578. He Never Said a Mumbling Word
Versions of the song are to be found in John W . Work, American Negro Songs and Spirituals (New York, 1940), p. 103 (as noted by Dr. Brown ) ; in R. Emmett Kennedy, Mellows (New York, 1925), pp. 127-8; and in J. Rosamond Johnson ct al.. The Book of American Negro Spirituals (New York, 1925), pp. 174-6. The text in the last-named is most nearly like Judge Winston's, having two stanzas in common with stanzas 3 and 4 of his.
From Judge Robert W. Winston (1860-1944), who lived in Chapel Hill
at various times in his life and died there on October 14, 1944. The
text is without date or Judge Winston's address at the time he con-
tributed it, but it has the following headnote : "During one of the cam-
paigns to sell war savings stamps [c. 1917-20], I was at a colored church
in my county and heard the congregation croon most weirdly the fol-
lowing." Dr. Brown adds : "Heard at Windsor. Bertie County. Cf. the
song in Kennedy's Mellon's."
1 ()h, didn't Jesus die?
And he never said a nnnnbling word.
He never said a word.
He never said a word,
And he never said a nnnnbling word.
Not a word.
2 He died on Calvary.
And he never said a niunihlinm word.
He never said a word.
He never said a word.
He never said a iininihliiig word.
Not a word.
3 They nailed him to the cross.
And he never said a nuinil)hng word,
He never said a word.
He never said a word.
He never said a inunihiiui; word.
Not a word.
4 He bowed his head and died.
And he never said a muniblins^^ word,
He never said a word.
He never said a word,
He never said a munibhn!:,^ word.
Not a word.