ON THE TRAIL OF NEGRO FOLK-SONGS

A Collection Of Negro Traditional & Folk Songs with Sheet Music Lyrics & Commentaries - online book

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	DANCE-SONGS OR REELS	99
	Juba dis an' Juba dat, Juba kill a yaller cat; Juba up an' Juba down, Juba running all around. Dr. Wyeth said that this is one of the best known of the "jig," or short-step, dance tunes of the old South. It was very effective when played on the banjo, as it has a Kvely tempo. Some reporters give an ending, " Jump, Juba." Dr. Wyeth said that this is an old African melody. The primitive African music has few tones, and the dance is more in unison with the beat of the drum than the more elaborate instruments. Juba has a rat-tat and a skirl rerniniscent of the tom-toms. The Negroes said that Juba wras an old African ghost. The primitive dancing of the Negro is simple. Dr. Wyeth said: "The Negro's idea of harmony is right on the earth, deals only with the material, showing his low order of development. In dancing, his steps must go on to the ground. The Negro must pat, must make some noise on the earth to correspond, whereas an Indian in his dancing deals with an emotion away from the earth." Dr. Wyeth gave another jig, Ole Aunt Kate, which he said was elab­orated from Juba, The words to this and the two songs following are included in his book, "With Sabre and Scalpel." The tune is very like Juba, but there are more than two tones. This also expresses a primitive mood and is wholly negro in conception and expression.
	OLE AUNT KATE
	-*------------'-----•—■-----9—r eat de meat, she gim-me de skin, An* dat's de way she tuck me in. Ole Aunt Kate she bake de cake, She bake hit 'hine de garden gate; She sift de meal, she gimme de dust, She bake de bread, she gimme de crust, She eat de meat, she gimme de skin, An' dat's de way she tuck me in.