fine? changed to O’ dat dress dat you wear so fine? *** END OF T HE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NEGRO WORKADAY SONGS *** Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed. Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that n o one owns a United States copyright in these works\, so the Foundation (a nd you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permissio n and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules\, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license\, apply to copying and distribu ting Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENB ERG™ concept and trademark. 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