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NEGRO FOLK-SONGS |
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My ole mistis promised me,
When she died she'd set me free. But now ole mistis dead an' gone,
An' lef' ole Sambo hoein' corn.
Chorus
Oh, Johnny, get de hoecake, my dear, Oh, Johnny, get de hoecake.
My ole marster promised me
When he died he'd set me free. But he libed so long an* died so po',
He lef' ole Sambo hoein' de same old row.
This tune is like I Am Coming to the Cross. Which came first?
Lucy Dickinson Urquhart sends this one that her grandmother used to sing, as she learned it from the slaves. Here the chorus of The Blue-tailed Fly comes in, as it has a habit of doing, bobbing up in places where it does not belong.
My oP master promised me
When he died he'd set me free. Now ol' master dead and gone
An' leP dis Nigger a-hoein' up corn.
Chorus
Jim crack corn, I don't care, Jim crack corn, I don't care, Jim crack corn, I don't care, OF massa's gone away.
My ol' missis promised me
When she died she'd set me free. Done lived along twel her head got bald,
Don't believe ol' missis gwine to die at all.
Chorus
In this version and the one given next, the old darky is nameless; he voices anonymous woes, none the less poignant because not specifically related to a name and place. The other is one that Mr. Bartlett sings, calling it iV Mona.
My ole misitis said to me,
"When I die I'se goin' to set you free." Teeth fell out and her haid got bald,
Clean lost the notion of dyin' at all! |
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