447
If You Don't Believe I'm Sinking
A
From Howell J. Hatcher, Trinity College student, December 5, 1919,
with music, and note : "sung by Negro farm laborer." Cf. White ANFS
279, 328.
If you don't believe I'm sinking just look what a hole
I'm iiL
If you dou'i believe I love you just look what a fool
I've bin.
You made me love you and now yoiu- man have come,
I'll see you later when I've got my guiL
From Thomas Litaker, Trinity College student, December 5, 1919, with
music, and note: "VVork song lieard in Cabarrus County, N. C."
O Lord if you <lon't believe 1 am sinking-
Just look what a hole I am in.
--------------
447
If You Don't Believe I'm Sinking
'If You Don't Believe I'm Sinking.' Sung by Howell J. Hatcher, Trinity
College, Durham, December 5, 1919. The four measures making up our
tune are repeated for each of the first two lines. The ms score gives no
indication as to how this tune is to be used for the last two lines. Cf. also
ANS 33.
If
you don't be - lieve I'm sink - ing,
just
look what a hole I'm in.
Scale: Tetratonic (4), plagal.
Tonal Center: f. Structure: ab (2,2).
'If You Don't Believe I'm Sinking.' Sung by Thomas Litaker, Trinity Col-
lege, Durham, December 5, 1919. This version confines itself to the first line
of the preceding version. It was not possible to ascertain whether this reduced
version was merely due to a lapse of memory. The ms score indicates, how-
ever, that this was a "Work song heard in Cabarrus county, N. C." Rel-
atives of the singer still reside there.
F-412
Oh, Lord, you don't be lieve
I'm look what a hole I'm eink - in', jes
Scale: Trichordal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: ab (2,2). The tonal center
is the lowest tone.