ON THE TRAIL OF NEGRO FOLK-SONGS

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

	172	NEGRO FOLK-SONGS
	chorus, which may take the refrain of a religious song, as in one given me in Texas, or of a familiar dance-song. The raccoon and possum song, as reported by one collector, has a chorus found in various camp-meeting songs: Po' Motjrnah! Po' mournah, you shall be free, In de mawnin', you shall be free, Bress God, you shall be free, When de good Lawd sets you free. The same stanza appears with the chorus of an old dance-song, Oh, dem Golden Slippers, which is not strictly speaking a folk-song, though many consider it such, and its author has been said to be a Negro. RACCOON UP IN DE 'SIMMON TREE
	Raccoon up in de 'simmon tree, Possum on de ground; Possum say to de raccoon, "Won't you shake dem 'simmons down?" Chorus Oh, dem golden slippers! Oh, dem golden slippers I Golden slippers I 'se gwine to wear Became dey look so neat. Oh, dem golden slippers! Oh, dem golden slippers! Golden slippers I'se gwine to wear To walk de golden street. Mrs. C. E. Railing, formerly of Richmond, gives a fragment, De Raccoon up de 'simmon tree, De Possum on de ground. De Raccoon up de 'simmon tree, " Shake dem Simmons down."