William C. Blades, "Negro Poems, Melodies, Plantation Pieces, Camp Meeting Songs, Etc." (Full Text) (1921)
PLANTATION PIECES, CAMP MEETING SONGS, ETC.
BY
WILLIAM C. BLADES
BOSTON
RICHARD G. BADGER
THE GORHAM PRESS
Copyright, 1921, by William C. Blades
All Rights Reserved
Made in the United States of America
The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A.
JAN 21 1922
CONTENTS
The Old Shore Road
Mammy and Me
Ring that Bell
What You Gwine to Do? .
Send that Chariot Down
On the Road to Charleston
Where the Cotton Used to Grow
Rabbit in the Pot
The Old Steamboat
Lily Snowdrop
The Minstrel Man
Mistah Jones
Old Jim Crow
That's Why I Want to Go There
Fiddlin' Joe
Bury Mah Banjo by Mah Side
The Old Colored Minister
Way Down South in Georgia
The Chariot Ford
The White Angels
Bullfrog Pone
The n***** and the Mule
The Wild-Eyed Coon
Hard Times Come Again No More
Jonah and the Whale
The Placard
n***** Gin
The Darky
That Houn' Dawg
Totin' Along
Oh, Lord, Not Me
Ante-Bellum
The Cake Walk
Southern Lullaby
Pompey's Plea
Then You'll Come Back to Dixie J\o
Cornfields
Befo' de Wah
What Foh I Dunno
Serenade
Dinah
Dinah Mine
Mandy's Party
Aunt Jemima
Shufflin' Feet
When I Get Over the River
Uncle Tom
Folk Song
The Poor White Man
Possum Pie
The Grinning n***** Man
I'm There
The Darky's Prayer
Old Black Joe
We'll All Go to Heaven When We Die . . . .
When the Lord Say Come
The Darky Drum and Fife Corps
While Jordan's in the Way
Canaan
Push Dem Clouds Away
Christmas am a Comin'
The Breakdown
Dem Shoes
The Old Mule's Tail
The Good, Good News
The Song of David
Something for the Blues
Dixie Far Away
Refrains
Glory
Satan and the Sheep
Hot Corn
When You Get Back to Dixie
The Old Black Mule
Spindles
Lickin' the Goat
Gracious How that Chile Done Grow ....
Lamenting the Corn
Mammy, I Love You .
The Gentlemen of the Bones
The Mississippi
Angel, Sound that Trump
Don't You Want to Go Along
The Golden Stair 8a
Down upon the Levee
Ragtime
Rastus Johnson's Idyl to His Mule
Doing the Best He Can
When the Coons All Come Around
Glory! Hallelujah!
Mandy
The n*****
A Real Good Time
Take That Fiddle Along
Gwine Away for Christmas
The Parson's Sermon
The Cotton Fields of Georgia
Right Away
The Fiery Furnace
Pickaninny Pompey
Rastus Johnson
The Pickaninny Band
That Old Fly
The Liability 0
The Menu 0
Balm of Gilead loi
The Alligator
The Banjo
Brush Dem Tears Away
When the Golden Trumpets Sound
Rastus' Fate
The Whang-doodle Band
Rastus and His Banjo
Massa's Gone Away
Slavery Days
Melon Time in Georgia
The Steamboat Ride
The Orders
My Ruby Red Rose no
Dixie So Dear in
My Pretty Creole Belle
Foah O'clock in the Morning
If Chickens Were Crows
Chickens
The Eagle and the Rooster
Down in Georgia
Juba
Gwine to the Ball
Gwine to See My Gal
n*****ing Around
The Hornet and the Bee
The Two Masters
Haul that Woodpile Down
No Moon To-night
Good Bye, Liza Jane
Did You See Me
The Chariot Man
When I Get There That Day
Keep that Chariot Rolling
Old John Brown
Down on the Old Plantation
The Mule
Living High
Refrains
Dem Golden Bells
Sinia
The Hallelujah Train
Where is My Dinah?
'Possum Juice
Come Along, Chillun
The Promis' Lan'
What Are You Doing Up There?
Elijah, Ring that Bell
Pharaoh
All Right, Moses, I'll Be There
Forty Acres and a Mule
Caroline
The Judgment Morn
The Darkies' Jubilee
Roll on, Jordan, Roll
Dixie Darky Land
When the Sun Goes Down
Dinah, Come with Me
My Little Black Eyed Chloe
Where the Woodbine Grows
Mandy's Soliloquy
The Old Banjo
Songs of Dixie
A Plaintive Melody
The Sunflower
Hoe Cake Song
The Weddin' Gown
The Catfish Fry
When Massa Blows that Horn
The Roosting Roosters
The Golden Crown i6o
When the Tide Turns Round i6i
The Hoe Down
The Roustabout
When the Wash am Out
Diamonds ~ . .
The Old Mewl
Moonlight
The Sun Do Move
The Colored Children's Catechism
When the Steamboat Comes Along
NEGRO POEMS, MELODIES,
PLANTATION PIECES,
CAMP MEETING SONGS, ETC.
THE OLD SHORE ROAD
The old shore road is shady
And the old shore road is cool,
And often I stop by the wayside
When driving my old black mule;
And on my way to heaven
When heavy is my load,
The Lord Almighty done take me
Along the old shore road.
This old mule that I'm driving
He go up many a hill,
And long he tug on the traces
And pull with a right good will;
But now he's in the stable
And empty is my load,
For the Lord above done take me
Along the old shore road.
And the air is like a garden
And the air is pure and sweet,
And my legs are getting rested
And my shoes don't hurt my feet;
And I travel on delighted
Without a whip or goad,
For the Lord done make it easy
Along the old shore road.
I watch the big white breakers
Come rolling on the shore,
But they can't harm this n*****.
Whose days are nearly o'er;
Along life's lingering highway
I am on to that abode,
Where the Lord done say my place is
Along the old shore road.
I know they call this heaven
The milk and honey land.
Where the Lord am gwine to meet me
And take me by the hand;
But all I want in heaven
Is a place to rest my load,
And a place to drive my mule in
Along the old shore road.
Plantation Pieces, Camp Meeting Songs
MAMMY AND ME
Whose face is smiling
When her face I see,
No one but Mammy
Mammy and me.
Who sees the flower
The sky and the tree,
No one but Mammy
Mammy and me.
Who sings the songs
Of the wind and the bee,
No one but Mammy
Mammy and me.
Who calls me black
As I laugh in my glee,
No one but Mammy
Mammy and me.
And who sleeps together
Who can it be,
But this pickaninny
And Mammy and me.
RING THAT BELL
Ring that bell Elijah
And open wide the door,
Oh ring that bell Elijah
And ring that bell once more.
I want my folks to hear it
I want my folks to know,
There is a place to go to
And the bell tells where to go.
Oh ring that bell Elijah
And open wide the door.
Oh ring that bell Elijah
And ring that bell once more.
WHAT YOU GWINE TO DO
What you gwine to do, dear friends,
What you gwine to do.
When the Lord his flaming angel sends
And asks your soul of you;
And if your soul is not prepared
To meet the judgment too,
What you gwine to do, dear friends,
What you gwine to do.
What you gwine to do, dear friends,
What you gwine to do,
When all the graves give up their dead
Before your frightened view;
And when the Lord appears on high
In all his anger too,
The Lord have mercy on your soul
For what you gwine to do.
SEND THAT CHARIOT DOWN
Lord my soul is waiting
Soon the trump will sound.
Lord don't keep me waiting
Send that chariot down.
Send that chariot down Lord
Send that chariot down.
Lord don't keep me waiting
Send that chariot down.
I saw a big white angel
The angel made a sound,
I know it brought the message
Send that chariot down.
And when the day is breaking
And when the day rolls round,
You will find me waiting
Send that chariot down.
ON THE ROAD TO CHARLESTON
On the road to Charleston
I met a darky coon,
Driving on to Charleston
Beneath a summer noon;
He whistled and he shouted
These snatches of a tune,
Upon the road to Charleston
Beneath the summer noon.
I started out this morning
To go to market town,
To sell a load of cotton
For my neighbor, Mr. Brown;
The road is like an arrow
And measured by the rule,
It was only forty paces
But a million for a mule.
I might get there tomorrow
I might get there tonight.
The way this mule am going
Am sure a sorry sight ;
I'm jerking on the bridle
And whipping like a fool.
But what's the use of talking
To a turtle like a mule.
I've got to go to market
I've got to go to town,
I've got to sell this cotton
For my neighbor, Mr. Brown;
It's just around the corner
Beyond the little school,
A half a dozen paces
But a million for a mule.
WHERE THE COTTON USED TO GROW
Dinah my heart is weeping
Dinah my heart is sad,
Dinah 'twould make me happy
Dinah 'twould make me glad;
Once more while I'm living
Once more there to go.
Back to dear old Dixie
Where the cotton used to grow.
Dinah no more I'm weeping
Dinah no more I'm sad,
Dinah my heart is happy
Dinah my heart is glad;
For the good Lord tells me
And the Lord must know,
We're going back to Dixie
Where the cotton used to grow.
RABBIT IN THE POT
Yum ! Yum ! Yum !
What is it I got?
Nothing but a rabbit
And a rabbit in the pot.
Yum ! Yum ! Yum !
But that fire am hot,
And that's the way to keep it
With a rabbit in the pot.
Yum ! Yum ! Yum !
I know a savory spot,
It is a rabbit cooking
And a rabbit in a pot.
Yum! Yum! Yum!
And if I had a yacht,
I wouldn't go a sailing
With that rabbit in the pot.
Yum! Yum! Yum!
But don't it take a lot
Of waiting, waiting, waiting
For a rabbit in a pot.
Yum ! Yum ! Yum !
What a joy I got,
I guess I'm going crazy
With that rabbit in the pot.
THE OLD STEAMBOAT
Sambo went to market
To sell a little pig,
He had a dozen chickens
And he had a balky rig;
He got down near the river
With his chickens and his shoat,
Toot! Toot! goes the whistle
Of the old steamboat.
His mule he got excited
And started on a run,
And sped along the highway,
Like a bullet from a gun ;
Scattered were the chickens
And scattered was the shoat,
Toot! Toot! frightened by the whistle
Of the old steamboat.
And Sambo started clubbing
That critter of a mule,
Until he had him humbled
And looking like a fool;
And then he caught the chickens
And then he caught the shoat.
Toot! Toot! frightened by the whistle
Of the old steamboat.
LILY SNOWDROP
They called her Lily Snowdrop
Because she dressed in white,
But Lily was a negress
And such a monstrous sight;
The fat was on her biceps
The fat was on her arms,
And fatty was her wrinkles
And fatty was her charms.
And talk about your blackness.
No blackness of the night
Could equal Lily Snowdrop
When she was dressed in white;
And someone seeing Lily
Said, bless her giant soul.
If I had two Lily Snowdrops
I'd have a ton of coal.
THE MINSTREL MAN
The minstrel man has come to town
All the gentlemen please sit down,
Why does a chicken — and then he began
Haw! haw! haw! the minstrel man.
The minstrel man he wears a vest
Just like a sunset in the west,
Mr. Tambo — and then he began
Haw! haw! haw! the minstrel man.
The minstrel man has a funny face
And a big sunflower in its place,
And the smile is broad in the lily white ban'
Of this haw! haw! haw! minstrel man.
The minstrel man is on the end
Or in the middle of the minstrel men,
And who is happier in all the Ian'
Than this ragtime, jazz, jazz, minstrel man.
MISTAH JONES
Mistah Jones went courting
Went courting sporty too.
He always carried a flower
And a razor in his shoe;
The flower am for my lady
Said Mistah Jones so spare,
And the razor am for any niggah
Who happens to be there.
Mandy was his sweetheart
A most engaging miss,
Who seemed all light and sunshine
And who seemed all joy and bliss;
But when I think of that razor
And of that miss so fair,
I wouldn't want to call on Mandy
When Mistah Jones is there.
OLD JIM CROW
Old Jim Crow went walking
Went walking do\vn the street,
He had a clumsy manner
And he had big clumsy feet;
But when he started dancing
And dancing Juba too,
You never saw such prancing
As old Jim could do.
He cavorted through the two-step
He cavorted up and down,
He scrambled through the one-step
And tumbled round and round;
And wherever there is dancing
The dancing old and new,
You never saw such dancing
As Old Jim Crow did do.
The bobolink and the blackbird
They looked on in amaze.
To see the funny jumping
Of Jim Crow and his ways;
And to this day in Dixie
They say it's very true.
There is no more such dancing
As Old Jim Crow could do.
THAT'S WHY I WANT TO GO THERE
The darkies shout and the darkles sing
The Lord he is my heavenly King,
And when I die on an angel's wing
That's why I want to go there.
I want to go there, I want to go there,
I want to go there, I want to go there,
I want to go there, I want to go there,
That's why I want to go there.
I want to go there on a Sunday morn
I want to hear Massa blow his horn,
I want to see the blackbirds in the corn
That's why I want to go there.
I want to go where there is no snow
I want to go where the daisies grow,
I want to go where I can go
That's why I want to go there.
I want to hear the flipping of the angel's wing
I want to see Jesus and my King,
I want to shout and I want to sing
That's why I want to go there.
I want to go there for the judgment day
I want to hear the darkies sing and pray,
I want the jubilee to start right away
That's why I want to go there.
FIDDLIN' JOE
Playing fiddles Sah is fine
And I will show you how I play mine,
At the dances where I go
Said a darky Fiddlin' Joe.
First you rosin up your bow
Then you fix your fiddle so,
Tuck your fiddle under your chin
And that's the way you first begin.
Scrape and scrape, and scrape the strings
Till that blamed old fiddle sings,
But don't forget the way you begin
Is to tuck your fiddle under your chin.
Back and forth you rub the bow
Up and down you make it go,
But the way you first begin
Is to tuck your fiddle under your chin.
Make that catgut squeal and howl
Saw that fiddle near your jowl,
But to do all this you first begin
By tucking your fiddle under your chin.
Up and down you let it rave
Bend that bow just like a wave,
But don't forget when you first begin
To tuck your fiddle under your chin.
Old Dan Tucker and the 'Downs
These am the tunes that go the rounds,
And all seem sweeter when you begin
With that fiddle under your chin.
And when the dance is nearly through
I give a flourish one or two,
But I always play when I first begin
By tuckin' mah fiddle under mah chin.
"BURY MAH BANJO BY MAH SIDE"
Rastus sang and Rastus played
All the tunes that ever were made,
But he had one tune that was his pride
"Bury mah banjo by my side."
He played the dances and the fairs
He played his banjo everywheres,
And people laughed and people cried
At "Bury mah banjo jjy mah side."
At last old Rastus he got sick
And off he went to heaven quick.
And in the grave where his bones reside
They buried his banjo by his side.
THE OLD COLORED MINISTER
Old and gray and bowed with years
The old colored minister in the church appears,
And he raises his eyes, and he raises his hand
And the congregation rise, and the congregation
stand,
And the minister preach, and the minister pray
World without end from day to day.
And he tells the story of the long lost sheep
And his hearers smile, and his hearers weep.
And the congregation rise, and the congregation
stand ;
And the congregation sing with the book in the hand ;
And the minister preach, and the minister pray
World without end from day to day.
And the old and young, and the young and old
Hear from his lips those words of gold.
And the congregation rise, and the congregation
stand ;
And they feel the clasp of his trembling hand ;
And the minister preach, and the minister pray
World without end from day to day.
And he preaches the sermon over the dead
And he says the words that makes them wed,
And the congregation rise, and the congregation
stand ;
Doing the will of the Lord's command,
And the minister preach, and the minister pray
World without end from day to day.
And he heals the wound and he dries the tear
And he comforts the sorrow and the fear,
And the congregation rise, and the congregation
stand ;
The happiest church in that happiest land ;
And the minister preach, and the minister pray
World without end from day to day.
'WAY DOWN SOUTH IN GEORGIA
Come to the land of the golden moon
Come to the land where the darkies croon
'Way down south in Georgia
In Georgia — in Georgia
There's where I was born, on a Sunday morn
'Way down south in Georgia.
Come to the land of the Dixie rose
Come to the land where the cotton grows —
'Way down south in Georgia.
In Georgia — in Georgia
There's where I was born, on a Sunday morn
'Way dow^n south in Georgia.
Come to the land where they sing and dance
Come to the land where the maids entrance
'Way down south in Georgia
In Georgia — in Georgia
There's where I was born, on a Sunday morn
'Way down south in Georgia.
THE CHARIOT FORD
We came to a river
Too wide to cross,
And we couldn't, and we couldn't
And we couldn't get across;
And they sent for a chariot
The river to ford.
And they came right away
With a chariot ford;
But oh, good Lord,
How can I afford,
To ever get across
In a chariot ford.
The river am wide
And the river am deep,
And I want to get across
Where I can sleep;
And the Lord he came
And the Lord he smiled,
And he said, my chillun,
The waters am mild;
So take your place
And hurry up aboard,
For a good old ride
In the chariot ford.
So when you come to Jordan
And you can't get across,
Never mind chillun
There's a way to cross;
The Lord am good
And the Lord am kind,
And a way over Jordan
He am sure to find;
And keep right on
In the promise of the Lord,
And wait till you come
To a chariot ford.
THE WHITE ANGELS
Mammy, am the angels always white?
Lisped a little chile one bedtime night,
And the Mammy answered in affright
Hush ! my chile, and say good night.
Mammy why am the angels always white?
Said the little chile one bedtime night.
And the Mammy answered in affright
Hush ! my chile, and say good night.
For if the angels am always white
I'll never be an angel in your sight,
And the Mammy answered in affright
Hush ! my chile, and say good night.
BULLFROG PONE
Down by the gum tree
Sitting on a log,
Croaking all the evening
Lived a big frog.
Along came a n*****
Who picked up a stone,
With visions of a supper
And a bullfrog pone.
The frog saw the n*****
And the frog saw the stone,
But he wasn't quite ready
For a bullfrog pone.
He made a great dive
And he made a great splash.
And good bye n*****
To that bullfrog hash.
THE n***** AND THE MULE
Hee! Hee! Hee!
Haw! Haw! Haw!
I'm laughing like a jackass
And I'm laughing like a fool.
For down in Alabama
It always is the rule,
That where you see a n*****
You will always see a mule.
Hee! Hee! Hee!
Haw! Haw! Haw!
I'm laughing like a jackass
And laughing like a fool,
'Tis taught in every college
And taught in every school,
That where you see a n*****
You will always see a mule.
THE WILD EYED COON
Ah done got a razor
Ah done want to sell.
Ah done needs the money
Ah doan' feel so well;
The fo'ks all say ahm crazy
And they take me for a loon,
But ah wouldn't sell a razor
To a wild eyed coon.
Ah may be looking shabby
But ah done know mah biz,
Fo' I hear that Rastus saying
He am gwine to get his;
The fo'ks all say ahm crazy
And they take me for a loon,
But ah wouldn't sell a razor
To a wild eyed coon.
HARD TIMES COME AGAIN NO MORE
How happy are the darkies
As they sing this chorus o'er,
Hard times come again no more.
The cabin has a shutter
And the cabin has a door;
Hard times come again no more.
There's a curtain in the window,
And a carpet on the floor,
Hard times come again no more.
There's plenty in the cupboard
And there's credit at the store;
Hard times come again no more.
And they sing aloud their praises,
For the blessing ever more
That hard times, hard times
Come again no more.
JONAH AND THE WHALE
The ark is coming up the road.
Said Hannah Jordan, with a load,
And I guess I'll get aboard
Before that river I have to ford ;
And besides said Hannah pale
I don't like that Jonah Whale,
And if that ark done try to balk
Ah can jes' get out and walk.
THE PLACARD
Who wants to buy, I want to sell
A swayback mule sound and well,
Warranted broke and does not kick,
Willing to work and never sick;
And Sambo read and scratched his head
And pondered long and then he said.
The man that wrote that no kick rule
Is talking bull and not a mule.
GIN
Rastus to the Doctor went
With a lot of ills and not a cent,
And this is the way he told the physician
How he felt in his condition ;
Ah can't sleep and ah can't eat
And ah can't stand upon mah feet,
Mah tongue am hot mah feet am cool
And ah done feel jes' like a fool;
The doctor heard his mournful cries
The doctor saw his bleary eyes,
Saw his symptoms and grimaces,
Saw the effects and the traces;
And raising his finger in the air
Knde him heed his warning there,
Foh 3'ou done got, said Doctor Grin,
A very bad case of Niggrr Gin.
THE DARKY
A piece of night and for his eyes
Two clouds from out the morning skies,
And for his mouth and for his laugh
A water-melon cut in half ;
Live today and lack tomorrow
All of joy and naught of sorrow,
Half a homily, half a joke
There's your darky, there's your smoke.
THAT HOUN' DAWG
That houn' dawg, said Rastus Jones,
Done send a chill through all mah bones,
Ahm jes' a walking round and round
And I always shiver when I hear that houn'.
He bays at the moon, and he bays at the tree,
He bays at the shadow and he bays at me,
Ahm jes' a walking round and round
But I got to shiver when I hear that houn'.
TOTIN' ALONG
Old black Joe went ambling along
And old black Joe has a happy old song,
The hill is long that I got to climb
But I'll keep on climbing all the time;
And all you got to do when the world goes wrong
Is to keep on totin', totin' along.
The burden is heavy that my back must bear
But the Lord done keep me in His care,
And the Lord is good and the Lord is kind
And rest and shade I am sure to find;
And all you got to do when the world goes wrong
Is to keep on totin', totin' along.
OH LORD NOT ME
Who stole the woodpile and the axe?
Who turns the turtles on their backs?
Who had some chickens in some funny looking sacks ?
Oh Lord, not me.
Who went fishing and stepped on a toad?
Who saw a bat fly over the road ?
Who didn't have a rabbit's foot when the hen crowed ?
Oh Lord, not me.
ANTE-BELLUM
Ante-Bellum I knew her well
And Parson Jones began to tell
The virtues of an old black Mammy
Who had a son whose name was Sammy,
Who had a niece whose name was Ethel
Who went to Sunday school in Bethel;
And so the Parson strung his lyre
Until he proved himself a liar,
For Ante-Bellum means befoh'
All that trouble called the wah.
THE CAKE WALK
Just see them darkies walking
Just watch the steps they take,
For the darkies all are walking
And walking for that cake.
The feathers on them ladies
Was something fine and grand,
And every colored gentlemen
Had a flower in his hand.
Such strutting and such perking
No peacock bird could make,
Like them happy darkies
When walking for that cake.
What cared they for dem tight shoes?
What if their corns did ache?
They am just too happy
Walking for that cake.
And Rastus scraped the fiddle
And Rastus called the turns,
And the way that fiddle whistled
He sure his money earns.
All hands on the carpet.
Every one go in pairs,
Step lively round the corners
And look out for dem chairs.
Up and down the parlor
I thought their necks would break,
The way them darkies held their heads
Walking for that cake.
SOUTHERN LULLABY
There is a Southern lullaby
And I'm going to sing the tune,
Big eye — bright eye
Shining like the moon.
I heard it on the Swanee
In the merry month of June,
Big eye — bright eye
Shining like the moon.
And I was watching Hannah
As she ladeled with a spoon,
Big eye — bright eye
Shining like the moon.
And she was softly cooing
The music of the croon,
Big eye — bright eye
Shining like the moon.
For down in Alabama
'Tis the asset of the coon,
Big eye — bright eye
Shining like the moon.
POMPEYS' PLEA
Tide me over the winter,
Tide me over the snow,
Send me back to Georgia
Where the winds don't blow;
I don't like the winter,
I don't like the cold.
For I'm only a poor old n*****
Who's growing very old.
The crow he got his feathers
In the wing and tail,
But scanty are my garments
And my shoes are frail;
So send me back to Georgia
Where the winds don't blow,
For I'm only a poor old n*****
Who has nowheres to go.
THEN YOU'LL COME BACK TO DIXIE
You said good bye to Dixie,
You bade her your adieu.
You left the blackbirds singing
And you left the skylarks too;
But when the north winds gather
And tumble round their snows.
Then you'll come back to Dixie
Where the sweet magnolia grows.
The snowy fields of cotton
And the sunny fields of corn,
No longer could enchant you
To the place where you was born;
But when your heart grows weary
And you sigh to see the rose,
Then you'll come back to Dixie
Where the Swanee river flows.
CORNFIELDS
The cornfields, the cornfields
Waving in the air.
Waving in the sunshine
And waving green and fair;
How I love the cornfields
How I love to go
Back to Louisiana,
Where the cornfields grow.
The comfieUs, the cornfields
I never can forget,
And often in my fancy
I am toiling in them yet;
And when my days are over
I want my soul to go
Back to Louisiana,
Where the cornfields grow.
BEFO' DE WAH
I was bo'n Sah in a cabin,
A cabin very small,
It didn't have a chimney
And it didn't have a hall;
But it had a big sunflower
Growing round the door.
And this was long ago, Sah,
Long befo' de wah.
Long befo' the wah, Sah,
Long befo' de wah.
The darkies they were singing,
The banjos they were ringing,
Down in old Virginia
Long befo' de wah.
I was bo'n down in the Souf, Sah,
Upon a little farm.
The days were bright and sunny
And the nights were bright and warm ;
The rabbit and the turtle
Would come around the door.
And this was long ago, Sah,
Long befo' de wah.
Long befo' de wah, Sah,
Long befo' de wah,
Down in old Virginny
I was a pickaninny,
Long befo' de wah, Sah,
Long befo' de wah.
WHAT FOH I DUNNO
I done get arrested
What foh, I dunno.
I wasn't near that hen house
When that rooster crow;
I didn't see that rooster
When that rooster crow,
But I done get arrested
What foh, I dunno.
I done get arrested
What foh, I dunno.
I wasn't near that wood pile
When dem breezes blow;
I didn't see that wood pile
When dem breezes blow,
I done get arrested
But what foh, I dunno.
SERENADE
Smiling moon, rising soon
Over the hills, over the rills
And I'm thinking of my Dinah,
And the smiling silvery moon.
Smiling moon, silvery moon
All the flowers, scent the bowers
And I'm thinking of my Dinah,
And the smiling silvery moon.
Smiling moon, silvery moon
Twitter the birds, low the herds
And I'm thinking of my Dinah,
And the smiling silvery moon.
Smiling moon, silvery moon
The nights ajar, I see the star
And I long to be with Dinah,
And the smiling silvery moon.
DINAH
Dinah! Dinah! I see Dinah there.
Dinah ! Dinah ! Dinah I declare
All the boys are jealous
See them pull their hair.
When my Dinah's coming
And I see Dinah there.
Dinah ! Dinah ! just see Dinah's hair.
Dinah ! Dinah ! Dinah is so fair,
All the boys are jealous
They could almost swear,
When my Dinah's coming
And I see Dinah there.
DINAH MINE
Dinah! Dinah is my gal.
You can have your Sue or Sal,
But the one that pleases me
Is my Dinah that you see.
Dinah! Dinah! Dinah mine.
Her eyes sparkle, her eyes shine,
And where a gal so choice and fine
Like my Dinah, Dinah, mine.
She is plump and she is fair
With coal black eyes and coal black hair,
And on her hand she is going to wear
A big gold ring that I'll put there.
Dinah! Dinah! Dinah mine.
Her eyes sparkle, her eyes shine.
And where a gal so choice and fine
Like my Dinah, Dinah mine.
MANDY'S PARTY
Mandy gave a party
The fame of which was wide,
And Mandy did the cooking
For that was Mandy's pride;
There were chickens, there were possums,
There was hoe cake and a boar,
And Mandy says I'm coming
When I lock that kitchen door.
The smell of all that kitchen
Pervaded every room,
Just like a sweet potato
In sweet potato bloom ;
The dancers all were merry,
The revelry galore,
And Mandy says I'm coming
When I lock that kitchen door.
And Mandy in the kitchen
Was busy as the bees,
Baking crispy biscuits
And shelling juicy peas;
The call went round for Mandy
And went round more and more
But Mandy says I'm coming
When I lock this kitchen door.
At last the supper's ready,
At last the work is done,
And raging fast and furious
Went on the n***** fun ;
The coons began to grumble
And the coons began to jaw,
But Mandy says I'm coming
When I lock this kitchen door.
For Mandy knew them n*****s
And Mandy knew them coons,
She knew them possums baking
Would start them n***** croons;
So* let them n*****s holler.
Said Mandy with a roar.
And tell them coons I'm coming
When I lock this kitchen door.
AUNT JEMIMA
Aunt Jemima laughed so loud
She looked just like a thunder cloud,
Her mouth would open like a door
And then there came an awful roar ;
It used to all the babies wake,
It used to all the ceiling shake.
And I'm laughing, laughing yet
At Aunt Jemima's cheeks so wet.
SHUFFLIN' FEET
There's music in the banjo,
There's music soft and sweet,
When playing in the evening
To rest the weary feet;
And when the banjo's playing
And playing soft and sweet,
I can't keep from shufflin'
From shufflin' these old feet.
The rheum am in my fingers
And the rheum am in my feet,
And I can only hobble
When I go along the street ;
And when the harps of Zion
Send out their tones so sweet,
I can't keep from shufflin'
From shufflin' these old feet.
WHEN I GET OVER THE RIVER
When I get over the river,
That river deep and wide,
How great will be my pleasure.
How great will be my pride ;
The angels will be standing
For every one to see,
And when I get over the river
Moses will meet me.
When I get over the river
And reach old Jordan's shore,
I want to see my loved ones
That all have gone before;
And there amid that gathering
For every one to see
Moses w'xW be standing
And waiting there for me.
UNCLE TOM
Uncle Tom is singing
And singing soft and low,
His hair is almost silvered
And his steps are very slow ;
And still he keeps on singing
As he treads among the gorse,
One more ribber, one more ribber
One more ribber to cross.
The day is bright and cheerful
The sky shows not a cloud,
And Uncle Tom keeps singing
In the vineyard with the crowd;
And still he keeps on singing
With all his vocal force,
One more ribber, one more ribber
One more ribber to cross.
FOLK SONG
White folks, white folks
Want to shine,
Drink a lot of whiskey,
Drink a lot of wine;
And white folks, white folks
Don't take it ill,
Ef when you talk —
I done keep still.
White folks, white folks
You am proud.
You done talk big
And you done talk loud ;
And white folks, white folks
Don't take it ill,
Ef when you talk —
I done keep still.
White folks, white folks
Make a lot of noise.
Talk about their pleasures.
Talk about their joys;
And white folks, white folks
Don't take it ill,
Ef when you talk —
I done keep still.
White folks, white folks
Where am your brains,
Doing all these things
Fo' yo' pains;
And white folks, white folks
Don't take it ill,
Ef when you talk —
I done keep still.
THE POOR WHITE MAN
The poor white man.
The poor white man,
Living up north
In a cold white land;
Never saw a banjo
Or heard a n***** band,
And I'd rather be a n*****
Than a po' white man.
The poor white man,
The poor white man,
Never saw a possum
Or a possum in a pan.
Never had a chicken
Or a razor in his hand,
And I'd rather be a n*****
Than a po' white man.
POSSUM PIE
Carve that possum, Hannah
Carve that possum soon,
For the pan am ready
And here am the spoon;
Carve him in de quarters,
Carve him in de thigh,
And carve that possum, Hannah
Foh a possum pie.
Carve that possum, Hannah
Carve the fat and lean,
For that meat am the juiciest
That I have ever seen;
Carve him in de quarters.
Carve him in de thigh,
And carve that possum, Hannah
Foh a possum pie.
THE GRINNING n***** MAN
When you make a hoe cake
You w^ant to make it quick.
Stir it in the basin
And stir it with a stick;
Bake it in the oven.
Bake it in a pan.
And then just watch the antics
Of that grinning n***** man.
When you eat a hoe cake
You want to eat it hot,
Take it from the oven
And eat it on the spot;
Hold it in the middle,
Hold it in your han'
And then just watch the antics
Of that grinning n***** man.
I'M THERE
Every different n*****
Has a different taste,
You can see it in their manner,
You can see it in their face;
Some might want a turtle.
Some might want a bear.
But when you say rabbit
I'm there.
Possum is too juicy,
Chicken is too dry,
Watermelon lovely
When they take the eye;
Some might want a turkey,
Some might want a hare,
But when you say rabbit
I'm there.
THE DARKY'S PRAYER
Oh, Massa of all Massas
Where the ribber Jordan flows,
Where the darkies all am welcome
In their poor and ragged clothes;
Dis darky am a pleading,
His lips done move in prayer,
And help a poor old n*****
Till he done get there.
I ask no more of Massa
Than Massa give to me,
He made my labor plenty
And he made my labor free;
The vi^ay am long and weary,
The load am hard to bear,
And help a poor old n*****
Till he done get there.
For all of Massa's kindness
And Massa's ways to men,
My heart am full of glory
And my lips will say amen ;
But Jordan and the shadows
Are sometimes hard to bear.
And help a poor old n*****
Till he done get there.
OLD BLACK JOE
Old Black Joe went hobbling,
Went hobbling down the street,
Rags upon his shoulders
And rags upon his feet.
He told a simple story
That I would have you know,
The gospel of the toiler
And the gospel of the hoe.
Bo'n down in the Souf, Sah,
Bo'n befo' de wah,
I never knew my Mother
Nor what my life was for.
They talk about the bible
And where I've got to go,
But I couldn't learn the bible
When I had to learn the hoe.
And when I get to heaven
Where any weeds done grow,
I guess the Lord will take me
If I show the Lord my hoe.
And as a finite judgment
On creeds and things below,
I want no better argument
Than old Black Joe.
WE'LL ALL GO TO HEAVEN WHEN
WE DIE
Chillun don't worry,
Chillun don't fret,
When the sky am dark
And the ground am wet;
The Lord am good
And we've only got to try
And we'll all go to heaven
When we die.
We'll all go to heaven
When we die,
We'll all go to heaven
When we die;
The Lord am good
And we've only got to try,
And we'll all go to heaven
When we die.
Look to the east
And look to the west,
And look to the place
That you think best;
For somewhere in the heaven
There's a rainbow in the sky,
And we'll all go to heaven
When we die.
We'll all go to heaven
When we die,
We'll all go to heaven
When we die;
For somewhere in the heaven
There's a rainbow in the sky,
And we'll all go to heaven
When we die.
The night may come
And the day be late,
And all you got to do
Is to trust and wait ;
So chillun don't weep
And chillun don't sigh,
For we'll all go to heaven
When we die.
We'll all go to heaven
When we die,
We'll all go to heaven
When we die;
So chillun don't weep
And chillun don't sigh.
For we'll all go to heaven
When we die.
WHEN THJE LORD SAY COME
Glory, Hallelujah!
To the blood of the lamb,
I've got a new song
And the song is a psalm ;
Get out of the way,
Get off the track.
Get off old devil —
Get off my back;
The Lord am a comin'
For I hear the big drum
And I'm gwine up to heaven
When the Lord say come.
Glory, Hallelujah!
To the blood of the lamb,
Glory, Hallelujah!
What a saint I am;
That old devil —
He gave me a frown.
But I turned to that devil
And I knocked him down;
I'm gwine to Canaan
And Canaan gwine to hum,
When I see the Lord comin'
And the Lord say come.
THE DARKY DRUM AND FIFE CORPS
The darky drum and fife corps
Is marching on parade,
The avenue is crowded
And the favorite tune is played ;
And the pride of all that company
Was not the major tall —
But it was the big bass drummer
And his little sheepskin ball.
Boom, boom, boom !
Boom, boom, boom!
Bumpety, bumpety.
Boom, boom, boom ;
See those elbows flying :
Dispersing every gloom,
Bumpety, bumpety,
Boom, boom, boom.
The darky drum and fife corps
Is marching on parade,
The windows all are opened
By the smiling man and maid;
And the pride of all that company
Was not the major tall —
But it was the big bass drummer
And his little sheepskin ball.
WHILE JORDAN'S IN THE WAY
Roll on, thou fiery pillar
Roll on, roll on your way,
Roll on in the night time
And roll on in the day ;
The Lord am all around us.
It cannot come this way,
Oh Glory Hallelujah!
While Jordan's in the way.
Roll on, thou fiery pillar
Roll on, roll on your way.
It cannot touch the righteous
Who to the Lord will pray;
It cannot touch the holy,
It cannot come this way.
Oh Glory Hallelujah!
While Jordan's in the way.
CANAAN
Canaan thou art lovely,
Canaan of my dreams,
Thy mountains and thy valleys.
Thy woodlands and thy streams;
Canaan's over the river,
Canaan's very near;
I can't go to Canaan
But the Lord sends Canaan here.
Cooling are thy waters,
Thy pastures rich abound,
Thy flocks and fleece are legion
And always to be found;
Canaan's over the river,
Canaan's very near;
I can't go to Canaan
But the Lord sends Canaan here.
PUSH DEM CLOUDS AWAY
Elijah I is coming,
I'se coming in the morn,
Fse coming in a hurry
And I'se coming to the horn;
So get the chariot ready,
I'se coming there to stay.
And when you see me comin'
Oh push dem clouds away.
The Jordan am a rollin'
And smoky am the plain,
And I'se afraid of lightnin'
And I'se afraid of rain;
So when you see me comin'
I'se coming there to stay,
So have that chariot ready
And push dem clouds away.
CHRISTMAS AM A COMIN'
All the day long —
I worry and fret,
Something goes wrong
That I cannot forget
But go away raincloud,
Go away fly —
Christmas am a comin'
And I ain't going to cry.
All the day long —
I worry and fret,
Something gwine to happen
Or I get in debt.
But go away trouble
Go away sigh —
Christmas am a comin'
And I ain't going to cry.
Christmas am a comin',
Comin' on the way,
Christmas am a comin'
And tomorrow am the day.
There's a possum in the cellar
And a porker in the sty —
Christmas am a comin'
And I ain't going to cry.
THE BREAK DOWN
My old wagon, chillun,
Isn't verj' sound,
It been a good old wagon
But it done broke down.
The axle's out of order
And the wheels won't go round,
It been a good old wagon
But it done broke down.
It trundled in the cotton
And it trundled into town,
It been a good old wagon
But it done broke down.
And now I have to sell it
To my neighbor, Mr. Brown,
It been a good old wagon
But it done broke down.
And I hope a better master
My poor old wagon's found,
For it been a good old wagon
Before it done broke down.
DEM SHOES
Look here n***** at my feet,
Ain't them lovely and ain't them sweet?
Ah jes' bought 'em, they're only two's
And ah gave a dollar for dem shoes.
Look here n***** what you see,
All dem folks done look at me.
Glory! Glory! I need the blues
For I'se too happy in dem shoes.
THE OLD MULE'S TAIL
That old mule's tail
Am a swinging to and fro,
Swinging like a pendulum
And swinging high and low.
And I thought it was a windstorm
And I thought it was a gale
When riding with my Dinah
And that old mule's tail.
That old mule's tail
Am a swinging to and fro,
Swinging when I'm coming
And swinging when I go.
And I thought he was a threshing
And I thought it was a flail
When riding with my Dinah
And that old mule's tail.
THE GOOD, GOOD NEWS
Go away hunger —
Knockin' on the door,
Go away cold wind
Come around no more.
Tell all your folks
The good good news —
Moses am a comin'
And we'll all have shoes.
Barefoot in the summer —
Barefoot in the cold.
Barefoot when you're married
And barefoot when you're old.
But tell all the folks
The good good news —
Moses am a comin'
And we'll all have shoes.
THE SONG OF DAVID
David was a great big King —
Sing a song of David,
His crow^n was gold, and so was his ring-
Sing a song of David.
He took a stone and he took a sling —
Sing a song of David,
And a great big giant down he bring —
Sing a song of David;
Oh glory to the heavenly King
Singing the song of David.
SOMETHING FOR THE BLUES
I met a yaller n*****
And he was looking very sad,
And he told me of his sorrow
And the feelings that he had;
He wasn't lacking money
And he wasn't lacking news,
But still he wanted something
That was something for the blue§,
Something for the blues,
Something for the blues,
He was wanting something,
Something for the blues;
It might have been a possum
Or it might have been new shoes,
But he was wanting something
That was something for the blues.
Just then there started playing
A minstrel n***** band,
And it was playing Dixie
Way down in Dixieland ;
And that n***** very happy
Began to shout and muse,
The band is playing something
That is something for the blues.
Something for the blues,
Something for the blues.
He was wanting something,
Something for the blues;
It might have been a possum
Or it might have been new shoes,
But he was wanting something
That was something for the blues.
DIXIE FAR AWAY
I hear the banjos playing
And I hear the banjos ring,
I hear the darkies dancing
And I hear the darkies sing;
And my heart is ever longing
For that ne'er forgotten day,
When I was down in Dixie
In Dixie far away.
The essence of Ole Virginny
And the fancy buck and wing,
The banjos still are playing
While the darkies dance and sing;
My steps are slow and feeble
And my hair is turning gray,
But my heart is ever longing
For the Dixie far away.
REFRAINS
I want to be an angel
Dwelling in the sky,
I want to be an angel,
An angel when I die.
Daniel and the lion
In the lion's den,
I want to be like Daniel
In the lion's den.
I want to be Elijah
And have a saint's reward,
I want to be Elijah
Elijah of the Lord.
GLORY
I met old Satan walking
And Satan wanted to know,
All about my business
And where I was going to go;
And I told old Satan smiling
When he wanted to know my name,
Oh, I told him, Hallelujah!
That Glory was my name.
And now when I go walking
Old Satan don't come near,
He knows I am converted
And that my skirts are clear;
And when old Satan smiling
Wants to know your name,
Oh tell him, Hallelujah!
That Glory is your name.
SATAN AND THE SHEEP
The Lord he is our Shepherd
And we're the Lord's black sheep,
Cut along old Satan
Cut along bo-peep.
A wolf got in among us
When we were fast asleep,
Cut along old Satan
Cut along bo-peep.
But the Lord he sent to guard us
An angel in our sleep,
Cut along old Satan
Cut along bo-peep.
And now we praise the Shepherd
That we are still his sheep,
Cut along old Satan
Cut along bo-peep.
HOT CORN
Hot corn! hot corn!
Hot corn, good and hot,
Hot corn on the fire
And hot corn in the pot;
Come and get your hot corn
Come and get it, and
You won't begrudge the nickel
To the hot corn man.
Hot corn ! hot corn !
Hot corn, good and hot,
Hot corn on the fire
And boih'ng in the pot;
Just you try that hot corn —
Just you try it, and
You won't begrudge the nickel
To the hot corn man.
Hot corn! hot corn!
Hot corn, good and hot,
Hot corn on the fire
And steaming in the pot;
There's the salt and pepper —
Eat it where you stand,
And you won't begrudge the nickel
To the hot corn man.
Hot corn! hot corn!
Hot corn from the south,
Growing in the garden
And melting in the mouth.
See me shuck that hot corn —
See me shuck it, and
You won't begrudge the nickel
To the hot corn man.
WHEN YOU GET BACK TO DIXIE
I'm going back to Dixie,
My heart is so forlorn,
I'm going back to Dixie,
To Dixie in the morn;
And when you get back to Dixie,
To Dixie fond and true,
Tell all my friends in Dixie
That I am coming too.
I'm going back to Dixie,
To Dixie and the corn,
I'm going back to Dixie,
For I was Dixie born;
And when you get back to Dixie
And Dixie's skies so blue.
Tell all my friends in Dixie
That I am coming too.
THE OLD BLACK MULE
Whoa dar, Snowball,
You old black fool,
Said old Tom the driver
To his old black mule.
Your harness am easy
And your load am light,
So quit your kicking
And all that spite.
I done got my troubles
With dem dar wheels.
Without keeping out of
The reach of yo' heels.
And den such manners
I nebber did see,
Your feet am a showing
Their corns to me.
You ain't an angel
And you can't fly.
So quit your kicking
Dem heels so high.
You am so homely
And so forlorn,
A pity poor Snowball
You ebber was born.
I jes' done gib you
All yo' oats,
And you get frighten'
At dem steamboats.
But that am the market
Whar this cotton am gwine,
And say, Mr. Snowball,
Whar you gvvine?
And whar am the money
For to pay the rents?
And say, Mr. Snowball,
Whar am yo' sense?
Ah done declare,
Mah gooodness grace,
If dat old Snowball
Done bus' a trace.
And jes' for dat
An' breakin' dem hames,
I done call you
All dem names.
See dat Snowball,
See dat mule.
Whoa dar. Snowball,
You big ole fool.
You'll get a good supper
And j^ou'll get a good bed,
So quit that fooling
Or I'll break your head.
And the mule thinking wisely
Of Tom and his quip,
Went off sedately
To the touch of his whip.
And sitting by the wayside
Of the thicket and the pool,
I heard Tom lecture
His Old Black Mule.
SPINDLES
Dat ole Spindles was a mule,
A graduate of every mule school.
Golly! golly! how dat feels —
Look out Spindles fo' dem heels.
He kick at the fly, an' he kick at the moon.
He kick too late, an' he kick too soon —
And golly! golly! how dat feels —
'Ware ole Spindles, 'ware dem heels.
Ef yo' want to kick, an' kick so high —
Just push dem clouds out from de sky
But golly! golly! how it feels —
To get in touch wif Spindles' heels.
LICKIN' THE GOAT
I saw a big n*****
Butting a mule,
He butted him hot
And he butted him cool;
And I heard him say
As he took off his coat,
"You might lick a n*****
But you can't lick a goat."
He butted him black
And he butted him blue,
And he almost butted
That mule in two;
And I heard him say
As he put on his coat,
"You might lick a n*****
But you can't lick a goat."
The mule he stand
And the mule he feel
Jes' like a prisoner
When he steal;
And he ought to know better
When he leave his cote.
Not to go fooling
With a Billy Goat.
GRACIOUS HOW THAT CHILE
DONE GROW
Gracious! how that chile done grow,
Said a snowball white as snow,
To a sunflower all aglow —
Gracious how that chile done grow.
Once it was so wee and small
Now it is so big and tall,
I am like a mite below —
Gracious ! how that chile done grow.
LAMENTING THE CORN
Rastus limped along the street,
Something the matter with his feet,
He wheezed, he shuffled and he grunted
Just like a boar by hunters hunted ;
And to a friend who asked the reason
Of such distress in such a season,
Rastus all his pity scorns
And simply tells about his corns;
My corns am big, my corns am hot
And corns am all mah feet has got,
And if these corns doan' stop their achin'
Ah'U surely think mah feet am bakin';
And as I heard his lamentations
I thought of cornfields and plantations.
For Rastus had a pair of feet
Not often seen upon the street;
And if his corns hurt to their size
I don't wonder at his cries.
MAMMY I LOVE YOU
Mammy I love you,
With your red bandanna,
And Chloe or Hannah,
Mammy I love you.
Mammy I love you
With your face so vv^rinkled,
And your rings that tinkled,
Mammy I love you.
Mammy I love you,
Jemina or Dinah,
My heart will shrine her.
Mammy I love you.
Mammy I love you.
The Blacker the better,
With your iron fetter,
Mammy I love you.
Mammy I love you,
With your kinky hair,
And your feet so bare,
Mammy I love you.
THE GENTLEMEN OF THE BONES
Be seated merry gentlemen,
The minstrel show is on,
The coons are in regalia
And their dancing shoes they don ;
And then you hear announcing
In the most alluring tones,
Mr. Sam is tambo
And Mr. Tarn is bones.
The sunflowers are in blossom,
The sunflowers are in bloom.
And sweet the balmy incense
That floats around the room;
They dance just like the crickets
Would dance upon the stones.
But there's nothing like the playing
Of the gem'men with the bones.
They do the jig and tw^o-step,
They do the fancy reel,
They're dancing with the toe-step
And dancing with the heel;
Up and down they're rolling,
You can almost hear the groans.
And see the eyelids quivering
Of the gem'men with the bones.
They never stop for succor,
They never pause for rest,
The show devolves upon them
And they're giving up their best;
The tambos tinkle merrily
And sweet the banjo's tones,
But there's nothing like the playing
Of the gem 'men of the bones.
THE MISSISSIPPI
Roll on, Mississippi —
Roll on, wide and deep,
I see the shadows coming
And I see the shadows creep;
There are windings there are turnings,
There's the shallow and the ford.
Rush by, river, rush by —
Rush by to the Lord.
Roll on, Mississippi —
Roll on, between your banks.
There are cabins in your forests
And cornfields on your flanks ;
The darkies' work is over,
At rest the hoe and gourd.
Rush by, river, rush by —
Rush by to the Lord.
ANGEL SOUND THAT TRUMP
Angel! sound that trump,
That great good day proclaim,
When I shall stand before the Lord
And hear his blessed name.
Angel! sound that trump,
And sound it loud and clear,
Which tells the judgment day is come
And Christ the Lord is here.
And angel sound that trump!
For I want to hear the sound,
Which tells the Lord is near at hand
And Moses done come round.
DON'T YOU WANT TO GO ALONG
A mighty tide is rising
And it's rising very fast.
And the ark is ready waiting
And it's waiting to the last;
It's going down the river,
Don't you want to go along?
And there's room for every sinner
If you'll only go along.
The tide is on the river
And the tide is on the shore,
And the ark is rocking, rocking
Like it never did before;
It's going down the river.
Don't you want to go along?
And there's room for every sinner
If you'll only go along.
THE GOLDEN STAIR
When I go up that golden stair
Them golden slippers I am gwine to wear.
And all my friends will be waiting there
When I go up that golden stair.
That golden stair, that golden stair,
When I go up that golden stair.
Them golden slippers I am gwmt to wear
When I go up that golden stair.
Moses will be waiting there
And Canaan show its face so fair.
And them golden slippers I am gwine to wear
When I go up that golden stair.
That golden stair, that golden stair,
When I go up that golden stair,
Them golden slippers I am gwine to wear
When I go up that golden stair.
DOWN UPON THE LEVEE
Down upon the levee
The moon is all aglow,
Down upon the levee
Where the coons all go.
The river seems to slumber
So peaceful is its flow,
Down upon the levee
Where the coons all go.
There goes a dusky maiden
With her banjo and her beau,
Down upon the levee
Where the coons all go.
There is music, there is dancing
With the fiddle and the bow,
Down upon the levee
Where the coons all go.
And if I was in Dixie
The first place I would go,
Would be down upon the levee
Where the coons all go.
RAGTIME
Ragtime, ragtime,
That am a happy time,
Down around the levee
In the evening time;
The banjos am a playing
And the feet begin to chime,
Down around the levee
In the evening time.
Ragtime, ragtime.
That am a happy time,
Down around the levee
In the evening time;
The fiddles am a playing
And the song begins to chime,
Down around the levee
In the evening time.
Ragtime, ragtime,
That am a happy time,
Down around the levee
In the evening time ;
The boys are bright and jolly
And the girls are just sublime,
Down around the levee
In the evening time.
RASTUS JOHNSON'S IDYL TO HIS MULE
Git ap, git ap,
You lazy old mule,
You never went to college
And you never went to school;
You haven't any manners
And you're nothing but a fool,
Git ap, git ap.
You lazy old mule.
Git ap, git ap,
You lazy old mule,
I could hit you with a hammer
And hit you with a stool;
You never keep a promise
And you never keep a rule.
Git ap, git ap.
You scalawag mule.
Git ap, git ap,
You lazy old mule,
I done a lot of swearing
Since I had that mule;
You're nothing but a nuisance
And you're nothing but a fool,
Git ap, git ap.
You lazy old mule.
Git ap, git ap,
You scandalous old mule,
I'll never get to heaven
If I drive that mule;
You're nothing but a n*****
And you're nothing but a fool,
And Rastus Johnson ended
His idyl to his mule.
DOING THE BEST HE CAN
The mule he got a very big load
And he go up the hill,
And he pull, and pull, and pull, and pull
But that wagon done keep still;
The driver start to get his whip,
The mule he saw his hand,
And he say to that driver, hold that whip
Foh ahm doing the best ah can.
You might help lighten up mah load
By walking up this hill.
You might done let me rest a bit
When I done do your will.
The flies done bite me mos' to death,
Mah shoes burn in the sand.
And when you start to use that whip
Ahm doing the best ah can.
WHEN THE COONS ALL COME AROUND
Down in old Virginia
My father had a farm,
The nights were long and lovely
And the days were bright and warm;
And of all the grinning faces
That ever made a sound,
You ought to hear the laughing
When the coons all came around.
The morning had its labor,
The cotton fields their share,
And evening had its pleasure
When we were gathered there;
And of all the fancy jumping
That ever stirred the ground,
You ought to see the dancing
When the coons all came around.
And dulcet was the music
And dulcet were the tones,
And dulcet was the banjo
And dulcet were the bones;
And of all the happy hours
That ever did abound.
That happiest were the happiest
When the coons all came around.
GLORY! HALLELUJAH!
When I die I want to go
With all the darkies that I know,
Glory! Hallelujah!
Moses come and take my hand
Lead me to that better land,
Glory! Hallelujah!
Over the river, over the ford,
Over the darkness to my Lord,
Glory! Hallelujah!
Let me then my Jesus see,
Let him smile his smile on me.
Glory! Hallelujah!
Let the bells of heaven ring,
Let the angels start to sing,
Glory! Hallelujah!
My old Mammy I shall see,
Ephraim too will welcome me,
Glory! Hallelujah!
For when I die I want to go
With all the darkies that I know.
Oh Glory Hallelujah!
MANDY
I know a buxom
And Mandy's her name,
Her eyes are like opals,
Her teeth are the same;
Her lips are like rubies
Now scarlet now flame,
I know a buxom
And Mandy's her name.
I know a buxom
And Mandy's her name,
From magnolia and moonlight
And Dixie she came;
Her voice is like music.
Her smile is the same,
I know a buxom
And Mandy's her name,
THE n*****
The Lord He made the n*****
And He made him in the night,
He made him for the sunshine
And He made him for the light.
He took a piece of cotton
And He stuck it in his eye.
And you'll always see a n*****
Like a cloud roll by.
The Lord He made the n*****
And He made him in the night,
He made him for the sunshine
And He made him for the light.
He made him in a hurry
And He made him to be heard,
And you'll always hear a n*****
And he's singing like a bird.
A REAL GOOD TIME
"There's going to be a party,"
Said Mr. Jackson Jones,
A rather swarthy gentleman
And almost skin and bones;
"There'll be music, there'll be dancing.
There'll be chicken fat and prime,
And sharpen up your razors
Fo' a real good time.
"Ahm going to that party,
And ahm going to meet a coon.
And settle a lil' argument
Right in that party room;
There'll be music, there'll be dancing,
There'll be chicken fat and prime,
A.nd bring along your razors
Fo' a real good time."
TAKE THAT FIDDLE ALONG
Old Moses he am calling,
He am calling me away,
I hear it all the night time
And I hear it all the day.
I don't mind this here journey,
It will not be for long,
But when I take this journey
I want my fiddle along.
I ain't got much to leave you,
I gave my soul away,
But that fiddle was my company
Through many a weary day.
And when I go to heaven,
It will not now be long,
I'll leave all else behind me
But I want that fiddle along.
The ague and the rheumatiz
Have done got in my bones,
And the only medicine that I know
Am that ole fiddle's tones.
And when the harps and seraphs
Are where they all belong.
Oh then I'll be so happy
To have that fiddle along.
I know its old and wormy
And the bow and strings not strong,
But while I am in heaven
I want that fiddle along.
And mebbe that ole Moses
When I tune up a song,
Will say I'm glad old Ephraim
You took that fiddle along.
GWINE AWAY FOR CHRISTMAS
Dear friends I'se got to tell you,
I'se got to tell the news,
Fse gwine away for Christmas
And I'se gwine to have new shoes.
The Lord he saw me walking
And the Lord he says to me,
Just come and see me Christmas
And see what you will see.
And the Lord done give his blessing
And the Lord done give his hand,
And he make Ole Dinah happy
To see that Christmas land.
So I'se gwine away for Christmas,
Gwine to that happy shore,
I'se gwine away for Christmas
And I won't come back no more.
THE PARSON'S SERMON
"Brethren and Sistern," said Parson Jones,
Raising his voice to its loudest tones,
"The collection box am a gwine aroun'
And some of that noise has a funny soun';
It am just like a beggar with his pleas and groans,
The thanks am many and so am the bones.
"Some fo'ks I know am quite so mean
The collection box am nebber seen,
But whar there's money lost and foun'
There's them n*****s nosin' aroun' ;
I doan' want, I done tole you befo'
And keep your ban's off the pahsons door.
"The Lawd done love a cheerful giver,
The Lawd done love, but it make me shiver,
How it gwine to be without a cent
A pahson gwine to preach and pay his rent ;
Ef you tell me, can tell me true
What am the meaning of dem I. O. U.
"Aigs am aigs, and shells am shells
An' weddin' bells am weddin' bells,
But I done say this pahson am through
With fricassed liver, and roustabout stew;
It's time for the pahson to have a chicken dinner
And for that chicken I'll forgive that sinner."
Early next morning on the parson's stoop
There hung a fat pullet from a neighbor's coop,
And written on a paper in a tremulous print
Was this transcript of the parson's hint:
Here am the chicken for the pahson's dinner
And it's up to the pahson to save that sinner.
THE COTTON FIELDS OF GEORGIA
The fields are bright, and the fields are white
Down on the old plantation,
And the darkies chant, and the darkies pant
Some lullaby incantation ;
And the blossoms blow, and the blossoms grow
And the fields are all in order,
And down the row — the darkies go,
In the cotton fields of Georgia.
The blackbird swings, and the blackbird sings
His morning incantation,
And the hawthorn white, is a cheery sight,
Dov/n on the old plantation;
And the blossoms blow and the blossoms grow
And the fields are all in order,
And down the row — the darkies go,
In the cotton fields of Georgia.
RIGHT AWAY
I sent a message
To the Lord on high,
To find me a place
In the big blue sky;
I called to an angel
And gave him my note,
And the angel went away
In a cloudy boat ;
And what do you think
The Lord done say,
Come up chillun
Right away.
Right away chillun, right away,
Come up chillun, right away.
I asked the Lord
When we were alone,
To give me a place
On the big white throne;
For I saw Daniel
And I saw John,
All with the robes
Of the angels on ;
The Lord he smile
And the Lord he say.
Come up chillun
Right away.
Right away chillun, right away,
Come up chillun, right away.
THE FIERY FURNACE
The fiery furnace am burning hot
And burning hot in every spot.
And where am the sinner gwine to turn
When the fiery furnace burn and burn.
The fiery furnace am so red —
The flames jump up right over your head
And where am the sinner gwine to turn
When the fiery furnace burn and burn.
The devil stands beside that fire
While the flames go shooting higher,
And where am the sinner gwine to turn
When the fiery furnace burn and burn.
The fiery furnace am down below
Where all the sinners have got to go,
And where am the sinner gwine to turn
When the fiery furnace burn and burn.
And when I die, Oh Lord! I pray,
Keep me away from that place that day,
For where am the sinner gwine to turn
When the fiery furnace burn and burn.
PICKANINNY POMPEY
Pickaninny Pompey
Smiling meek and bland,
Says "Good morning, Massa,
I'se cum sah for the can.
"Mammy is a milking,
The milk is in the pan,
And Mammy says go hurry
And get the Massa's can."
And Pickaninny Pompey
Wonder eyed and bland,
Saj's "Good morning, Massa"
As I watch him stand.
I like this little Pompey
And so I take his hand,
And say to little Pompey
"Cum Sah when you can."
RASTUS JOHNSON
Rastus Johnson was a coon,
Holy smoke what eyes!
As big as any shining moon
Shining in the skies;
Eyes all big and glorious,
Eyes that would surprise.
And if you doubt he is a coon
Just you see dem eyes.
Rastus Johnson was a coon,
Holy smoke what eyes!
As bright as any shining moon
Shining in the skies;
Eyes all big and glistening,
Eyes that would surprise,
And if you doubt he is a coon
Just you see dem eyes.
THE PICKANINNY BAND
Rastus is a crying —
He hurt his lil' hand.
And that's the way they start it,
This pickaninny band,
And Hannah wants some hoe cake,
The hoe cake in the pan,
And then you hear a solo
From the pickaninny band.
And Caesar Alexander
Is a quarreling in the sand,
Another active member
Of the pickaninny band.
And all day long and evening
From Beersheba to Dan,
They're playing and parading,
This pickaninny band.
THAT OLD FLY
That old fly done pester me —
Go w^ay dar and let me sleep,
I hear him buzz and I hear him creep —
Go way dar and let me sleep ;
You suah done make the angels weep —
Go way dar and let me sleep,
You bite the horse and you bite the sheep —
Go way dar and let me sleep,
And for the land's sake I don't want to die
Boddered to death by that old fly.
THE LIABILITY
Old Uncle Mose was explaining in detail
High finance to his friend Mr. Quail,
"An asset am this," said old Uncle Mose
Pointing with pride to his tattered clothes;
"It's what you have, and what you got —
Cash in hand and on the spot,
And a liability am what you owe —
And you have no money for that debt to show;
It am just like a chicken, that you want to borrow
And liability says come around to morrow."
"Am that a liability?" says suspicious Mr. Quail.
"If that's a liability so am the jail."
THE MENU
The African Methodist Episcopal churches
Were having a picnic on the birches,
And Rastus Johnson to show his friends
His razor from his hip unbends;
An officer saw the hostile act
And thought a row was on in fact,
So without his intervention
He thought it best to simply mention
The menu of the eats done say
No smoked beef or hash today.
BALM OF GILEAD
Can you imagine a cabin small
Without a kitchen or a hall?
And baking in a possum pan ;
A possum in the possum land ;
And gathered round it with their croons
With tyes, as big and bright as moons,
A bunch of grinning pickaninnies —
Hannahs, Chloes, Dinahs, Minnies;
And then the mutual exclamation
Half in phrensy and elation.
Golly see that possum Iliad
That am suah a balm of Gilead.
THE ALLIGATOR
Whenever you see a n*****
With a little mouth.
Running north
And running south.
And with a cavern
Like an extinct crater.
That isn't a n*****
That's an alligator.
THE BANJO
The banjo, banjo, banjo bring,
Let the banjo, banjo ring.
For my spirit only sings
When the banjo, banjo rings.
The banjo, banjo bring.
Let the banjo, banjo ring.
Then I'm crowned among the kings
When the banjo, banjo rings.
BRUSH DEM TEARS AWAY
The darkies weep and the darkies pray.
Brush, oh brush dem tears away,
Bring in a chicken on a tray,
Brush, oh brush dem tears away.
And then a big watermelon in the same way,
Brush, oh brush dem tears away.
And when they are through you will hear them say
All dem tears am brushed away.
WHEN THE GOLDEN TRUMPETS
SOUND
When the golden trumpets sound
Where will your soul be found,
Standing around, standing around,
When the golden trumpets sound.
When the golden trumpets sound
Where will my soul be found.
With the crowned, with the crowned,
When the golden trumpets sound.
RASTUS' FATE
Rastus Johnson had a cough
And his demise was not far off,
He called the doctor, called the nurse
And said, "My cough is getting worse";
The doctor cautioned rest and quiet
And put a ban on Rastus' diet,
No more chicken no more pie
"Stop!" said Rastus with a sigh,
"No more chicken, no more pie?
Go away doctor let me die."
THE WHANGDOODLE BAND
1 went to hear a parson preach
A sermon in a church,
And all the coons were gathered round
Wherever they could perch.
The parson preached about a trump
And cymbals clang and bang,
Until the carpets took a jump
And all the rafters rang.
But Hannah Jones commenced to snore
When listless dropped her hand,
And that immediately started off
The whole whangdoodle band.
And brother Thomas with his bass
Essayed to lead the score,
Until it seemed a storm had broke
And muffled in its roar.
And Ephraim Squires solos played
In such astounding tunes.
The echoes traveled to the skies
And floated to the moons.
And so it went from flute to flute,
From cornet to the drum,
You thought the I^ird was surely here
And all liis kingdom come.
I never heard, I never saw
A parson get so mad,
He exasperated all the good
And eulogised the bad.
The parson shouted and he raved
And clenched it with his hand,
The Lord have mussy on the souls
Of that whangdoodle band.
RASTUS AND HIS BANJO
Plunket}', plunkety, plunketj^, plunk,
Plunkety, plunkety, plunk, plunk, plunk,
Plunkety, plunkety, plunkety, plunk —
Plunkety, plunkety, plunk, plunk, plunk.
Ah done love mah honey all mah days,
Ah done love mah honey and her ways,
Ah done love into her eyes to gaze —
Ah done love mah honey all mah days.
Plunkety, plunkety, plunkety, plunk,
Plunkety, plunkety, plunk, plunk, plunk,
Plunket.v, plunkety, plunkety, plunk —
Plunkety, plunkety, plunk, plunk, plunk.
Ah done love mah honey all mah days,
Ah done love mah honey's ways to praise,
Ah done love mah honey's honey waj's —
Ah done love mah honey all mah days.
I05
MASSA'S GONE AWAY
Massa's gone away,
Massa's gone away,
I smell it in the clover
And I smell it in the hay;
The cocks don't crow so loudly.
The mules don't seem to neigh,
And everything is lonely
Since Massa's gone away.
The honey-suckle lingers
Around my cabin door,
But gone it all its sweetness
And all its bloom is o'er;
And everywhere I wander
My footsteps seem to say,
How lonely is the homestead
Since Massa's gone away.
SLAVERY DAYS
Slavery days, slavery days,
They are gone with all their ways.
Gone the hound and gone the hoe,
Gone the labor and the woe;
Gone the hardship and the curse.
Gone the better and the worse,
And our hearts are full of praise
For the last of slavery days.
Slavery days, slavery days,
They are gone with all their ways.
Gone the block and gone the lash,
Gone the blow and gone the gash;
Gone the pillar and the chain.
Gone the stigma and the pain,
And our hearts are full of praise
For the last of slavery days.
MELON TIME IN GEORGIA
The stars begin to twinkle.
The stars begin to shine.
What makes those optics kindle,
What makes those optics shine?
And when you see them kindle
And when you see them shine,
It's melon time in Georgia
And there's melons on the vine.
The stars begin to twinkle.
The stars begin to shine.
With ecstasy they kindle,
With ecstasy they shine;
And when you see them kindle
It always is the sign,
It's melon time in Georgia
And there's melons on the vine.
THE STEAMBOAT RIDE
All aboard the Natchez,
All aboard the Lee,
All aboard for Vicksburg,
Or Memphis, Tennessee:
They're tugging on the hawser
And tugging on the tide
And it's all aboard the steamboat
For a steamboat ride.
Now she blows the whistle
And now she blows the steam,
Now she's on the river
And going down the stream:
They're going down the river
And running with the tide
And it's all aboard the steamboat
For a steamboat ride.
Now they're in the current
And racing like a team,
Smoking are the funnels
And busy is the beam:
They're going down the river
And going with the tide
And it's all aboard the steamboat
For a steamboat ride.
The darkies trim the cotton
And the darkies trim the corn;
They're piling on the fuel
And the whistle is the horn :
Going down the river
Like snowy swans they glide
And it's all aboard the steamboat
For a steamboat ride.
Merry blow, the whistles,
Merry ring the bells;
ChurniHg are the paddles
And foamy are the swells:
And going down the river
Running with the tide,
What a glorious feeling
On a steamboat ride.
THE ORDERS
Orders please, orders gents —
The dinner am ready and fifty cents.
Chicken, watermelon, watermelon, chicken
How dem orders thicken, thicken.
Orders please, orders gents —
The dinner am ready and fifty cents.
Chicken, watermelon, watermelon, chicken.
How dem orders quicken, quicken. —
Look at the reason, look at dem moons,
All dem orders come from coons.
MY RUBY RED ROSE
My rose is a red rose
A rose you can see,
'Tis the rose of the garland
They call Tennessee.
Her eyes are like diamonds
The diamonds that shine,
And her lips are like corals
And the pearls they entwine.
The damasks of the morning
Ere the sun hath arose.
Are seen in the bosoms
Of my ruby red rose.
My rose is a red rose
A rose you can see,
'Tis the rose of the garland
They call Tennessee.
DIXIE SO DEAR
There's a little log cabin in Dixie,
In Dixie, in Dixie so dear.
And often I think of the sunflower
And often I wish I was near;
There's a river that flows just beside it,
There's a wood that is open and clear,
And often I wish I was in it —
In Dixie, in Dixie so dear.
The face of my mother before me
The children at play on the floor.
Are things that I often remember
And things that I often adore ;
The lark has a nest in the wildwood.
The voice of the cushat is near,
And often I wish I was in it.
In Dixie, in Dixie so dear.
MY PRETTY CREOLE BELLE
My pretty Creole belle —
How like a rose you smell —
Thou hast a charm, my heart to balm,
My pretty Creole belle.
By the deep lagoon —
And the light of the moon —
I am coming soon, I am coming soon,
My pretty Creole belle.
My pretty Creole belle —
How can thy charms I tell —
Thy soul broAvn eyes, they fervid dyes,
My pretty creole belle.
My pretty creole belle —
Could love devotion tell —
I'd sigh for you, I'd die for you,
My pretty creole belle.
FOAH O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING
Old Dixy was a bondman
Down in Dixie land,
Down in dear old Dixie,
Dixie, Dixie land ;
And early in the morning
When daylight lit the bush,
I seem to see old Dixy
A crooning with the thrush.
'Tis foah o'clock in the morning
And the sun begins to shine.
The clover am in blossom
And the leaf am on the vine;
'Tis foah o'clock in the morning
And the bird am in the tree,
And foah o'clock in the morning
Am just the time for me.
The snow has long since whitened
Old Dixy's head and hands,
Down in dear old Dixie,
Dixie's, Dixie's lands;
And early in the morning
When daylight lights the bush,
I seem to hear old Dixy
A crooning with the thrush.
*Tis foah o'clock in the morning
And the wash am on the line,
The sheep have gone to pasture
And the milkmaid calls the kine;
'Tis foah o'clock in the morning
And yonder flies the bee,
And foah o'clock in the morning
Am just the time for me.
And I have pictured Dixy
Somewhere in some land,
I hope it will be Dixie,
Dear old Dixie land;
When the dawn is ever radiant
And its splendor gilds the bush.
And old Dixy sits a crooning
And warbling with the thrush.
*Tis foah o'clock in the morning
And the bird is in the tree,
But Massa says a bondman
I must no longer be;
The Lord bress dear ole Massa
For he done set me free.
But foah o'clock in the morning
Am good enough for me.
IF CHICKENS WERE CROWS
If crows were chickens
What a feast I'd have,
Even if dem crows
You would have to halve;
I'd have dem fedders
For to make mah bed,
And I'd wear dem fedders
All over mah head.
And in de mawning
When ah wanted to snore,
You wouldn't hear dem crows
With their caw! caw! caw!
But if chickens were crows
Ah done hoi' mah breath,
For if chickens were crows
Ah done starve to death.
"5
CHICKENS
The parson man was praying
And praying long and loud,
And praying to dem n*****s
In that congregation crowd;
The parson man am hungry
And the church rent must be found,
So don't forget these prayers
When the basket comes around.
And each and every n*****
With pity in his eyes,
Fingered in his pockets
And turned them to the skies;
You heard the benediction
And the ticking of the clock,
When someone shouted chickens
And stampeded all the flock.
THE EAGLE AND THE ROOSTER
The eagle is a dandy bird
He sits upon his perch,
Just like a flock of pigeons
In the belfry of a church;
But when that eagle starts to scream
And flap his wings in air.
Excuse me fob a minute
But I'd rather not be there.
The rooster is a dandy bird,
He sits upon his perch
Just like a handsome lady
In the bosom of her church;
And when that rooster starts to crow
And flap his wings in air,
Excuse me fob a minute
But I'd rather then be there.
DOWN IN GEORGIA
I saw an aged negro,
His hair as white as snow,
And he was pondering deeply
The days of long ago ;
His thoughts were running backward
His eyes bent to the ground,
And he was murmuring Georgia
And Missus walking around.
And as I saw him brooding
Beneath an old oak tree,
It needed no great urging
To bring his past to me;
I saw him in the cotton.
The cotton row on row,
I saw him in the cornfield
And I saw him with the hoe.
I saw the old plantation
A home to him no more,
A cabin small and homely
And children round the door;
And flowers wreathing roses
And breathing sweets around,
And this was down in Georgia
And Missus walking around.
I know he was a bondman,
His flesh still lacked the pound,
For he was murmuring Georgia
And Missus walking round;
He whistled and he shuffled —
Some joy was breaking ground,
Or why did he mention Georgia?
And Missus walking round.
JUBA
Juba am the music —
I always like to hear,
'Tis music to my feelings,
And music to my ear.
I may be feeling lonesome
Without a reason for
But when I hear that Juba
I done cry no moah.
I haven't any banj(
I haven't any bow,
But I doan' need a fiddle
To make my Juba go.
I may be feeling lonesome
Without a reason for
But when I hear that Juba
I done cry no moah.
GWINE TO THE BALL
Gwine to the ball, Liz,
Gwine to the ball?
You will be a belle, Liz,
You are fair and tall;
You will be a belle, Liz,
With your eyes of brown,
And you will be a belle, Liz,
In 5'our buckram gown.
Gwine to the ball, Liz,
In your buckram gown?
You will be a belle, Liz,
With your eyes of brown,
You will be a belle, Liz,
You are fair and tall,
Gwine to the ball, Liz,
Gwine to the ball.
GWINE TO SEE MY GAL
Rastus had a rival
For Miss Matilda's hand.
He played the second fiddle
In the Ethiopian band;
And Henry started singing
As he gave his bow a whirl —
Tomorrow am a coming
And I'm gwine to see my girl.
And Rastus heard him singing
And Rastus saw his smile,
And that roused Rastus' anger
And that roused Rastus' bile;
And Rastus started singing
As he soaked him on the head —
Tomorrow am a coming
And you am gwine to be dead.
n*****ING AROUND
"Good morning, Marse Henry
How am the little chile?"
Said Rastus Johnson softly
And with a n***** smile;
Now Rastus wanted something
He wanted Henrys hound,
And that's the way a n*****
Comes n*****ing around.
With money in his pockets
And clothes upon his back,
You can always tell a n*****
By the way a n***** acts;
They guffaw like a donkey
And when you hear that sound,
You always know the n*****
Has been n*****ing around.
THE HORNET AND THE BEE
Hear that hornet buzzing,
See that hornet fly.
He don't make no honey,
He don't want to try;
He am just a torment
And it am plain to me,
The hornet am the dog whip
And the black man am the bee.
Dat old hornet's buzzing
Always in my ear,
I hear him when I'm distant
I hear him when I'm near;
All the time he's buzzing
And it am plain to me,
The hornet am the dog whip
And the black man am the bee.
He come round a buzzing
And he sing a tune,
But that tune ain't roses
Nor the silvery moon ;
Keep away old hornet
Don't you dare sting me,
For the hornet am the dog whip
And the black man am the bee.
THE TWO MASTERS
I had two good masters —
Said Rastus Johnson Snow, —
I had two good masters
As you would want to know.
They never shouted flog him,
See he idle stands,
But they always cheered me —
These two good old hands.
I always did my duty
When working with the hoe,
And round about my labor
They always with me go.
I drove the mules all morning
And ploughed the cotton lands.
And happy was the master
Of these two old hands.
Massa Right was gentle,
Massa Left was kind.
And what the other did do
The other didn't mind.
The Lord was good to Moses,
He obeyed the Lord's command,
And I bless the Lord Almighty
For dem two old hands.
HAUL THAT WOODPILE DOWN
Blow dem whistles, steamboat,
Blow dem long and loud.
For I want to see the smoke steam
And I want to see the cloud ;
And when you blow dem whistles
Blow dem so they sound,
For I want to hear dem whistles
Haul that woodpile down.
Haul that woodpile down,
Haul that woodpile down,
The darkies they are singing
As they go round and round ;
Singing to dem whistles,
Haul that woodpile down.
Blow dem whistles, steamboat,
Blow dem loud and long,
Blow dem like a siren
And blow dem like a song,
And when you blow dem whistles
Blow dem so they sound;
For I want to hear dem whistles
Haul that woodpile down.
Blow dem whistles, steamboat,
Blow dem loud and clear,
Blow dem for the distant
And blow dem for the near;
And when you bldw dem whistles
Blow dem so they sound,
For I want to hear dem whistles
Haul that woodpile down.
Blow dem whistles, steamboat,
Blow dem like a horn,
Blow dem for the cotton
And blow dem for the com;
And when you blow dem whistles
Blow dem so they sound,
For I want to hear dem whistles
Haul that woodpile down.
NO MOON TONIGHT
Rastus likes to sing a song
That doesn't take him very long.
The buck and wing and pigeon wing
You often hear him chirp and sing;
And Mandy Lee and Dinah dear
Will linger on your listening ear,
But his favorite sweet and trite
Is that song, No Moon Tonight.
GOOD BYE LIZA JANE
When I go back to Dixie
I hope the sun will shine,
When I go back to Dixie
I hope the day is fine;
When I go back to Dixie
You won't see me again,
When I go back to Dixie
Good bye Liza Jane
Good bye Liza Jane
Good bye Liza Jane
When I go back to Dixie
Good bye to Liza Jane.
When I go back to Dixie
I want to see the corn,
When I go back to Dixie
I want to hear the horn ;
When I go back to Dixie
You won't see me again,
When I go back to Dixie
Good bye Liza Jane;
Good bye Liza Jane
Good bye Liza Jane,
When I go back to Dixie
Good bye Liza Jane.
DID YOU SEE ME
I went riding in a great big car —
Did you, did you, did you see me?
I was smoking a very fine cigar —
Did you, did you, did you see me?
All of the girls were waving their hans'
And hidin' their smiles behin' their fans
And I was pityin' dem po' white mans.
Did you, did you, did you see me.
I went walking with Eliza Jane —
Did you, did you, did you see me?
Wore a gold ring and a big gold chain,
Did you, did j'ou, did you see me?
All of dem coons they had to stare —
When they saw me with Eliza there
And for their frowns what did I care,
Did you, did you, did you see me.
I got acquainted with Doctor Jones —
Did you, did you, did you see me?
Good morning, Mr. Sam, in his blandest tones,
Did you, did you, did you see me?
All the people looked, when he took my han'
And wondered to themselves who am that man
But I jes' enjoyed the situation an' —
Did you, did you, did you see me.
THE CHARIOT MAN
I saw a chariot waiting —
A chariot big and bright,
The horses all had wings on
And the harness all was white;
I got aboard that chariot
And happy was my pride,
When I was in that chariot
And Jesus by my side.
The driver man was Jesus
The driver man was God,
And soon we got to heaven
Along the heavenly road;
I got down from the chariot
And happy was my pride,
To think I had been riding
With Jesus by my side.
WHEN I GET THERE THAT DAY
I'm gwine to heaven, on the judgment day —
I'm gwine to heaven, in the good old way,
And come all the rivers, and come all the floods,
Come all the fires, and come all the bloods;
They can't stop the shouting in my soul
When I get there that day.
It won't be long and it won't be far
Before I reach those gates ajar,
And come all the rivers, and come all the floods.
Come all the fires, and come all the bloods;
They can't stop the shouting in my soul —
When I get there that day.
KEEP THAT CHARIOT ROLLING
The judgment day am coming,
I feel it near at hand,
When before the Lord Almighty
We all have got to stand;
So Elijah tell the angels
And tell them too this day.
To keep that chariot rolling
And rolling down this way.
Then w ill the thunders rattle
And lightnings light the sky,
Then will the sinners tremble
Before that mighty eye;
So Elijah tell the angels
And tell them too this day.
To keep that chariot rolling
And rolling down this way.
OLD JOHN BROWN
Old John Brown
He set me free,
Old John Brown
Done this for me.
Glory Hallelujah!
To the snow white lamb!
Glory Hallelujah!
What a wretch I am.
Old John Brown
He started the war,
Old John Brown
What a sword he wore.
Glory Hallelujah
To the blood of the lamb!
Glory Hallelujah!
What a wretch I am.
Old John Brown
Came marching along.
He saw me weeping
And he heard my song,
He washed my sins
In the blood of the lamb !
Glory Hallelujah!
What a saint I am.
DOWN ON THE OLD PLANTATION
'Tis the early dawn and the early morn,
You hear the mule and you hear the horn,
You hear the wind and the rustle of the corn
Down on the old plantation.
The cabin smoke is rising high,
The pigs are grunting in the sty,
The early birds begin to fly
Down on the old plantation.
The river flows a silvery trail.
The flowers scent the dewy gale.
There goes the milkmaid with her pail
Down on the old plantation.
The cotton is white and the corn is green
And over the hoe the darkies lean,
The song is sung and the smile is seen
Down on the old plantation.
The night is bright and the river gleams
Beneath the moonlight's silvery beams,
And amid such scenes the darky dreams
Down on the old plantation.
THE MULE
I sing in simple language —
The virtues of a beast,
On whom the praises languish
And on whom the idyls cease ;
A paragon of patience
The best j'ou ever saw,
He may not be a beauty —
But he's honest to the core.
Just hitch him to a mountain —
And tap him with the whip,
And you'll see that mountain rolling
And you'll see that mountain slip;
And all he wants is fodder
And a bedding in the straw,
And he may not be a beauty —
But he's honest to the core.
Up the hill, and down the hill
He'll amble with his load.
But you must urge him gently
And don't use too much the goad;
And if he stoops to folly —
What is his balking for?
But a protest to his master
That he's honest to the core.
Handsome is, as handsome does —
May do for kings and queens,
Or when you're driving tandem
Where fashion struts and preens;
But when you're ploughing stubble
Or hauling guns in war,
There's nothing like his muleship
So honest to the core.
As homely as the thistle
On which he loves to feed,
How humble is his portion
And how glorious is his deed ;
And everywhere he travels
It is the common law,
He may not be a beauty
But he's honest to the core.
LIVING HIGH
Ahm living high, ahm living high.
Ah can almost touch the sky,
Where was you Rastus, when you was living high?
Up in a tree with a hound close by ;
Ahm living high, ahm living high —
Go way chile, I want to fly.
Where was you Rastus, when you was living high?
Up in a tree with a hound close by.
REFRAINS
Those Moses men, those Moses men,
Those Moses men of God,
Oh ! glory to those Moses men.
Those Moses men of God.
Roll that stone, roll that stone,
Roll that stone away,
Roll that stone, roll that stone.
Oh! roll that stone away.
The glory man, the glory man.
Dwelling in the sky.
Oh! I want to see that glory man
Dwelling in the sky.
DEM GOLDEN BELLS
Oh dem bells, dem golden bells
Ringing, ringing, flinging, flinging,
All my soul is singing, singing
When I hear dem golden bells.
Oh dem bells, dem golden bells
Sounding, sounding, pounding, pounding
Zion ! Zion ! they are crying
When I hear dem golden bells.
1J5
SINIA
Take me Lord, and take me quick,
My heart is sad, my soul is sick,
I want to get off, Sinia, Sinia —
I want to get off at Sinia.
Hurry Lord, for here I come,
Sound the trumpet, boom the drum,
I want to get off, Sinia, Sinia —
I want to get off at Sinia.
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIN
The hallelujah train is almost ready,
We're bound for Canaan and the Lord,
And when you hear those bells a ringing —
Get aboard, get aboard.
We're going through a land of honey,
Where angel voices praise the Lord,
And when you hear those angels singing —
Get aboard, get aboard.
There is no stopping by the wayside
There's only one wide river to ford,
And when you hear those voices calling
Get aboard, get aboard.
WHERE IS MY DINAH?
Where is my Dinah?
Why does she hide?
Why is she absent
From her honey's side?
Where is my Dinah?
When was she aroun' ?
There is my Dinah
In her bran' new gown.
Where is my Dinah?
Where can I find,
The one that makes me happy
The one that is so kind ?
Where is my Dinah?
I just heard a soun',
There is my Dinah
In her bran' new gown.
Where is my Dinah?
Where can she be?
Why does she wander
All alone from me?
Where is my Dinah?
At last, at last, I've foun',
There is my Dinah
In her bran' new gown.
POSSUM JUICE
White folks, white folks
Wear a long face,
They am never happy
Like the black race;
I could tell mah troubles
But what am the use?
Thinking of that possum
And that possum juice.
Ah ain't got no money.
Ah can't pay mah rent,
My feet am heavy,
My back am bent;
Ah could tell mah troubles
But what am the use?
Thinking of that possum
And that possum juice,
Satan say I'se wicked,
Satan say I die,
Satan doan' know me,
Satan done lie;
I is very happy
But what am the use?
Thinking of that possum
And that possum juice.
COME ALONG CHILLUN
A very nice angel
In very nice clothes,
Asked me a question
And what do you suppose?
Come along, chillun
The ark is on the way,
Get aboard, chillun,
Get aboard today.
A very nice angel
In very nice clothes.
Asked me a question
And what do you suppose?
The judgment am a coming
Coming on the way.
Come along, chillun,
Come along today.
THE PROMIS' LAN'
A poor old n***** worn and gray.
Looking for a place to rest and pray,
Moses come and take him by the hand,
Moses am that promised land.
Milk and honey now he eat
And rest he found for his poor feet,
For Moses take him by the hand
And Moses am that promised land.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?
What are you doing up there?
What are you doing up there?
Come right down, with that heavenly crown,
• What are you doing up there?
What are you doing up there?
What are you doing up there?
I'm on my way, to that glorious day
That's what I'm doing up there.
What are you doing up there?
What are you doing up there?
Come right down, with that heavenly crown.
What are j^ou doing up there?
What are you doing up there?
What ai'e you doing up there?
I'm filled with the fire, of the heavenly choir,
That's what I'm doing up there.
What are you doing up there?
What are you doing up there?
Come right down, with that heavenly crown.
What are you doing up there?
What are you doing up there?
What are you doing up there?
Im living with God, in the smile of the Lord,
That's what I'm doing up there.
ELIJAH RING THAT BELL
I heard the good Lord calling,
I heard the good Lord say,
Elijah stands a waiting
To show me on my w-ay;
I do not fear the journey
All through the night and day
When I know Elijah's waiting
To show me on my way.
Elijah! Elijah! Elijah! ring that bell,
Elijah! Elijah! Elijah! ring that bell,
I'm going over the river, but when I cannot tell;
Oh! oh! Elijah! Elijah! ring that bell.
My soul is ready waiting
To go and see my Lord,
I do not fear his anger,
I do not fear his sword ;
He called me on my journey
And he told me not to stay,
And he said the angel Elijah
Would show me on my way.
Elijah! Elijah! Elijah! ring that bell,
Elijah! Elijah! Elijah! ring that bell,
I'm going over the river, but when I cannot tell,
Oh! oh! Elijah! Elijah! ring that bell.
PHAROAH
Pharoah was a monarch,
Pharoah was a king,
He wore a silken girdle
And he wore a golden ring;
He had a lovely daughter
As lovely as could be,
He couldn't catch Moses
And he can't catch me.
Pharoah was a monarch,
Pharoah was a king,
He wore a silken girdle
And he wore a golden ring;
He couldn't stop the waters,
He couldn't cross the sea,
He couldn't catch Moses
And he can't catch me.
ALL RIGHT MOSES I'LL BE THERE
Moses done tell me, there am gwine to be
A great big treat in store for me,
Let the day be foul or fair.
All right Moses I'll be there.
Moses done tell me, I am gwine to see
Something the Lord has in store for me.
Let the day be foul or fair.
All right Moses I'll be there.
FORTY ACRES AND A MULE
Forty acres and a mule —
A little warm a little cool,
A little cabin and a floor,
A little flower round the door;
A little well, a little tree,
A little sky for all to see,
A little porker in a pen,
A little rooster and a hen;
Some sweet potatoes and a yam,
A big fat possum and a ham,
And why should Sambo want to roam
From that fohty and that home?
Forty acres and a mule,
A little cabin and a school.
Pickaninnies on the floor
And a Mammy watching o'er;
A patch of clover and of wheat,
A honey hive of honey sweet,
A field of cotton and of corn,
A blackbird singing in the morn ;
A little cloud, a little rain,
A little road, a little lane,
And wouldn't Sambo be a fool
To leave that fohty and that mule?
CAROLINE
Virginny am some pumpkins
An' Marylan' divine,
But dey can't hold a candle —
Down in Caroline.
George Washington, President,
He made the people shine,
But gib me Marse Pinckney —
Down in Caroline.
The breezes seem more softer —
The air seems more like wine,
The friends and counsels dearer
Down in Caroline.
And when my days are over
Beneath some spreading pine,
I want to meet the judgment —
Down in Caroline.
So sang darky David —
Trimming bush and vine.
And singing with the skylark
Down in Caroline.
THE JUDGMENT MORN
The judgment day is coming,
Hark! the trumpet's sound,
Wake up sleepers, wake up
When Gabriel comes around;
Take away that banjo
On that judgment morn,
For I'd like to be old Gabriel
Blowing on that horn.
Hark! the trumpet's blowing.
Hark! the trumpets' sound.
Get up sleepers, get up
When Gabriel comes around ;
Take away that banjo
On that judgment morn,
For Ed like to be old Gabriel
Blowing on that horn.
THE DARKIES' JUBILEE
It am coming, it am coming,
It am coming very soon,
I can hear it in the thunder,
I can see it in the moon ;
All the darkies will be waiting.
All the darkies will be free.
For the coming of the Saviour
And the darkies' jubilee.
It am coming, it am coming,
It am coming on the way,
I can hear it in the night time,
I can hear it in the day;
Moses will be past grand master
And our friends we all will see,
When the Saviour gives the greeting
At the darkies' jubilee.
ROLL ON, JORDAN, ROLL
Roll on, Jordan, roll on.
Roll on, deep and wide,
Roll on in your power —
Roll on in your pride;
Roll on, Jordan, roll on,
There is glory in my soul,
Roll on, Jordon, roll on —
Roll on, Jordan, roll.
Roll on, Jordan, roll on.
Roll on, night and day,
Roll on in your glory —
Roll on in your way;
Roll on, Jordan, roll on.
There is glorj- in my soul.
Roll on, Jordan, roll on,
Roll on, Jordan, roll.
DIXIE DARKY LAND
Down in Dixie darkj;^ land
There the folks am fine and grand,
Heart to heart and hand to hand
Down in Dixie darky land.
Hear them banjos dum, dum, dum,
Hear them fiddles turn, turn, turn,
Hear those darkies hum, hum, hum
Down in Dixie darky land.
See the chillun at their play,
See the river on its way,
See the sunflowers bright and gay
Down in Dixie darky land.
See that cotton, see that corn.
See that blackbird on the thorn,
Happy the day that I was born
Down in Dixie darky land.
Lovely is the lovely night.
There the stars are pure and white,
And the moon is always bright
DoAvn in Dixie darky land.
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN
My heart is happy,
My heart is glad,
Dinah makes me happy,
Dinah makes me glad;
Her hair is curly.
Her eyes are brown,
And I'm going to meet her
When the sun goes down.
Many are the maidens,
Many are their charms,
But of all the maidens
Dinah only charms;
Her teeth are pearlj'^.
Her cheeks are brown.
And I'm going to meet her
When the sun goes down.
Moonlight on the water,
Moonlight on the stream,
That is Dinah laughing
Like a rippling beam;
Soon the night is coming.
Soon the stars will crown,
And I'm going to meet her
When the sun goes down.
DINAH COME WITH ME
Dinah I am calling,
Dinah do you hear?
For the shades are falling
And the night is near;
Come with me, Dinah,
Dinah, come with me.
By the light of the moon, Dinah,
Dinah, come with me.
Dinah I am calling,
Dinah do you hear?
Though the night is falling
Dinah do not fear ;
Come with me, Dinah,
Dinah, come with me,
By the light of the moon, Dinah,
Dinah, come with me.
MY LITTLE BLACK EYED CHLOE
The moon is on the river
And the moon is on the stream
And there is one I'm thinking of
And of whom I often dream;
Her eyes are like the blossoms
Of the hyacinths when they blow,
And I call her, yes I call her
My little black eyed Chloe.
The stars begin to twinkle
And the stars begin to gleam,
And still of Chloe I'm thinking
And still of Chloe I dream;
And no flower in the garden
Does ever sweeter grow,
More sweeter than the sweetness
Of my little black eyed Chloe.
WHERE THE WOODBINE GROWS
Down in Alabama
Among the dusky Chloes,
Down in Alabama
Where the woodbine grows;
There lives a pretty maiden
As sweet as any rose,
Down in Alabama
Where the woodbine grows.
Her face is like the olive,
Her eyes are like the snows,
Down in Alabama
Where the woodbine grows;
And I'm going to wed her
And wed her with the rose,
Down in Alabama
Where the woodbine grows.
MANDY'S SOLILOQUY
The Lord almighty mighty
Have mercy on my soul,
Just hear them n*****s praying,
Just see them eyeballs roll;
And when I see them n*****s
And hear them n*****s pray,
I surely think the Lord am gwine
To strike them dead some day.
There's n***** Rastus Johnson,
He am a funny coon,
He loves to go a roving
When the cloud am on the moon;
And they do say Rastus Johnson
When he begins to pray.
Must surely tempt the good great Lord
To strike him dead some day.
And as for that Jim Henry
I see upon his knees,
The Lord have mercy on my soul
To see such coons as these ;
For when I see them n*****s
And hear them n*****s pray,
I surely think the Lord am gwine
To strike them dead some day.
THE OLD BANJO
Take me back to Dixie —
To Dixie let me go,
And let me hear the music
Of the old banjo.
I've been away from Dixie
But sweet the echoes grow,
Of Dixie in the evening
And the old banjo.
So take me back to Dixie —
The Dixie that I know,
For I want to hear the music
Of the old banjo.
I long to be in Dixie —
In Dixie with the hoe,
And hear the darkies playing
The old banjo.
And although my hair is whitened
And heavy is my toe,
I still can dance a shuffle
To the old banjo.
And when I get to heaven
How great will be my woe,
If I cannot hear the playing
Of the old banjo.
SONGS OF DIXIE
There are songs of Dixie
That everybody knows,
I wish I was in Dixie
And where the Swanee flows;
But the song I like in Dixie
Is not the river's foam,
But a cabin in the clearing
And home sweet home.
I want not Massa's mansion,
His oxen or his sheep,
But oh I want a cabin
Where I can rest and sleep ;
For the song I love in Dixie
Is not the river's foam.
But a cabin in the clearing
And home sweet home.
A PLAINTIVE MELODY
Massa got chickens, Massa got shoats,
Massa got cornfields, Massa got oats;
Massa got a n*****, n***** got a hoe,
Working, working, everywhere you go.
Massa got chillun, Massa got clothes,
Massa got fire, Massa got those;
Massa got a n*****, n***** got a hoe.
Working, working, everj^vhere you go.
Massa got oxen, Massa got a plough,
Massa got cotton, cotton grow now,
Massa got a n*****, n***** got a hoe,
Working, working, everywhere you go.
Massa got a Sunday, Massa got a God,
Massa got a heaven, Massa got a rod;
Massa got a n*****, n***** got a hoe.
Working, working, everywhere you go.
THE SUNFLOWER
There's a flower in the garden —
A flower that I know,
It has a golden glory
And it has a golden glow;
Shiny are its features
And golden is its hair,
And it is the happy sunflower
That I see there.
There's a flower in the garden —
A flower big and bright,
The glory of the morning
And the splendor of the night;
Radiant are its features
And its face is fair,
And it is the happy sunflower
That I see there.
HOE CAKE SONG
The dinner time was passing
And waiting was the ham,
The possums had been eaten
And ready was the jam;
The coons began to grumble,
There must be some delay,
For what made them darkies grumble,
And what made them darkies say:
Ah doan' want no dumplings.
No raisin cake or pound,
But when you jes' get ready
Pass that hoe cake round.
They cared not for the coffee
They cared not for the coffee.
They only wanted hoe cake
With every course between;
And feasting on the luscious
Or breaking bread with Kings,
Was nothing to the hoe cake
Of which their longing sings:
Ah doan' want no dumpligs.
No raisin cake or pound,
But when you jes' get ready
Pass that hoe cake round.
THE WEDDIN' GOWN
Mandy Johnson wears a smile —
What makes Mandy pleased the while?
There are rumors in the town —
Mandy has a weddin' gown.
The stripes are big, and the stripes are red
And there is a hood to fit the head :
And they say no queen or crown
Ever was like Mandy 's gown.
There were laces there were beads —
There were velvets there were seeds:
And from the girdle hanging down
Was a blue ribbon on the gown.
Mandy learned to stitch and sew —
To make that gown to please her beau:
And he declared did Mistah Brown
There never was such a weddin' gown.
Before the parson Mandy stands
Holding her honey's horny hands,
And their blushes soft and brown
Were spread all over that weddin' gown.
There was a party and a dance —
And soft the whispering and the glance.
And the song that most went round
Was glory, glory, to that gown.
THE CATFISH FRY
The n*****s down in Dixie
They have a lot of fun,
With fishing in the rivers
And sleeping in the sun;
And if you want a n*****
To roll his n***** eye,
Just you tell that n*****
Of a n***** catfish fry.
That chicken and that pone cake
And that melon on the vine,
Can never hold a candle
To a catfish on a line;
And when the fire's waiting
And the fat is spouting high,
There's bound to be a n*****
And a n***** catfish fry.
The Lord he made the honey
And the Lord he made the bee,
And the Lord he made the catfish
And he made the catfish free ;
And there's nothing down in Dixie
That will better please your eye,
Than to see a n***** fooling
With a n***** catfish fry.
A hundred or a dozen —
It is all the same to Mose,
There is languor in his manner,
There is langour in his clothes;
But just you watch that n*****
And just you watch his eye,
When you see that n***** fooling
With that n***** catfish fry.
WHEN MASSA BLOWS THAT HORN
Blow that horn old Massa
Blow it for the dawn,
Blow it for the cotton
And blow it for the corn;
Blow it for the cabin —
See the day is born,
And the darkies must be waking
When Massa blows that horn.
The hounds begin their baying
The birds all come around.
The mules they are neighing,
The weather vane turns round;
Blow it for the cabin —
See the day is born.
And the darkies must be waking
When Massa blows that horn.
THE ROOSTING ROOSTERS
Rastus has a banjo,
It only has a string,
Hear old Rastus playing,
Hear old Rastus sing;
The night is dark and stormy
And the wind goes rushing by,
As he chants upon the chorus
Why dem roosters roost so high.
Roost away old rooster,
Roost upon that limb,
When ah wants to git you
Ah won't have to swim;
But some night 3'ou'll be roosting
With your wing across your eye
And then you'll be a rooster
With dem roosters in the sky.
Ah know j^ou fear the tempest,
Ah know j^ou fear the rain,
Ah know dem foxes prowling
Done give you lots of pain;
But some night you'll be roosting
With your wing across your eye.
And then you'll be a roosting
With dem roosters in the sky.
THE GOLDEN CROWN
I'm on the road, the heavenly road —
That leads to the heavenly gate,
And the crossroads wind, and the crossroads lead
And I haven't got long to wait;
My back is bent and my feet are worn —
And my head is almost bare,
But that golden crown, am a coming down
When I get ready to wear.
When I get ready, when I get ready —
When I get ready to wear,
That golden crown, am a coming down
When I get ready to wear.
The road is long, and the road is hard —
And dangers oft beset.
But I dry my eyes with a heavenly smile
Whenever they get wet;
And the crossroads wind, and the crossroads lead
And the briers tear and tear,
But that golden crown, am a coming down —
When I get ready to wear.
When I get ready, when I get ready —
When I get ready to wear,
That golden crown, am a coming down
When I get ready to wear.
1 60
WHEN THE TIDE TURNS ROUND
Steamboat start dem paddles,
Start dem paddles round,
I want to go to Memphis
For I am homeward bound.
I done come from Georgia
But the boat done get aground
And I'm gwine back to Memphis
When the tide turns round.
Steamboat start dem paddles.
Start dem paddles round,
I can't wait no longer —
Till I hear that sound.
My cabin home is calling,
I hear the horn and hound
And I'm gwine back to Memphis
Wlien the tide turns round.
THE HOE DOWN
Tell all the n*****s to get out their hoes —
And come right away in their every day clothes.
There's going to be a hoe down, down the rows.
Hoe down, hoe down, hoe.
Hoe down n*****s, don't stand around —
Massa am coming with a whip and a hound.
Hoe to the bottom, and hoe to the top —
For the cotton got to grow, and the n***** mustn't
stop.
i6i
Mandy and Mose are down the row
And close behind comes old black Joe —
Down to the fence and back they go —
Hoe down, hoe down, hoe.
Hoe down n*****s, hoe down quick —
Hoe down the weeds where they done grow thick,
The sun am hot and the n***** might drop —
But the cotton must grow, and the n***** musn't
stop.
THE ROUSTABOUT
The steamboat's on the river
Or the steamboat's in the dock,
It is early in the morning
Or it's nearly four o'clock;
And the roustabout is singing
As the steamboat whistle blows.
For he's always with the steamboat
Where the steamboat goes.
The steamer tugs the hawser
Or the steamboat tugs the tide,
Just like a mettled racer
That is eager for a ride;
And the roustabout is singing
As the steamboat whistle blows.
For he's always with the steamboat
Where the steamboat goes.
WHEN THE WASH AM OUT
Glory Hallelujah!
Hallelujah evermore,
I've been down to Jordan —
To Jordan's cleansing shore ;
And one thing you can be sure of
And make no bones about,
You needn't come around, old debbil
When the wash am out.
When the wash am out,
When the wash am out,
You needn't come around, old debbil
When the wash am out.
Once I was so sinful
And once I was so vile.
My conscience never was stricken
By any joy or smile;
But I've been down to Jordan
And that is why I shout,
You needn't come around, old debbil
When the wash am out.
When the wash am out.
When the wash am out,
You needn't come around, old debbil
When the wash am out.
DIAMONDS
Some folks they like diamonds,
Diamonds big to wear,
Diamonds in their bosoms
And diamonds in their hair;
But I could be so happy
Yum! Yum!
If I only had a chicken
In mv finger and my thumb.
The diamonds some folks are wearing
Are scandalous to see,
They have diamonds for their breakfast
And diamonds for their tea;
But I could be so happy
Yum ! Yum !
If I only had a chicken
In my finger and my thumb.
There's that old Rastus Johnson,
He got a diamond ring,
As big as any war club
Of any African king;
But I would be so happy
Yum ! Yum !
If I only had a chicken
In my finger and my thumb.
THE OLD MEWL
Pickaninnies cra\\ ling
Round about the floor,
Ducks and chickens hopping
In and out the door;
And happy is the darky
And he has a jewel,
With Hannah in the garden
And that old mewl.
Rabbits in the bushes,
Possums in the tree.
Honey in the locust
Come and get me;
And happy is the darky
And he has a jewel,
With Hannah in the garden
And that old mewl.
MOONLIGHT
A moonlight night in Dixie,
A moonlight night to dream.
Moonlight on the savannahs
And moonlight on the stream ;
And when thinking of my childhood
My heart abundant goes,
Back to sunny Dixie
Where the sweet magnolia grows,
A moonlight night in Dixie,
A moonlight night to dream,
Moonlight with its glimmer
And moonlight with its gleam;
And when thinking of my childhood
My heart in fondness goes,
Back to sunny Dixie
Where the Swanee river flows.
THE SUN DO MOVE
The world am round
And the world am flat.
And we'll let it go —
On its way at that ;
"But praise the Lawd
For I can prove,"
Said old brother Jasper,
"That the sun do move.'
Joshua made —
The sun stand still.
While he fought the fight
On the holy hill ;
"But praise the Lawd
For I can prove,"
Said old brother Jasper,
"That the sun do move."
1 66
THE COLORED CHILDREN'S
CATECHISM
Who made the land?
And who made the sea?
Who made the black man?
And who made him free?
Abraham Lin'cum made the land,
Abraham Lin'cum made the sea,
Abraham Lin'cum made the black man
And Abraham Lin'cum made him free.
Who made the day?
And who made the night?
Who made the black?
And who made the white?
Abraham Lin'cum made the day,
Abraham Lin'cum made the night,
Abraham Lin'cum made the black
And Abraham Lin'cum made the white.
Who made the hands?
And who made the mouth?
Who made the north?
And who made the south ?
Abraham Lin'cum made the hands,
Abraham Lin'cum made the mouth,
Abraham Lin'cum made the north
And Abraham Lin'cum made the south.
WHEN THE STEAMBOAT COMES
ALONG
Captain blow the whistle —
Captain blow it long,
For I want to hear the whistle
When the steamboat comes along.
Captain blow the whistle
Let it sing a song —
For I \\ant to hear the whistle
When the steamboat comes along.
The tide is running seaward —
And the tide is running strong,
But I want to hear the whistle
When the steamboat comes along.
The driftwood and the sand bar
They sound the signal gong.
And you always hear the whistle
When the steamboat comes along.
So Captain blow the whistle —
And Captain don't be long,
For I want to hear the whistle
When the steamboat comes along.