Negro year book By Tuskegee Institute. Dept. of Records and Research
NEGRO FOLK SONGS
These songs more commonly called plantation melodies, originated with the Negroes of the South during the days of slavery. They have been somewhat extensively collected and written about.
Although there is connection in scale composition and in spontaneity with original African music, the imagery and sentiments expressed by the songs are the results of the conditions under which the slaves lived in America. These songs have for the Negro the same value that the folk songs of any people have for that people. In the days of slavery they furnished an outlet for aching hearts and anguished souls. Today they help to foster race pride and to remind the race of the "rock from which it was hewn." Some of these folk songs represented the lighter side of the slave's life, as for example,
"Heave away! heave away!
I'd rudder co't a yaller gal
Dan wuk foh Henry Clay.
Heave away! yaller gal, I want to go."
or the following:
"Ole Massa take dat new brown coat,
And hang it on de wall;
Dat darkey take dat same ole coat,
An' wear it to the ball.
Oh, don't you hear my tru lub sing?" It "was in their religious songs, however, that they poured out their souls. Three things are especially emphasized in these songs. First, this life is full of sorrow and trouble.
"Nobody knows de truble I sees, Nobody knows but Jesus." Second, religion is the best thing in the world. It enables you, though a slave, to have joy of the soul, to endure the trials of this life, and finally to gain a home in Heaven. Third, the future life is happy and eternal:
"We'll walk dem golden streets,
We'll walk dem golden streets,
We'll walk dem golden streets,
Whar pleasure nebber dies.
African Melodies—Scherff. John O., Now York, 1844. Slave Songs of the United States —Allen, William Francis, New York, 1807. Negro Spirituals—Chapter IX of Army Life In a Black Regiment—Higginson, Thomas Wentworth, Hoston, 1870. The Jubilee Singers and their Campaign for Twenty Thousand Dollars—Pike G. D„ Boston, 1873. Hampton and Its Students—Armstrong, Mrs. M. F. and Ludlow, Helen W., New York, 1875. The Storv of the Jubilee Singers—Marsh, J. B. T., London, 1877. Negro Minstrels. Lois. Hour, 20:000. Hvmns of Negroes, Higginson, T. W. Atlan, 19:685-—Brown, J. M. Lipponc 2:617. Plantation Music and the Bajo- -Harris, Joel Chandler and others. Critic, 3:505. Uncle Gabe Tucker—Macon, John Alfred, Philadelphia. 1883. Negro Minstrels—Trax, J. J. Put-man. 5:73. Among Negro Singers—Guial, E. L., Lakeside,—2:421. Negro Songs of the United States—Nation. 5:411. Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, Its Storv and Its Songs—Ludlow, Helen W., Hampton, Va., 1884. Bahama Songs, and Stories—Edwards, C. L., Boston, 1R05. Negro Music—Tonsor. J. Music. 3:911. Negro Hymns From Georgia—Backus, Emma M. Jour. Am. Folk-Lore, 11:22. Negro Melody— Mammy's Song with Music. Finck. Julia N. Music 13:60. Negro Song From North Carolina—Backus, Emma M. Jour. Am, Folk-Lore, 11:22. Negro Spirituals— Haskell M. A. Cent. 36:577. Hvmns of Negroes—Barton, W. E., New England M. n. s. 19:609, 707. African R vnvicos—Words by Dunbar, Paul Laurence; Music, ColeridgeTaylor, S. Folk Music Studies. Slave Songs in America—Krehbiel, Henry Edward. New York Tribune. April 24, and September 10 and 17. 1899. Old Plantation Hymns)— Barton, W. E., Boston 1899. Songs of the Old South—Weeden, Miss Howard. New York. 1900. Cabin and Plantation Songs sung by Hampton Students—Fener, Frederick: Ruhlbun, G.; Cleveland. Besslo. Now York, 1901. Plantation Songs for My Lady's Banjo, etc.. Shepherd. Eli. New York, 1901. Creole Songs from New Orleans— Peterson. Clara Gottschalk, New Orleans, 1902. New Jubilee Songs—Work, F. J., Nashville, 1902. Uncle Remus and His Friends—Harris. Joel Chandler, Boston, 1902. Notes on Negro Music: Jour. Am. Folk-Loro. Vol. XVI, pages 148-152: Peabody, Charles. Boston, 1903. In Old Alabama—Hobson, Anna. New York, 1903. The True Negro Music and Its Decline. The Independent, Vol. LV., pages 1723-1730; Murphy, Mrs. Jeanette, New York, 1904. Negro Music-—Peabodv, Charles Southern Workman, May 1904. The Sorrow Songs—Chapter XIV of the Souls of Black Folk, Dubois, W. E. B.. Chicago, 1901. Twentv-four Negro Melodies Transcribed for the piano—ColeridgeTaylor. S.. Boston, 1905. Die Musika dor Amerllansehen Nager—Ende, A. Von, Berlin, 1906. La Musica del Negri American Farrero, F., Torino, 1906. Negro Melodies Not American Music—Musical American Vol. IV, No. 13, page 2, No. 20, page 13. Read, Angelo M., New York. 1906. Negro and Music-—Wilson, H. J.. Outlook. Dec. 1 '00. The Theology of the Songs of the " Southern Slaves —Proctor. H. H., The Southern Workman, November and December. U'07, Hamilton, Va. The Spirit of Negro Poetry—Work. Monroe N. The Southern Workman, February 1908, Hamilton. Va. Folk Songs of the American Negro—Work. J. W. and F. J.; Nashville. 1908. Religious Folk Songs of the Negro as Sung on the Plantation-—The Musical Directors of Hampton Institute. Hampton, Va., 1901. Somo American Negro Folk Song,-—Work, F. J'., Boston, 1909. Plantation Poems—Sherman, Eloiso Lee, Now York, 1911. La Musique les Peuples Indiginesdc l'Amerloue du Nord: Tiersot, Julicn, New York, 1911. Negro Folk Songs- -Barrett. Harris, The Southern Workman. April. 1912. Songs of Jamaica. McKav, Claude, Kingston, Jamaica. 1912. Constat) Ballads—McKay, Claude, London, 912. Negro Songs. Indian and Negro in music—Literary Digest, June 29, 1912. Higher Music of Ne-'mes--Literary Digest, O. 5. '12. Afro-American Folk Songs, Krehbiel, H. E., Now York, 1914. The Emancipation of Negro Music—Williams, Emlry Harper—Musical America. Jan. 5, 1918; Negro Folk Songs. Acclaimed America's Musical Treasurer, Musical America. Aug. 3. 1918: Foundation for Negro Music of Future— Stanley, Mav—Musi"al America. Julv. 6, 1918; Negro Folk Song.*—Hampton Series. Books'l and IT—Burlin, Natalie Curtis. New York, 1918: Folk Songs of the American Negro, Work, J. W., Nashville, 1915: The Drum in Africa. The Use of Music by a Primitive People, Hare Maud Cuney, Musical Observer, July. 1918.
Harris, Joel Chandler—"Uncle Remus," "His Songs and His Sayings." "Nights with Uncle Remus," "Mingo and other Sketches," "Little Mister Thlmbelflnger." Jones. Charles C, Jr.—Negro Myths From the Cenriria Coast. Boston and New York, 1S88. McBrvde, J. M.—Brer Rabbit in the Folk Tab s of the Negro and other races. Sewanee. Tennessee; Riant on. Joshua E.. Sea Island Folk-Lore. Southern Workman. April. 1908 Work, Monroe N.-—Geechee Folk-Lore, Southern Workman, November and December. 1905. Showers, Susan—Alabama Folk-Lore, Southern Workman, March and July. 1900. See also articles in various numbers of the Journals of The American Folk-Lore Society. ca
Tremearne, Arthur John Newman-—nausa Superstitions and Customs, an introduction to the Folk-Lore and the Folk. London. 1913: Ttleek, Wilhelm Heinric.h Immanuel. Reynard, The Fox in South Africa, or, Hottentot Fables and Tales, London, 1864. Bourhil. Mrs. E.—Fairv Tales from South Africa, collected from original native sources. London, 1908. Davrell, Elptiinstono—Folk stories from Southern Nigeria, London. 1910. Alfred Claud—The Nandi. Their Language and Folk-Lore. Oxford, 1909. Hewat, Hollls, Alfred Claud—The Masai, their Language and Folk-I-ore, Oxford, 1905. Hallls. Matthew L.—Bantu Folk-Lore (medial and general,) Cape Town, 1906. Jacottet. B.—