454. Oh, Dat Watermilion

454
Oh. Dat Watermilion

On a copy of 'Here Lies de Body uv Po' Little Ben.' Dr. White
notes: "Has the refrain of 'Watermilion Song.' I can sing this
refrain from memory." The song is evidently of minstrel origin.
Cf. Steely 260 (1933).

A
From S. M. Davis, White Hall (on Neuse River) ; undated.

1 You can talk about your apples, your jjeaches and yotir

pears,
And your 'sinnnons hanging on your 'simmon tree ;
But bless your heart, my honey, your truck ain't nowhar ;
The watermilion am de fruit for me.

2 Ham bone am sweet, bacon am good,
'Possum fat am very, very fine.

But gimme me, oh gimme me,

I shorely wish you would.

That watermilion hanging on the vine.

 

'Oh, Dat Watermilyon,' with music, from an informant identified only
as Miss Foy (without address). Other information indicates tliat the

 

530 NM)RTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

song was contrilnited in 1920. Dr. White notes: "A fairly familiar coon
song of tile early lyoo's."

Oh, dat watennilyon. spilin' on de vine.

Oh, how I wisht it wuz mine.

White folks am so fooHsh

Dey ain't got a bit o' sense

To leal) dat milyon spilin' on de vine.

Hamhone am good, sweet co'n am sweet.

Possum's fat an' bery, bery fine.

Cos'n I'se gwinter hab it, cep'n I be a dunce

To leab dat milyon spil' on de vine.

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454 Oh, Dat Watermilion

'Oh, Dat Watermilyon.' Sung by Miss Foy in 1920. No place given. Negro
fragment. For a different version cf. MSON 160.

F-419

Oh, dat wa - ter - mil - yon,- spil - in' on de vine.

Oh, how I wisht it wuz mine. White folks am fool - ish-

Dey ain't got a bit of sense To leab dat
mil - yon spil - in' on de vine. Ham-bone am good,-


sweet co'n am sweet,

Pos - sum's fat an' ber - y, ber - y fine.

Cos'n I'se gwin - ter hab it,- cep - n
be a dunce To leab dat mil - yon spil - in' on de vine.

Scale: Hexatonic (4), plagal. Tonal Center: a-flat. Structure: abcdeb^cd
(2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2) = abcb^ (4,4,4,4). In the over-all form, c is somewhat re-
lated to a.