ON THE TRAIL OF NEGRO FOLK-SONGS

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

	158                            NEGRO FOLK-SONGS GREAT BIG DOG One would suppose the picture enough to frighten a child out of, in­stead of soothing him into, sleep. But black mammies, while they did not know psychology as a technical study, yet were wise in the knowledge of child fancies, and if they conjured up the fearsome image of a great black dog, they were as able to banish it at will. A more formal lullaby was given me by Mrs. C. E. Railing, formerly of Virginia, who had the words from Miss Caroline New-comb, of Shreveport, Louisiana. Mrs. Railing has set the words to music of her own — which, not being folk-music, is not given here. But she thinks the words belong to a genuine folk-song of the Negroes. Mammy's Little Boy Who all de time a-hidin' In de cotton an' de corn? Mammy's little boy, Mammy's little boy. Who all de time a-blowin' OF Massa's dinner horn? Mammy's little baby boy. Chorus An' he come to his mammy, An' she ketch him on her arm, Mammy's little boy, Mammy's little boy. An' a bye-bye, Mammy's little baby boy!