541. The Little Black Train
In ANFS 65-6, White prints a different version of the song, with Hezekiah (the correct allusion) for Ezekiel, and "The little
black train" stanza as chorus. See, also, Scarborough TNFS 260-1.
'The Little Black Train Is a-Coming.' Contributed by -Mrs. Mattie Southgate Jones, Durham, July 26, 1922, with this note: "The charm of this song is the intoned music without tune. Sung by an old-time Negro who said it was in an old hymn-book of her grandmother's. Her name is Sis Holman. She lives with the family of Jerry Perry, Bahama, R. F. D. No. 2. She sings it to perfection. She also sings a song called 'Moses,' and another one — 'The Lord is going to set this world on fire some of these days.'" At the end of the MS Mrs. Jones wrote "unfinished."
1 God said to Ezekiel,
In a message from on high,
'Go and set thy house in order,
For thou shall surely die.'*
2 The little Black Train is a-coming ;
Get all your business right ;
Set your hoiLse in order ;
For thou shall surely die.
3 The rich old fool and his graiiarv'
Says he has no future to fear.
'I'll build my harns a little larger
And live for nian\- a \'ear.
4 'I now have plenty of money,
Expect to take my ease ;
My harns are overflowing;
No one hut self to please.'
* A confusion of Isaiah 38:1: "In those days was Hezekiah sick unto
death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and
said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for tliou
shalt die, and not live."