CHAPTER V
SONGS OF JAIL, CHAIN GANG,
AND POLICEMEN
Not all Negro "bad men" achieve an abiding place
in jail or chain gang. Not all Negroes in jail or
chain gang are "bad men" — not by long odds. And
yet the prison population of the South contains
abundant representations of both major and minor
Negro offenders, although the indications are that the
ratio of Negroes to whites is decreasing rapidly.
And if one wishes to obtain anything like an adequate
or accurate picture of the workaday Negro he will
surely find much of his best setting in the chain gang,
prison, or in the situations of the ever-fleeing fugitive
from "chain-gang houn'," high sheriff or policeman.
"I ain't free, Lawd, I ain't free," sings the prisoner
who bemoans the bad luck in which he had "nobody
to pay my fine." Never did the old spiritual, as in
"Go down, Moses, tell ol' Pharaoh, let my people
go," express more determined call for freedom than the
Negro singer behind the bars. Yet the Negro prisoner
combines admirable humor with his wailing song:
I Ain't Free
De rabbit in de briar patch,
De squirrel in de tree,
Would love to go huntin',
But I ain't free,
But I ain't free,
But I ain't free,
Would love to go huntin',
But I ain't free, ain't free.
72 Negro Workaday Songs
De rooster's in de hen house,
De hen in de patch,
I love to go shootin'
At a ol' shootin' match;
But I ain't free,
But I ain't free,
But I ain't free,
At a ol' shootin' match,
But I ain't free, ain't free.
01' woman in de kitchen,
My sweetie hangin' 'roun',
'Nudder man gonna git 'er,
I sho' be boun',
'Cause I ain't free,
'Cause I ain't free,
'Cause I ain't free,
'Nudder man '11 git 'er,
'Cause I ain't free, ain't free.
Dig in de road band,
Dig in de ditch,
Chain gang got me,
An' de boss got de switch
I ain't free,
I ain't free,
I ain't free,
Chain gang got me,
An' I ain't free, ain't free.
This chapter makes no approach to the study of the
Negro criminal. That will be done in the scientific
inquiries which are now being made at length and in
later studies of the Negro bad man. What the chapter
attempts is simply to give further pictures of the Negro
workaday singer as he is found behind prison bars, or
with ball and chain, or in humorous workaday ret-
rospect or prospect of experiences what time he pays
the penalty for his misdoings. For these prison and
road songs, policeman and sheriff epics, jail and chain
Jail, Chain Gang, and Policemen 73
gang ballads constitute an eloquent cross-section of the
whole field of Negro songs. Many are sung even as the
ordinary work songs; others are improvised and varied.
One may listen to high-pitched voices, plaintive and
wailing, until the haunting melody will abide for days.
The prisoners sing of every known experience from
childhood and home to "hard luck in the family, sho'
God, fell on me." One youngster about twenty-one
years of age, periodic offender with experience on the
chain gang and in jail, sang more than one hundred
songs or fragments and the end was not yet. They
cannot be described; selections are not representative.
And yet, listen for a while:
Jail House Wail
The jail's on fire, Lawd,
The stockade's burnin' down.
Well, they ain't got nowhere,
Lawd, to put the prisoners now.
Taken prisoners out o' jail, Lawd,
Carried 'em to county road.
Say, I ruther be in chain gang
Than be in jail all time.
Say, jailer keep you bound down,
Lawd, say jailer dog you 'roun'.
Says if I had my way wid jailer,
I'd take an' lock him in cell.
I'd take key an' tie it on door,
An' go long way from here, Lawd, Lawd.
Says jail keeper tol' me, Lawd,
Gonna help me gdt back home.
When time come to be tried,
Jail keeper lied on me.
74 Negro Workaday Songs
I told my mother not to worry at all,
Lawd, not to worry at all.
Lawd, goin' to road, mama,
Tryin' to make good time.
Mama, she cried all night long,
mama, she cried all night long.
Well, she wiped her tears off,
Say, son, she won't cry no more.
Mama come to the road, Lawd,
See her son on the gang.
1 tol' her not to bother,
Lawd, cause I got short time.
Once on the gang or in the jail continuous song is
not unusual. Waking folk with song in early morning,
chanting after meal time, plaintive in the evening, the
Negro lives over his past life, gives expression to his
feelings, and plans the new day, "standin' on rock
pile with ball an' chain," or "standin' on rock pile,
with hammer in my hand." He sings of past days,
sorrows that some other man will get his girl, boasts a
woman in the white man's yard —
My gal she bring me chicken,
My gal she bring me ham,
My gal she bring me everything,
An' she don't give a damn.
Sometimes he is more cheerful and sings, "cawn pone,
fat meat, all I gits to eat, better'n I git at home,"
"Rings on my arms, bracelets on my feet, stronger'n I
has at home!" And with bunk for a bed and straw
for his head, he sings, "baby, baby, let me be." How
could he help falling into the hands of the officers
anyway?
Jail, Chain Gang, and Policemen 75
'Tain't as Bad as I Said
Good God a'-mighty!
What's a fellow gonna do,
When ol' black mariah 1
Come a-sailin' after you?
Good God a'-mighty!
My feet's got wings,
Dey can take dis ol' body
Lak she on 'iled springs.
Good God a'-mighty!
She's right 'roun' de corner,
Sho's you bohn,
Dis nigger's a goner.
Good God a'-mighty!
'T ain't bad as I said,
Three square meals a day
An' bunk fer a bed.
The songs that follow will illustrate further the
Negro's story of his prison life, his desire for freedom,
his efforts to escape, his attitude toward the policeman,
jailer and sheriff, and his humorous interpretation of
various situations in which he finds himself. Vivid
pictures they are.
If I Can Git to Georgia Line
If I can git to Georgia line,
If I can git to Georgia line,
Lawd, if I can git to peorgia line,
Georgia, murderer's home.
Monday I was 'rested,
Tuesday I was fined,
Wednesday I laid in jail,
Thursday I was tried.
1 "Black Mariah" is frequently encountered in Negro songs. It refers
to the patrol wagon.
76 Negro Workaday Songs
If I can git to Georgia line,
Lawd, if I can git to Georgia line,
Lawd, if I can git to Georgia line,
Georgia, murderer's home.
Don't ask about it,
If you do I cry.
Don't ask about it,
If you do I cry.
What did redbird, redbird
Say to crow, crow?
You bring rain, rain,
1 bring snow, snow!
Friday wid chain gang band,
Saturday pick an' shovel,
Sunday I took my rest,
Monday want to do my best.
Every, every mail day,
Mail day, I gits a letter,
Cryin', "Son, come home,
Lawd, Lawd, come home."
I didn't have no,
No ready money,
I couldn't go home.
No, no, couldn't go home.
I'm on road here
Just a few days longer,
Then I'm goin' home
Law', Law', I'm goin' home.
Got Me in the Calaboose
Got me in the calaboose,
Got me in the calaboose,
Got me in the calaboose,
Ain't nobody turn me loose.
Hit's bad, bad on the inside lookin' out,
Hit's bad, bad on the inside lookin' out,
Jail, Chain Gang, and Policemen 77
Hit's bad, bad on the inside lookin' out,
This po' boy know what he's talkin' about.
My gal come to the bar and done peep in,
My gal come to the bar and done peep in,
My gal come to the bar and done peep in,
She say, "Honey man, where you been?"
When I git out I ain't gonna stay here,
When I git out I ain't gonna stay here,
When I git out I ain't gonna stay here,
Ain't let nobody treat me dis way.
Po' boy, don't give me no show,
Po' boy, don't give me no show,
Po' boy, don't give me no show,
Ain't gonna be bossed around no mo'.
I Don't Mind Bein' in Jail
I never turn back no more,
Lawd, I never turn back no more,
Every mail day I gets letter from my mother,
Say, "Son, son, come home."
I been fallin' ever since Mary was a baby,
An' now she's gone.
I'm nine hundred miles from home
An' I can't go home this way.
I wish I was a contractor's son,
I'd stand on the bank and have the work well done.
If he don't work, I'll have him hung,
Lawd, if he don't work, I'll have him hung.
I wish I had a bank of my own,
I'd give all the po' workin' men a good happy home.
She used to be mine, look who's got her now.
Sho' can keep her, she don't mean no good to me no mo'.
I laid in jail, back turned to the wall,
Told the jailer to put new man in my stall.
I don't mind bein' in jail
If I didn't have to stay so long. 1
1 This stanza is found in somewhat different form in the popular sonj
entitled Jail-House Blues.
78 Negro Workaday Songs
Chain Gang Blues l
Standin' on the road side,
Waitin' for the ball an' chain.
Say, if I was not all shackled down
I'd ketch that wes' boun' train.
Standin' on the rock pile
Wid a hammer in my hand,
Lawd, standin' on rock pile,
Got to serve my cap'n down in no-man's land.
The judge he give me sentence
'Cause I wouldn' go to work.
From sunrise to sunset
I have no other clean shirt.
All I got is lovin',
Lovin' an' a-sluggin',
Say I feels just like a stepchild,
Just gi'me the chain gang blues.
Oh, my captain call me
An' my gal work in white folks' yard.
I believe I'll go there too,
'Cause I got the chain gang blues.
My gal she bring me chicken,
My gal she bring me ham,
My gal she bring me everything,
An' she don't give a damn.
My gal she got a molar
Right down below her nose,
She got teeth in her mouth
I'd swear to God was gold.
My gal she cried las' night,
She cried the whole night long;
She cried because judge sentence me,
'Cause I had to go so long.
1 The first four stanzas of this song, except for some slight variations,
are also found in Chain Gang Blues, a popular phonograph piece.
Jail, Chain Gang, and Policemen 79
My gal she cried all night,
I told her not to worry at all.
I'm goin' on the chain gang,
I 'spec' I'll be back in the fall.
All Boun' in Prison *
Hey, jailer, tell me what have I done.
Got me all boun' in prison,
Tryin' to 'bide dis woman's time,
Tryin' to 'bide dis woman's time.
Chorus:
All boun' in prison,
All boun' in jail,
Col' iron bars all 'roun' me,
No one to go my bail.
I got a mother and father
Livin' in a cottage by de sea.
I got a sister and a brother, too,
Wonder do dey think o' po' me.
I walked in my room de udder night,
My man walked in and began to fight.
I took my gun in my right han',
Told de folks I'm gonna kill my man.
When I said dat, he broke a stick 'cross my head.
First shot I made my man fell dead.
De paper corned out and strowed de news,
Das why I say I's got de cell-bound blues.
I Went to de Jail House
Lawd, Lawd, good Lawd, Lawd,
1 went to de jail house, fell down on my knees.
I ask that jailer, "Captain, give me back my gal."
Jailer told me, "Sorry, brother, she said her las' good-
bye."
Lawd, I went to judge to ask for a fine.
Judge say, Lawd, he ain't got no time.
1 Cf. phonograph record, Cell Bound Blues.
80 Negro Workaday Songs
Lawd, I laid in jail so long,
Ain't got no home at all.
Good lawd, look-a here, jail keeper,
Won't you put another gal in my stall?
Say, I been here so long,
Don't know what I'll do.
Judge Gonna Sentence Us So Long
Say, brother, we better get ready to leave jail,
'Cause judge gonna sentence us so long.
Judge gonna sentence us so long,
We ain't gonna come back here no mo'.
Lawd, we have laid in jail so long,
Lawd, we have laid in jail so long.
Say, judge sentence me so long,
He ain't had no mercy on us.
Lawd, captain, come an' got me,
Taken me to road to work.
Lawd, taken me out one mornin',
Taken me out so soon.
Told captain didn't know how to work.
Told me, "Shine, get down that line."
I told the court, Lawd, "Rather be layin' in jail
Wid my back turned to de wall."
I am worried, pretty mama,
But I won't be worried long.
Thought I rather be in my grave
Than be treated like a slave.
Say, rather be in Birmingham
Eatin' pound cake and all.
Say, these women in Georgia
Keep you in trouble all the time.
Jail, Chain Gang, and Policemen 81
Say, you better catch your train,
Go to Alabama bound.
I am leavin' here, rider,
Sho' don't want to go.
But I 'spect I have to leave here,
Or I'll be in chain gang, too.
Gonna git me a black woman,
Play safe all the time.
For your brown skin woman
Keep you in trouble all the time.
My Man He Got in Trouble
Mr. T. Bluker,
Don't work my man so hard,
'Cause he's po' player,
Ain't never had no job.
Oh, my man he got in trouble,
He didn't have no friend at all.
They carried him to jail house,
Locked him up in cell.
I asked the judge be light on him.
Judge told him not bring nothin' like that,
Judge give him six months in jail,
Lawd, judge give him six months in jail.
Captain put him on the road.
"Captain, how long have I got?"
Captain say to the shine,
"Eat your supper and run on down the line."
Captain say, "Git your supper,
Lawd, and change your clothes."
Captain say, "Git your supper,
Git your chains and balls."
82 Negro Workaday Songs
The Judge He Sentence Me
I laid in the jail with my back to the wall,
I laid in the jail with my back to the wall,
Prayed to the Lord that
Big rock jail would fall.
The judge he sentence me, Lawd,
Give me twelve long months.
The judge he sentence me, Lawd,
Give me twelve long months.
Den captain come take me to de road.
I ask the captain what I gonna do.
Captain told me to pick and shovel too.
I rather be dead, Lawd, and in my grave.
Captain told me,
Say, "Lawd, you ain't gonna work,
Lawd, you ain't gonna work nowhere else
But on this chain gang."
Say, "If I let you go home this time,
You be right back in jail.
When judge gets you again
Gonna give you five long years."
Say, "If you don't quit drinkin'
An' don't quit killin', robbin' and stealin',
You gonna git life time
An' in chain gang, too."
Told captain, "I ain't robbin' no trains,
I swear to God I ain't kill no man."
Lawd, I told the captain, "I ain't robbin' no trains,
Swear to God I ain't kill no man."
I Got a Letter, Captain
I got a letter, captain,
Say, Lawd, come home,
Lawd, captain, come home,
Lawd, say, son, come home.
Jail, Chain Gang, and Policemen 83
I don't have, I don't have,
Lawdy, I don't have,
Lawdy, no ready-made money,
An' I can't go home.
I got a gal, Lawd,
Stays right in town.
I got a gal, Lawd,
Stays right in town.
Lawd, street car run
Right by her door,
Lawd, she don't have to walk
Nowhere she go.
Say she take a walk up town,
Lawd, she take a walk up town.
Well, she got in town, Lawd,
An' come back home.
Well, she caught street car
An' come back home.
Lawd, she got street car,
Lawd, Lawd, an' come back home.
Prisoner's Song l
Wished I had some one to love me,
Some one to call me their own,
Because I'm tired of livin' alone,
Lawd, I'm tired of livin' alone.
I has a gran' ship on de ocean,
Filled wid silver an' gold;
An' befo' my darlin' should suffer,
Dat ship will be anchored an' go.
I'll be carried to de jail tomorrow,
Leavin' my po' darlin' alone,
With the cold prison bars all around me
An' my head on a pillow of stone.
1 Except for a few minor variations, this is the now popular Prisoner's
Song. It was of folk origin, however.
84 Negro Workaday Songs
If I had wings lak an angel,
Over dese prison bars I would fly.
An' I would fly to the arms of my po' darling,
An' dere I'd lay down and die.
Woke up Wid My Back to the Wall
O Lawd, I woke up in the morning,
Woke up wid my back to the wall.
Lawd, I woke up in the morning,
Woke up wid my back to the wall.
1 took a peep out at the bars
O Lawd, I thought I was home.
Lawd, I heard a key rattlin',
High-sheriff comin' in.
Thought I heard a sheriff comin',
Lawd, bring my breakfas' to me.
Thought I see my coffin,
Lawd, rollin' up to my do'.
Lawd, he say, "Dat gal say she don't want you no mo'."
Lawd, I lay right down, hung my head and cried.
Lawd, he say, "Dat gal say she don't want you no mo'."
Lawd, I laid right down in jail and cried.
Lawd, I'm so awful worried till I don't know what to do.
Well, I mistreated Daddy, he hangs 'roun' me day and
night.
He wakes me in the mornings,
He moans when I am sleepin'.
He makes me swear, Lawd,
Have no other man but you.
In the Negro's prison songs is revealed again that
dual nature which sings of sorrowful limitations along-
side humorous and philosophical resignation. Here
are scenes of the lonesome road illuminated by enter-
tainment of rare quality. "I'm in jail now," he sings,
Jail, Chain Gang, and Policemen 85
"but jes' fer a day." "I ain't got no parole, but I'm
a-comin' back." It is true that he has only corn
bread and fat meat to eat but that's "better 'n I has
at home." And then with genuine humor he sings
also of the iron cuffs about his hands which also are
"stronger 'n I has at home."
Better'n I Has at Home
Cawn pone, fat meat,
All I gits to eat —
Better 'n I has at home,
Better 'n I has at home.
Cotton socks, striped clothes,
No Sunday glad rags at all —
Better 'n I gits at home,
Better 'n I gits at home.
Rings on my arms,
Bracelets on my feet —
Stronger 'n I has at home,
Stronger 'n I has at home.
Bunk fer a|bed,
Straw under my head —
Better 'n I gits at home,
Better 'n I gits at home.
Baby, baby, lemme be,
Chain|gang good enough fer me —
Better 'n I gits at home,
Better 'n I gits at home.
I'm Comin' Back
I write you a letter
Sayin', "Come back home."
I sent you a message,
"Honey, don't you roam."
Comin' back, comin' back,
Hound on my track, yes baby,
I'm comin' back.
86 Negro Workaday Songs
Went to de gov'nor,
Ast a parole.
Dat man he answered,
"Not to save yer soul."
Comin' back, comin' back;
Ain't got no parole,
But I'm comin' back.
Lawd, Lawd, I'm comin' back,
Hounds on my track,
01' clothes on my back,
01' woman in my shack.
No parole, but
I'm comin' back.
Goin' Back to de Gang
De night wus dark, de guard wus gone,
I slipped dat chain off'n my laig,
De night wus dark, an' de rain hit poured.
Dis nigger astray wid nowhere to board.
I's hungry and cold, nowhere to go,
When de niggers see dese clothes, dey shets de do'.
Out all night, de dawgs am comin',
Goin' back to de gang, tired o' bummin'.
Shin up a tree, no time to be los',
'Cause here's de dawgs, and, golly, de boss!
Dem Chain Gang Houn's
I ain't no possum, I ain't no squir'l,
But I can shin de highes' tree in all de worl',
When I hear dem houn's, dem chain gang houn's.
Hear dem ol' houn's, soun' goes up to heav'n,
If dey's one dawg, dey mus' be 'lev'n.
Oh, dem houn's, dat ol' lead houn'.
'Tain't good fer a nigger's health to stay on de ground.
Hear dem houn's, dem chain gang houn's.
Come git me, boss, come take me down,
Anything's better 'n de chain gang houn'.
Jail, Chain Gang, and Policemen 87
Shoot, Good God, Shoot!
De jedge and de jury
Thought 'twas a shame.
Dey called me up dere,
Axed me my name.
My God a-mighty,
What's a feller gwiner do,
When a nigger gits his wife
An' my wife, too?
Shoot, good God, shoot!
Ol' Black Mariah
Look over de hill, see what's a-comin',
01' black mariah, natchel-bo'n hummin'.
Drive up to de do', grab me by de collar,
Good Lawd, man, ain't got time to holler.
Jes' Fer a Day
I'm 'hind de bars, but jes' fer a day,
'Cause walkin' out de do' ain't de only way.
I've got a saw, and I work like de devil,
All t'ings in dis case am sho' on de level.
All Us Niggers 'hind De Bars
I got a gal, you got a gal,
All us niggers got a gal.
He fool 'roun', I fool 'roun',
All us niggers fool 'roun'.
I got a razor, he got a razor,
All us niggers got a razor.
I 'hind de bars, he 'hind de bars,
All us niggers 'hind de bars.