586. I Got de Key of de Kingdom
This song resembles T Got a Key to the Kingdom' (from Alabama) in Mary Allen Grissom's The Negro Sings a Neiv Heaven
(Chapel Hill, 1930), pp. 98-99.
From Julian P. Boyd, as collected from Elsie Rawls. a pupil of the school at Alliance, Pamlico county; undated, but c. 1927-28. "Negro fragment."
1 Preacher, I got de key of de kingdom.
De world can't do me no harm,
De world jus' can't do me no harm.
Watch your secret keeper,
Always bringin' you news,
Tell a lie upon you
And keep you all confuse'.
2 Some people borrows money,
Promise to pay,
When dey see you comin'
Dey turn de oder way.
Oh, I got de key of de kingdom.
Dis world can't do me no harm,
Dis world jus' can't do me no harm.
3 When you think you got a friend,
You had better watch your way,
For you can never tell;
You may get fooled some day.
Oh, I got de key to de kingdom,
De world can't do me no harm,
Dis ol' world jus' can't do me no harm.