Negro Songs from Georgia by Mellinger E. Henry
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 44, No. 174 (Oct. - Dec., 1931), pp. 437-447
NEGRO SONGS FROM GEORGIA [1]
EDITED BY MELLINGER E. HENRY
[1] These songs were obtained from Miss Julia Stokes, of Atlanta, Georgia, Nos. I-10 sung by "Aunt" Martha Hardwick (colored), of Blakely, R. F. D., Early County, Georgia, in May, 1929.
1. I GOT A HOME
See Odum and Johnson's The Negro and His Songs, pp. 95, 96. The present song is nearer to the version given there under the title, "Don't You See?" Cf. The Book of American Negro Spirituals by James Weldon
Johnson, J. Rosamond Johnson and Lawrence Brown, p. 96, the song entitled, "I Got a Home in-a Dat Rock". Cf. also R. Emmet Kennedy's Mellows: a Chronicle of Unknown Singers, p. 85ff.
1. I got a home in the Rock,
I got a home in the Rock,
I got a home in the Rock,
Don't you see?
2. Just between the heaven and earth,
Just between the heaven and earth,
Just between the heaven and earth,
Don't you see?
3. I think I heard my Savior say,
I think I heard my Savior say,
I think I heard my Savior say,
Don't you see?
4. A long white robe in heaven for you,
A long white robe in heaven for you,
A long white robe in heaven for you,
Don't you see?
2. LORD, I WONDER, IS MY MOTHER ON THAT TRAIN?
Cf. Dorothy Scarborough's On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs p. 260, last stanza of the song entitled, "He's Comin' This Away":
"My mother's on that train,
My mother's on that train,
He's comin' this away,
He's comin' this away."
Also see "The Gospel Train" in Odum and Johnson's The Negro and His Songs, p. 114:
"She's comin' around de curve."
A slightly different version, "De Gospel Train", occurs in Negro Songs: an Anthology, edited by Clement Wood in the "Little Blue Book" series, published by Haldeman-Julius, Girard, Kansas. The Fisk Jubilee Singers sang a version of "The Gospel Train" which may be found on p. 150 (No. 27) of The Story of the Jubilee Singers by J. B. T. Marsh, Boston, Revised Edition, published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Cf. finally, Professor Newman I. White's American Negro Folk-Songs, pp. 64, 441-2; and Odum and Johnson's Negro Workaday Songs, p. 202.
1. Lord, I wonder, is my mother on that train?
Lord, I wonder, is my mother on that train?
She is comin' around the curve;
It is strainin' ever' nerve.
Lord, I wonder, is my mother on that train?
2. Lord, I wonder, is my sister on that train?
Lord, I wonder, is my sister on that train?
She is comin' around the curve;
It is strainin' ever' nerve.
Lord, I wonder, is my sister on that train?
3. Lord, I wonder, is my brother on that train?
Lord, I wonder, is my brother on that train?
She is comin' around the curve;
It is strainin' ever' nerve.
Lord, I wonder, is my brother on that train?
3. THAT SAME TRAIN
See "Same Train" in Odum and Johnson's The Negro and His Songs, p. 112. Cf. also Dorothy Scarborough's On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs, 240-241, "The Midnight Train and the 'Fo' Day Train." The last stanza begins,
"It's the same train that carried your mother away".
Professor Newman I. White in American Negro Folk-Songs, p. 305, has the following from Auburn, Alabama:
"Same train car'ed my papa,
Brought my mamma, car'ed my sister,
Brought my brother.
I looked out de winder and seed the train a coming.
I stepped on board and de train kept a running".
1. That same train that a-carried my mother,
That same train that a-carried my mother,
That same train that a-carried my mother,
That same train will be back tomorrow.
2. That same train that a-carried my sister,
That same train that a-carried my sister,
That same train that a-carried my sister,
That same train will be back tomorrow.
3. That same train that a-carried my brother,
That same train that a-carried my brother,
That same train that a-carried my brother,
That same train will be back tomorrow.
4. That same train that a-carried my preacher,
That same train that a-carried my preacher,
That same train that a-carried my preacher,
That same train will be back tomorrow.
4. I'M GOING TO DIE WID HIS STAFF IN MY HAND
These lines bear some resemblance to some of the lines of "The Gospel Train" as it was sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. See reference to "The Story of the Jubilee Singers" in No. 2 of this collection.
I'm going to die wid His staff in my hand.
I hear the train a-comin';
I hear it just at hand;
And I hear the bells a-ringin';
Its morning through the land;
When she makes that station blow,
You better be ready to go.
I'm going to die wid His staff in my hand.
5. JOHN SAW THAT NUMBER
Cf. "John Saw That Holy Number" in The Book of American Negro Spirituals by James Weldon Johnson, J. Rosamond Johnson and Lawrence Brown, p. 158.
1. John saw that number that no man can number,
John saw that number that no man can number,
John saw that number that no man can number.
Comin' up, comin' up, O God!
2. My mother's in that number that no man can number,
My mother's in that number that no man can number,
My mother's in that number that no man can number.
Comin' up, comin' up, O God!
3. Don't you want to be in that number that no man can number?
Don't you want to be in that number that no man can number?
Don't you want to be in that number that no man can number?
Comin' up, comin' up, O God!
6. HE NEVER SAID A MUMBLIN' WORD
See R. Emmet Kennedy's Mellows: A Chronicle of Unknown Singers, New York, 1925, p. 126.
1. El-Eli-El-Eli-El-Eli-El!
Good Lord, I can't hol' out no more!
Don't you see how they done, my Lord?
Don't you see how they done, my Lord ?
Don't you see how they done, my Lord ?
Good Lord, I can't hol' out no more!
2. They whip him up Calv'y's hill,
They whip him up Calv'y's hill,
They whip him up Calv'y's hill.
Good Lord, I can't hol' out no more!
3. The blood come a-streamin' down,
The blood come a-streamin' down,
The blood come a-streamin' down.
Good Lord, I can't hol' out no more!
4. He never a-said a-mumblin' word,
He never a-said a-mumblin' word,
He never a-said a-mumblin' word.
Good Lord, I can't hol' out no more!
7. BE READY WHEN HE COMES
Odum and Johnson in The Negro and His Songs (p. 74) quote a song entitled, "My Lord's Comin' Again".
1. Be ready when he comes,
Be ready when he comes;
He's comin' agin, by and by;
He's comin' agin so soon.
2. Don't let Him ketch you a lyin' tongue,
Don't let Him ketch you a lyin' tongue;
He's comin' agin by and by;
He's comin' again so soon.
3. Don't let Him ketch you in a gamblin' room,
Don't let Him ketch you in a gamblin' room;
He's comin' agin by and by;
He's comin' agin so soon.
4. Be shoutin' when He comes,
Be shoutin' when He comes;
He's comin' agin by and by;
He's comin' agin so soon.
5. Be prayin' when He comes,
Be prayin' when He comes;
He's comin 'agin by and by;
He's comin' agin so soon.
6. Be cryin' when He comes,
Be cryin' when He comes;
He's comin' agin by and by;
He's comin' agin so soon.
7. Don't let Him ketch you wid your work undone,
Don't let Him ketch you wid your work undone;
He's comin' agin by and by;
He's comin' agin so soon.
8. DON'T TURN BACK
Professor Newman I. White in American Negro Folk-Songs (p. 125) quotes a song from Creedmoor, N. C., which repeats an indefinite number of times, "I'm on my way and can't turn back."
1. Keep your whole heart and mind on Jesus,
Keep your whole heart and mind on Jesus,
Keep your whole heart and mind on Jesus,
Don't turn back, don't turn back.
2. If you're started to the Kingdom,
If you're started to the Kingdom,
If you're started to the Kingdom,
Don't turn back, don't turn back.
3. If your sister won't go with you,
If your sister won't go with you,
If your sister won't go with you,
Don't turn back, don't turn back.
4. If your brother won't go with you,
If your brother won't go with you,
If your brother won't go with you,
Don't turn back, don't turn back.
9. WHEN THE MIST IS ROLLED AWAY
This song bears some resemblance to the modern hymns. It is possible that the direct influence of one of them is present in the song. Cf. Ira D. Sankey's When the Mists Have Rolled Away.
1. We're tossed and we're driven
On this restless sea of time;
Summer skies and howlin' winds
All succeed a bright sunshine;
In that Land of Perfect Day,
When the mist is rolled away,
We'll understand it better by and by.
CHORUS: By and by, oh, when the morning comes,
All the saints of God be gathered home.
We will tell the story how we overcome;
We will understand it better by and by.
2. We are often destituted
Of the things that life demands;
Want of shelter and of food.
Marchin' through this borrowed land
We'll understand it by and by.
Chorus:
3. Temptations and hidden snares
Often takes us unawares;
And our heart is made to bleed
With the words and thoughtless deed;
And we're brought to a test
When we're tryin' to do our best
But we'll understand by and by.
Chorus:
10. LEAD ME ON
Professor Newman I. White in American Negro Folk Songs (pp. 110, 111) quotes several songs that bear some resemblance to the present song.
1. If your mother treats you wrong,
Take her to herself and God also;
Tell her, "Mother, you treated me wrong,
But lead me on."
2. If your sister treats you wrong,
Take her to herself and God also;
Tell her, "Sister, you treated me wrong,
But lead me on."
3. If your brother treats you wrong,
Take him to hisself and God also;
Tell him, "Brother, you treated me wrong,
But lead me on."
4. If your friends treats you wrong,
Take them to themselves and God also:
Tell them, "Friends, you treated me wrong,
But lead me on."
II. IF ANYBODY ASKS YOU WHO I AM
Miss Stokes obiained this song from Miss Ruth M. Burruss, of Richmond, Virginia. See R. Emmet Kennedy: Mellows: a Chonicle of Unknown Singers, New York, 1925, p. 45 (first stanza only). The present song
should be compared with a hodge-podge quoted by Professor R. W. Gordon in The New York Times Magazine, May 8, 1927, p. 21. Part of that song is identical with the one printed below, but as a whole, it is, as Professor Gordon points out, "a remarkable and typical example of the patching together of scraps from every source. " Stanzas 2 and 4 are garbled from a hymn by Rev. John Newton (1779) beginning, -"Amazing
Grace."
1. If anybody asks you who I am,
Who I am, who I am,
If anybody asks you who I am,
Just tell them I'm a child of God.
CHORUS: Oh, you must be a lover of the Lord-(Bass) Pray God Almighty!
Of the Lord - (Bass) Big bell a-toning!
Of the Lord -(Bass) Running from the Devil!
Oh, you must be a lover of the Lord -Bass) Rare back in God's kingdom!
Don't you want to go to heaven when you die?
2. Amazing grace, how sweet a sound
To save a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now I'm found;
I was a-blind but now I see.
Chorus:
3. I would not live a sinner's life -
I'll tell you the reason why.
Old death might step in the house tonight
And I wouldn't be ready to die.
Chorus:
4. 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieves.
How sweet did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed.
Chorus:
12. A FRAGMENT
Obtained in Buncombe County, N. C. The song was described as "a fragment of a camp-meeting song." Cf. a line from an old plantation song quoted by Odum and Johnson in The Negro and His Songs (p. 76):
"I heard a lumbr'ng in the sky." Cf. also Dorothy Scarborough's From a Southern Porch, New York,
1919, p. 204, a line from Peter, Go Ring Dem Bells:
"Well, I heard a mighty rumbling, it was up in de clouds."
There's such a rumbling in the ground -
Must be Satan turning round.
There's such a rumbling in the sky -
Must be angels flying by.
13. IN THE MORNING
Miss Stokes obtained this song from her brother, Major Charles A. Stokes, Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia. This, of course, is not a folksong, but is of minstrel origin. However, there are changes that suggest
the folk process of development. This version has two lines that differ from the minstrel song. They are line 1 of stanza 2 and line 3 of stanza 4. Here is one of the original minstrel stanzas:
"Go get a match and light dat lamp;
Want all de children for to follow me
And show me de way to de Baptist camp.
Halle, halle, halle, hallelujah !
We'll have beefsteak and sparerib stew;
Want all de children for to follow me -
And nice boiled onions dipped in dew -
Halle, halle, halle, hallelujah!
In de morning, in de morning by de bright light,
When Gabriel blows his trumpet in de morning."
The present song has also lines that suggest similar lines in the old religious songs. Cf. the following from Joel Chandler Harris's Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings, New York, 1923, pp. 181-184.
1. (From Camp-Meeting Song).
"Lord! 'member doze chillun in de mornin' -"
"W'en de Lord come in de mornin' 1"
"Shout loud en shout long."
2. (From Revival Hymn).
"Ole Satan is loose en a bummin' -"
1. In the morning, in the morning by the bright light,
When Gabriel blows his trumpet,
In the morning.
2. Oh, shout, shout, de debil's about;
I want you all chillun for to follow me;
I hope I'll meet you darkeys soon -
Halle-Halle-Halle-Hallelujah.
3. In the morning, in the morning by the bright light,
When Gabriel blows his trumpet,
In the morning.
4. We'll have beefsteak and spareribs too;
I want you all chillun for to follow me;
For all de darkeys and white folks too -
Halle-Halle-Halle-Hallelujah.
5. In the morning, in the morning by the bright light,
When Gabriel blows his trumpet,
In the morning.
14. GOLDEN STAIRS
This song was also obtained from Major Charles A. Stokes, Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia. Cf. Odum and Johnson's The Negro and His Songs, p. 239. The song is of minstrel origin. This version is slightly garbled. However, Odum and Johnson point out that the "song is thoroughly mixed with the old spirituals and has a slight resemblance to 'In the Evening by the Moonlight' ". The minstrel text runs:
"Old Satan, he's a dandy; he'll not feed you on mixed candy,
When you're climbing up the golden stairs.
Brimstone is good enough; no tobacco, beer, nor snuff,
When you're climbing up the golden stairs".
CHORUS: Then, hear them bells a-ringing:
'Tis sweet, I do declare.
Oh, hear them darkies singing,
Climbing up the golden stairs."
1. Oh! Satan is a dandy;
He feeds on milk and brandy -
Climbing up de golden stairs -
Oh, Satan is a dandy;
He feeds on imilk and brandy -
Climbing up de golden stairs.
2. You hear dem bells a-ringing,
'Tis sweet I do declare;
You hear dose darkeys singing -
Climbing up de golden stairs.