478
You Shall Be Free
This is a medley, held together by the underlying feeling of the
relation between the blacks and the whites and in some dejjree by
the refrain — which latter, however, appears also in a great variety
548 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
of Other songs. For otlier appearances of the matter of stanzas 2-4
see the headnote to 'Sugar Babe,' No. 482. The first stanza is
known also in Alabama (ANFS 385-6) but without the "you shall
be free" refrain.
'Oh, Nigger, You Shall Be Free.' Contributed by Zilpab Frisbie of
Marion, McDowell county, in 1923.
1 A nigger and [a J white man playing seven up.
The nigger won the money and he's 'fraid to pick it up.
The nigger drawed back, the white man fell.
The nigger ran like hell.
Chorus:
Oh, nigger, you shall be free
When the good Lord calls you home.
2 I got a white wife, she w^orks in the white folks' yard ;
She works all day and never gits tired.
She kills me the chicken and saves me the wing.
She thinks I'm working and I ain't doin' a thing.
3 I got a white wife, she works in the white folks' yard;
She works all day and never gits tired.
She kills me a chicken and saves me the head.
She thinks I'm working and I'm layin' in the bed.
4 I got a white wife, she works in the white folks' yard;
She works all day and never gits tired.
She kills me de chicken, she saves me de feet.
She thinks I'm workin' and I'm walkin' up street.
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478
You Shall Be Free
'You Shall Be Free.' ('Oh, Nigger, You Shall Be Free.') Sung by Miss
Zilpah Frisbie of Marion, McDowell county. Recorded at Durham, July
1923. For related texts cf. RaW 124; TNFS 235. Compare the first four
measures with those of F-155; also the melodic line in general with that of
G 3, measures i and 3-6.
F-442
nig - ger and a white man play - ing sev - en up.
The nig - ger won the mon - ey and he's 'fraid to pick
it up. The nig - ger drawed back, the white man fell. The
nig - ger run like hell. Oh, nig - ger, you shall be
free, When
the good Lord calls you home.
Scale : Pentachordal, plagal. Tonal Center : f. Structure : abacd (2,2,2,2,4)
or mm^n (4,4,4) = barform.