408. Oh, Sussana!
Foster's whinisical 'Oh, Susanna!' had a great vogue and is still remembered ; it is to be found in various collections of popular songs — Wier's Book of One Tliousand Songs, Chappie's Heart Songs, etc. — and has been reported as folk song from Pennsylvania (NPiM 79), Tennessee (BTFLS v 47-8), and North Carolina (SSSA 198). See also ANFS 178-9. There is some variation in the texts, but less than in Emmett's "Old Dan Tucker,' probably because it was not, as Emmett's song was, adopted as a play-party song. Many of the reports of it in our collection arc but fragmentary memories.
A. 'Oh! Susannah.' Obtained by K. P. Lewis in 1910 from Dr. Kemp P. Battle of Chapel Hill. This follows Foster's original text pretty closely except for the added third line in the chorus.
1 1 come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee.
I'm gwine to Louisana my true love for to see.
It rained so hard the day I left, the weather it was dry.
The snn so hot I froze to death; Susannah, don't you
cry.
Clionts:
Oh ! Susannah. d(jn't you cry for me,
I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee
And I'm gwine to Louisana my true love for to see.
2 I had a dream the other night, when everything was still,
I (h-eamt I saw Susannah a-coming down the hill ;
A buckwheat cake was in her mouth, a star^ was in her
eye ;
Says I, 'I'm coming from the South, Susannah, don't you
cry.'
3 I jumped aboard a telegraph and traveled down the river.
The electric flew and magnified and killed five himdred
nigger.
The biler bust, the train ran off; I really thought I'd die.
I shut my eyes to hold my breath ; Susannah, don't you
cry.
4 I'll travel down to New Orleans, and then I'll look
around.
And if I find Susannah. I'll fall upon de ground.
But if I do not find her. this darkey'll surely die.
And when I'm dead and bur-i-ed. Susannah, don't you
cry.
B
'Oh ! Susanna.' From Miss Amy Henderson, Worry, Burke county,
in 1914. This uses Foster's text exactly.
^ Foster's text has "tear" for "star" and in the next stanza "fluid" for
"flew and."
490 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
'Susannah, Don't You Cry.' From Lois Johnson, Davidson county, along
with other songs and the notation : "I learned practically all these songs
from my mother, who was reared in Cumberland county." Consists of
stanza 2 with "mill" for "hill," the chorus without the third line of A,
and the latter half of stanza i.
D
No title. From Maysie Rea, Craven county. Not dated. A fragment :
the first three lines of stanza 2 and the chorus, which latter shows a
slight variation :
Oh, Susiana. don't you cry for me,
I'm going to Louisiana for to see my fairy fay.
'Suzanna.' From Katherine Barnard Jones. Raleigh. Not dated. Here
Foster's song has become mixed with another and quite different piece.
1 I saw Suzanna coming,
Turning round and round,
Broadaxe on her shoulder.
Going to boot the mountains down.
Chants:
Run, logan. rini. boys,
Run, logan, run.
Run, logan, run, boys.
Bound to have some fun.
2 Hot-cake was in her hand,
Tear was in her eye.
I saw Suzanna coming.
Poor Suzanna about to cry.
3 I am going down to Alabam ;
Don't you cry for me.
I aiu going down to Alabam
With the banjo on my knee.
F
No title, l-'rom William C. Cumming, Brunswick county; a fragment,
with the notation : "Still another song, and one that used to mystify us
a good deal, was in i)art as follows:"
Oh. Susiaima, don't you cry for me.
For I've gone to Calif orny with my banjo on my knee.
A buckwheat cake was in her eye,
A tear was in her nioiuli
G. No title. From .Minnie Bryan Grimes, Duplin county. Merely the two
lines of the chorus.
H. No title. From V. C. Royster, Wake county. Only the last two lines
of the first stanza.
'Oh Susanna!" From tlie John Birch Blaylock Collection, made in Caswell and adjoining counties in the years 1927-32. Text as in A except that it lacks the last line of the chorus as there given.
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408
Oh, Susanna !
'Oh, Susannah!' Sung by Dwight Edmister. No place or date given. For additional versions cf. JAFL lvi 104 (text and footnote), NPM 79 and BTFLS V, 47-8. With very minor modifications and rhythmic changes our tune is identical with the original by Stephen Foster.
F-379
left, the weath-er it was dry,
The sun so hot I froze to death;
Su - san - nah, don't you cry.
Oh! Su - san-nah,
don't you cry for me,
I come from Ala - bam - a
with my ban - jo my knee
And I'm gwine to Louis - i - an - a
my true love for
to see.
For melodic relationship cf. ***ESB 13. Scale: Hexachordal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: aaiaa^baia^ (2,2,2,2,2,2,2)
= aabai (4,4,2,4) = Reprisenbar. The tonal center is the lowest tone.