CHAPTER VI
SONGS OF CONSTRUCTION
CAMPS AND GANGS
In the old days — and sometimes in more recent
years — there were characteristic and unforgettable
scenes of groups of Negroes singing in the fields. Here
was a picture of late afternoon in the cotton field, the
friendly setting sun a challenge to reviving energies;
rows of cotton clean picked, rivalry and cheerful banter,
faster picking to the row's end, sacks and baskets full
for weighing time; group singing, now joyous, then
the melancholy tinge of eventide, Swing Low, Sweet
Chariot, Since I Laid My Burden Down or Keep
Inchin' Erlong. Another picture is vivid: A spring
morning, a few Negroes following mule and plow,
many chopping cotton to the accompaniment of song,
all making rhythm of song, movement, and clink of
hoe resound in rare harmony, duly interspersed with
shouts and laughter. Or the morning yodel or "corn-
field holler," with its penetrating vibrato, Ya-a-ee-
ah—oo-a-ee-ou — indescribable either in words, sound,
or musical notation. 1 Or wagons lumbering on cold
mornings, drivers and workers on the way to field or
mill, songs echoing across the hills. And there were
the other group scenes: the roustabouts on the levee,
the singers around the cabins, the groups in the kitchen.
Many of these scenes, of course, in modified form may
yet be found and songs of their setting are still to be
heard, but they do not constitute the most commonly
abounding characteristic workaday songs of the present.
1 The phono-photographic record of such a yodel is given in Chapter XV.
Construction Camps and Gangs 89
Modern scenes, however different, are no less im-
pressive. Whoever has seen a railroad section gang of
five score Negroes working with pick and shovel and
hammer and bars and other tools, and has heard them
singing together will scarcely question the effective-
ness of the scene. Likewise steel drivers and pick-
and-shovel men sing down a road that is anything
but "lonesome" now. Four pickmen of the road
sing, swinging pick up, whirling it now round and round
and now down again, movement well punctuated with
nasal grunt and swelling song. Another group un-
loading coal, another asphalt, another lime, or sand,
sing unnumbered songs and improvisations. Another
group sings as workers rush wheelbarrows loaded
with stone or sand or dirt or concrete, or still again
line up on the roadside with picks and shovels. And of
course there are the songs of the chain gangs already
described, but nevertheless gang songs of the first
importance. All these singers constitute the great
body of workers and singers who sing apparently with
unlimited repertoire. The selections in this chapter,
as in the others, are representative in that they were
taken directly from Negro singers and workers in the
South during 1924 and 1925.
Among the most attractive of all the Negro worka-
day songs are those sometimes called "free labor
gang songs," x of which there are many. Some of
these are reserved for Chapter VII in which many
miscellaneous examples of songs to help with work
are given. Other samples have been included in the
"Songs of the Lonesome Road." Examples of the
melodies are given in Chapter XV. It will be under-
stood, of course, that other songs such as John Henry,
1 The Negroes use the term "free labor" to distinguish ordinary work
from convict labor.
90 Negro Workaday Songs
Jerry on the Mountain, Lazarus, are sung in this
capacity, although classified primarily in other groups
for the sake of better illustration.
"Free Labor" Gang Song
Cap'n, did you hear 'bout
All yo' men gonna leave you,
Nex' pay day,
Lawd, Lawd, nex' pay day?
Ev'y mail day,
Mail day, I gits letter,
From my dear ol' mother,
She tell me, "Son, come home."
That ol' letter,
Read about dyin'.
Boy did you ever
Think about dyin'?
Then I can't read it
Now for cryin',
Tears run down,
Lawd, Lawd, tears run down.
Jes' wait till
I make these few days I started,
Fm goin' home,
Lawd, Lawd, Fm goin' home.
Everywhere I
Look this morning,
Look lak rain,
Lawd, Lawd, look lak rain.
I got rainbow
Tied all 'roun' my shoulder,
Ain't gonna rain,
Lawd, Lawd, ain't gonna rain.
Mike an' Jerry
Come down main line Southern,
Construction Camps and Gangs 91
Didn't stop to get
No water neither coal.
I done walk till
Feets gone to rollin'
Jes' lak a wheel,
Lawd, Lawd, jes' lak wheel.
Now ev'y time I,
Time I start 'round mountain,
My light goes out,
Lawd, Lawd, my light goes out.
I'm gonna buy me
Magnified lantern,
It won't go out,
Lawd, Lawd, it won't go out.
I got a wife,
Two-three children in mountain,
Cryin' fer bread,
Lawd, Lawd, cryin' fer bread.
O Lawd, Mamie
Lawd, Mamie,
Poke yo' head out window,
Jes' to see me fall,
Lawd, jes' to see me fall.
1 been fallin'
From my shoulder,
Lawd, I been fallin'
All day long.
Lawd, Mamie,
If I make it
You shall have it,
If it's all in gold.
1 been fallin'
Ev'y since Mamie wus baby,
Now she's grown,
Lawd, now she's grown.
92 Negro Workaday Songs
When we meet my
Little curly headed woman,
Bow yo' head,
O Lawd, an' tip yo' hat.
If I make it
Through July an' August,
O Lawd, I'll be a man,
O Lawd, I'll be a man.
He-i-Heira
He-he-heira !
Look how my captain stan',
Stand more like a farmer
Than he do a railroad man!
Oh, oh, oh!
If I had listen to what mama said.
I'd be at home now,
Lawd, in mama's bed.
He-i-heira !
Believe I will
Take my pick,
Lawd, over on the hill.
Goin' up town,
Hurry right back,
Gonna see Corinne
When she ball that jack.
Oh, oh, Lawd, oh,
Goin' on up town,
Buy my gal a hat,
Lawd, buy my gal a hat.
She brought it back, Lawd,
Laid it on the shelf
Every time she turn around
Makes her wanter jazz.
Goin' up town, Lawd,
Gonna walk in the yard;
Construction Camps and Gangs 93
Two-and-a-half hours to work,
Work ain't hard.
O you, down, boys,
Yes, we goin' down.
you, down, boys,
Yes, we goin' down.
1 don't know,
But believe I will
Make my home
In Jacksonville.
Section Boss
Yonder come the engine
Ringin o' the bell;
Engineer on the right,
Fireman on the left.
See the engine makin' time,
See the engineer gone.
Fall off the car,
Throw off the tools.
Throw off the tools,
Let the engine go by.
If I could run like he runs,
I'd run an' never stop.
See the train makin' up speed,
See the cars go 'long.
If I had wings like that engine,
I could run an' fly.
I could pull the bell,
I could blow the whistle,
I could pull the bell,
An' let the engine run.
If I could run like he runs,
I never would quit,
I'd always railroad
I'd always run an' fly.
94 Negro Workaday Songs
The mind of the worker and wanderer is perhaps
reflected better in ,his annals of the day's work as
expressed in his "captain" songs than anywhere else.
Some of the "captain" songs have been sung until
they are on the verge of folk songs; some approach the
haven of the blues, and many more are in the forma-
tive stage. The examples immediately following in
this chapter are combinations of all three, with the
predominating mode that of combination and im-
provisation. Some of them are clearly songs of the
chain gang as well as of free labor construction work.
That they are fairly accurate portrayals of the worker
and his task, of the captain and his ways, of the
thoughts and customs of the worker and singer will be
evident to any one who knows the field. To the
uninitiated the laborer is merely a laborer, silent,
reserved, certainly keeping back from the white man
his innermost thoughts, wishes, and feelings. But
hear him sing — hear him repeat the formal songs, hear
him make new ones.
Captain, Captain x
captain, captain,
Where you been so long?
O captain, I been at home
An' done got in trouble again.
O captain, captain,
Won't you be kind?
Don't work me so hard,
Captain, I been used to light work.
captain, captain,
1 ain't used to no hard work.
O captain, captain,
Won't you be light on me?
1 This song and some others in this chapter are excellent illustrations of
the chain gang sentiment becoming mixed with ordinary "free labor" gang
songs.
Construction Camps and Gangs 95
captain, captain,
If you be light on me,
When I git back home
1 won't be hard on you.
O captain, captain,
Where we gonna work?
"Oh, we goin' down the road,
Pick and shovel dirt."
O captain, captain, call me
An' I didn' hear;
Captain took me back
To bodyguard.
O Lawd, captain, captain,
On the side of the bank,
Lawd, Lawd, buddy,
I'm too tired to work.
captain, captain,
1 done got too hot
Captain, O Lawd, captain,
Let po' Shine rest.
Captain, O Lawd, captain,
I set down on a bank,
O Lawd, captain, captain,
Set down on a bank.
captain, captain,
1 cannot work no longer,
'Cause I's done, O Lawd,
Lawd, Lawd, I's done.
O captain, captain,
Po' boy done got too hot,
O Lawd, captain, captain,
An' I couldn't make it go.
Captain, captain,
Captain, captain,
You got letter from my mother,
Captain, captain,
Read it all the way through.
96 Negro Workaday Songs
Lawd, she say, "Son,
Lawd, come back home."
Lawd, Lawd, she say,
"Son, come back home."
Captain, captain,
Ain't got no ready money.
Captain, O Lawd, captain,
Won't you loan me some?
Sittin' in dining room,
O Lawd, captain,
Sittin' in dining room
In yo' chair.
Lawd, captain,
1 aint too dumb,
Hear yo' back door slam,
Lawd God a-mighty.
I got a letter,
Letter from my brown.
My brown she dyin',
Lawd, Lawd, Lawd.
I got a letter,
Letter from my rider.
My rider was dyin',
Lawd, Lawd, Lawd.
Lawd, gonna follow
My brown, Lawd, Lawd.
Gonna follow my brown
To buryin' groun'.
I'm Goin' Back Home
I can jerry, 1 I can jerry
All around the mountain.
Lord, I can jerry, I can jerry
All the way home.
1 The meaning of this expression is uncertain. In other songs it appears
as "Hikin' Jerry" or "Mike and Jerry." There is a tradition among the
Negro workers that two large mules, named Mike and Jerry, broke loose
from their driver and hiked a remarkable distance in one day. If this was
the origin of the song, then "I can Jerry" is a result of misunderstanding.
Construction Camps and Gangs 97
Lord, I see my gal a-comin',
Lord, to bring me my dinner.
Lord, I see my gal a-comin',
Lord, I'm goin' home.
Lord, she brought me something,
Lord, she brought me something good.
Lord, she brought me good dinner,
Didn't know what it was.
Lord, I'm gonna buy me rubber-tire hack,
Lord, I'm gonna buy me rubber-tire hack,
Lord, I'm gonna buy me rubber-tire hack,
Goin' home, take me right back.
I'm tired workin', Lord,
Lord, I'm tired workin'.
Goin' buy me .rubber-tire hack,
Take me back home.
Lord, captain standin',
He may hear me sing,
Lord, some old day
I'm goin' back home.
Lord, I reckon I'll sell my,
Lord, I reckon I'll sell my rubber-tire hack
An' buy me a Ford, Lord,
Buy me a Ford.
Lord, captain told me,
Lord, captain told me,
Time to go to dinner,
Lord, we're goin' back home.
Lord, I got back home
An' had my dinner.
Lord, I went and et,
Lord, I got back home.
Then 'bout half pas' one
Captain call us all,
Say we got a-go back,
Lord, say we got a-go back to work.
98 Negro Workaday Songs
Lord, some o' these mornings,
Lord, some o' these mornings,
Captain ain't gonna hear me sing
'Cause I'm goin' back home.
Sunshine in my back door,
Lord, sunshine in my back door,
Some o' these mornings, Lord, captain,
I'm goin' back home.
Lord, my gal cryin' all day,
Lord, my gal cryin' all day.
Lord, she made a pallet on floor
'Cause she's feelin' right bad.
Captain say, "O Shine,
When you go home,
Say, Shine, you comin' back?"
Yes, captain, O Lord, captain.
Yonder come my girl,
Comin' down the track.
Bring me good cool water,
Keep cool all day long.
I got sun low 'cross the field,
I got sun low 'cross the field plowin'.
Lord, Lord, he tol' me,
O Lord, it was too hot.
Lord, took out the mules,
Lord, I took out my mules
An' went straight home,
'Cause it was too hot.
My Home Ain't Here, Captain
H-e-y- L-a-w-d, Lawd, Lawd,
O Lawd, Lawd, captain.
My home ain't here, captain,
An' I ain't got to stay.
I'm goin' back home, captain,
I'm long time sinner, goin' back home.
Construction Camps and Gangs 99
01' Aunty Dinah had candy wagon,
I ast her could I be her driver.
Lawd, Lawd, toF me "No,"
Lawdy, Lawd, toF me "No."
O captain, captain, what's matter now?
Ain't thing matter, but I ain't gwine.
Woke up dis mornin' 'bout half pas' fo',
Cap'n call me, but I jes' ain't gonna go.
O Lawd, captain, captain,
How long you gonna hold dis job ?
Lawd, captain you look jes' lak new man
Comin', Lawd, on dis job.
Cap'n, captain, will you send me some water,
Ain't had none since dis long mornin'.
All I hate 'bout captain, Lawd,
He want to take me by de tent.
Captain, captain, do you drink co'n liquor?
"Yes, by God, but I ain't got none now."
Captain, captain, when you go to town,
Bring me back a God-damn dram.
Captain, captain, I won't let on,
Lawdy, O Lawdy, captain, I won't let on.
O Lawd, captain, captain, O Lawd,
Won't you let me go home?
Captain toF me I have to wait,
O Lawd, till I work out my time.
Captain call me an' I laugh,
Cap'n get shoe shine off my britches.
O captain, don't think hard of me,
O Lawd, captain, I don't mean no harm.
Captain, captain, don't mean no harm,
Jes' won't carry on no fun.
100 Negro Workaday Songs
Captain, what kin' o' state you come from?
Come from country or come from town?
Captain say, "I come out o' town,
Lawdy, I'll lay yo' body down."
Captain, captain, you look mo' lak farmer
Than you look lak guard man.
Captain, I'll Be Gone
O Lawd, captain, hurry, hurry?
Captain, you can't take my time.
What's the use o' hurryin'?
'Cause I got a life time.
Captain, captain, what time o' day?
Captain, captain, what time o' day?
Say he look at Waterbury,
Throw his watch away.
Lawd, captain, captain, did you hear,
Lawd, captain, did you hear about it?
All your men gonna leave you,
All your men gonna leave you on next pay day.
On next pay day, Lawd,
On next pay day, Lawd.
Captain, all your men gonna be gone
On next pay day.
Captain gonna call me some of these mornings,
Lawd, I'm gonna be gone.
Captain gonna call me, go back home,
Lawd, Lawd, I'll be gone.
Wake up one mornin about half pas' fo',
Ask captain could I git drink of water.
Wake up one mornin' about half pas' fo',
Ask captain could I git drink of water.
Captain tol' me to git my pick and shovel,
Git on down the line.
Captain tol' me to git my pick and shovel,
Git on down the line.
Construction Camps and Gangs 101
Lawd, captain carried me to the road,
Tol' me I had to work.
Tol' my captain I couldn't pick and shovel,
Captain told me have to carry me back to camp.
I ask the captain how long I got.
Captain told me git my shovel,
Say, "Git on down the line,
Lawd, git on down the line."
Say I went to road, captain.
Captain put chains all 'round my legs.
I tol' captain no use to chain me,
'Cause ain't gonna run no mo'.
Captain say, "Yes, I know you won't run,
'Cause I gonna chain you good."
Lawd, say, "Yes, I know you won't run,
'Cause I gonna chain you good."
Captain, captain, little too hard on me,
Lawd, captain little too hard on me.
Captain, captain, I'll be glad to git home;
I'll never come this way no mo'.
Captain called water boy,
Water boy begun to laugh.
Cap'n got shoe shine
Off water boy's pants.
Captain mus' be big,
Weighs two-fifty pounds.
Captain, Lawd, mus' be big,
Weighs two-fifty pounds.
Captain, captain, good long ways,
Lawd, captain, come from Chicago.
I ask the captain the time of day,
Say, "None of you damn business to know."
If I'd A-Known My Cap'n Was Blin' x
If I'd a-known my cap'n was blin', darlin',
If I'd a-known my cap'n was blin', darlin',
If I'd a-known my cap'n was blin'
I wouldn' a-went to work till ha'f pas' nine, darlin'.
1 For music see Chapter XIV.
102 Negro Workaday Songs
Cap'n, cap'n, you must be cross, darlin',
Cap'n, cap'n, you must be cross, darlin ',
Cap'n, cap'n, you must be cross,
Five-thirty an' you won't knock off, darlin'.
When I'm late an' behin', darlin',
When I'm late an' behin', darlin',
When I'm late an' behin',
I can't go to work till ha'f pas' nine, darlin'.
Why I love my cap'n so, darlin',
Why I love my cap'n so, darlin'
Why I love my cap'n so,
Ask him for a dollar an' he give me fo', darlin'.
I Tol' My Cap'n That My Feet Was Col' l
I tol' my cap'n that my feet was col'.
"God damn yo' feet, let the car wheel roll."
Cap'n, cap'n, old Ben won't pull.
"God damn his soul, put the harness on the bull."
Cap'n Morgan and Bill Dolin come to line this track,
Pick it up and shake it back.
Cap'n, cap'n the track is wet.
'Knock 'er right on, black boy, till the evenin' sun do set."
Cap'n, cap'n, can you tell
The track is slick and cold as hell?
Captain, Captain, Let Wheelers Roll
Captain, captain, let wheelers roll,
Captain, captain, Lawd, let wheelers roll.
Told my captain hands an' feet wus cold,
Say, "You ought-a warm 'em befo' you come here."
Captain call me early in mo'nin',
Call me to shake six-hoss plow.
I told my captain, captain,
I could not shake dis plow.
1 For music see Chapter XIV.
Construction Camps and Gangs 103
captain, captain, what time you gonna quit ?
"'Tain't none o' yo' business when I quit."
Gonna buy me ticket, long as my long right arm,
Gonna catch dat train call Cannon Ball.
Goin' to Atlanta, gonna spend de night,
Gonna catch dat train dey call Western Sight.
Goin' to New York an' I aint comin' back,
Lawd, I ain't gonna come back at all.
Say, I'm in trouble, Lawd, Lawd,
1 don't know when I'll be back.
Say, if you want to see me, Lawd,
You'll have to come where I am.
Say, I'm long way off, mama,
I ain't comin' back at all.
Have you ever seen risin' sun,
Seen risin' sun turn over?
Lawd, makes me feel low down,
Lawd, lak I'm on my las' go-'round.
Lawd, I hate to see you go,
Make me feel so low down.
Lawd, Lawd, have you ever seen,
Lawd, wild cat hug a lion?
Say, hug him so hard, Lawd,
Wild cat hug him so hard.
Lawd, captain, I'm workin' on road,
An' I'm in trouble again.
Lawd, you won't come see me,
An' I'm workin' in chains.
Lawd, I'm not comin' home no mo',
O Lawd, I'm not comin' home no mo.
Now I don't want you here no mo',
Yo' hair look lak curry comb.
104 Negro Workaday Songs
I got brown woman better 'n you,
Lawd, I don't want you no mo'.
'Way up in the Mountain
'Way up in the mountain
Diggin' coal,
All I hates about diggin' coal,
I can't find my parole.
Peach and honey,
Rock and rye,
You can line track
If you try.
Goin' up Church Street,
Comin' down Main,
Huntin' for a woman
That ain't got no man.
Trottin' Liza,
She come a-trottin'
By one this mornin'
With 'er head rag on.
Blues on my mind,
Blues all 'round my head.
I dream last night
That the man I love was dead.
I went to the graveyard,
Fell down on my knees.
I ask the grave-digger
To give me back my railroad man.
The grave-digger,
He looked me in the eye and said,
"I'm sorry to tell you,
But yo' good man is dead."
Thirty days in jail
With my back turned to the wall.
Please, Mr. Jailer,
Put another man in my stall.
Construction Camps and Gangs 105
I don't mind stayin' there
But I got to stay so long, so long,
Ever' friend I had
Done shook hands an' gone. 1
Don't You Give Me No Cornbread
I don't want no cornbread, black molasses,
Supper time, O my Lawd, supper time.
Don't you give me cornbread, black molasses,
Supper time, O my Lawd, my supper time.
Don't let the 'gaiter
Beat you to the pone,
Give you mo' trouble
Than days done gone.
Put 'em up solid
An' they won't come down.
When I gets in Illinois
I won't be bothered with the lowland boys.
John the Baptist, he declare
That none but the righteous
Will be there
In the mornin', oh, when I rise.
I got a woman
On Jennielee Square;
If you would die easy,
Let me ketch you there.
The reason I stay
With captain so long,
Ever' morning he give me
Biscuits to rear back on.
Little Evaline
Sittin' in the shade,
Figurin' on the money
I done made.
1 This stanza and the preceding one are also found in a popular song, Jail-
House Blues.
106 Negro Workaday Songs
Captain got a lugger
Tryin' to play bad,
I'm goin' to take it in the mornin'
If he makes me mad.
July's for the Red-bug
July's for the red-bug,
August for the fly,
I'm diggin' for the bottom,
Bottom must be dry.
I ask my captain
What was the time of day.
Captain got so mad,
Threw his watch away.
I told my captain,
Captain, my feet was cold.
"Doggone your feet, Lawd,
Let the wheelbar' roll."
I told my captain,
Just to keep down trouble,
I reckon I must obey.
Here come the chain gang boss.
But after all there are no workaday songs superior to
the gang songs, heave-a-horas, steel-driving songs,
short pick-and-shovel songs, and the scores of other
short specimens which accompany special tasks re-
quiring hard work, team unison, or continuous effort.
There is, of course, no attempt here to present even an
approach to exhaustive lists. We have so far found
no intimation of where the number of such songs will
stop. But the examples which follow are adequate
to continue the portraiture of the Negro as he works
and as he sings.
Construction Camps and Gangs 107
Boys, Put Yo' Hands on It
O boys, put yo' hands on it,
O boys, put yo' hands on it,
When I say go, boys, go!
O boys, put yo' hands on it,
O boys, when I holler set it on time,
Everybody goes around.
Say pick up, boys, pick up high,
Goin' line that track steel,
boys, pick it up high.
Say, boys, when you get back here,
Pick up that steel,
Say, put your hands on it.
Say, boys, put your hands on it,
Everybody goin' to jump at it.
Set it in the bed, boys.
Say, boys, raise your hand higher,
Says, boys, raise your hand higher,
Everybody goin' to jump at it.
Never Turn Back 1
No mo', oh, no mo'!
No mo', oh, never no mo'!
My Lord
Be here.
1 will never
Turn back,
Never turn back
No mo', no mo'.
If you get there
Befo' I do,
Oh, you can tell 'em
I'm comin' too.
I will never turn back,
Never turn back no mo'.
1 Here a spiritual theme is used as a gang song.
108 Negro Workaday Songs
An' I would never turn back,
Never turn back no mo'.
Jesus my all
To heaven is gone,
An' whom may I fix
My hopes upon?
No mo', no mo',
No mo', never, my Lawd,
I would never turn back,
Never turn back no mo'.
No More
N o — m ore,
N o — m ore,
N o — m ore,
O— L o r d.
O— L o r d,
O— L o r d,
O— L o r d,
N o — m ore.
I'm — t h r o u g h,
I'm — t h r o u g h,
I'm — t h r o u g h,
O— L o r d.
O— L o r d,
O— L o r d,
O— L o r d,
I'm — t h r o u g h.
I'm — t i r e d,
I'm — t i r e d,
I'm — t i r e d,
O— L o r d.
O— L o r d,
O— L o r d,
O— L o r d,
I'm — t i ir e d.
Construction Camps and Gangs 109
I'm — g o i n',
I'm — g o i n',
I'm — g o i n',
O— L o r d.
O— L o r d,
O— L o r d,
Yes, O — L o r d,
I'm — t i r e d.
All Right
A 1 1— r igh t,
O— L o r d,
A 1 1 — r igh t,
Pus h — o n.
A 1 1 — r i g h t,
O— L o r d,
L e t's — g o,
L i t t 1 e — m o'.
A 1 1— r ight,
O— L o r d,
G e t — i t — o v e r,
L e t's — g o.
A 1 1— r ight,
O— L o r d,
G e t — a r o u n d — i t — b o y s,
L e t's — g o.
A 1 1 — r i g h t — b o y s,
P i c k — i t — u p,
G a n g — a r o u n d — i t,
L e t's — g o.
Help Me Drive 'Em 1
O King's Mountain,
O King's Mountain,
O King's Mountain,
So high!
1 This is an example of a steel-driving song. As the driver raises his
hammer he sings a line, then stops singing for a moment, brings the hammer
down with a grunt, then sings another line, and so on. The technique is the
same as the digging technique described in some detail in Chapter XIV.
110 Negro Workaday Songs
O run here, buddy,
O run here, buddy,
O run here, buddy,
Oboy!
O help me drive 'em,
O help me drive 'em,
O help me drive 'em,
All day!
I Belong to Steel-drivin' Crew
O shake 'em up, buddy,
An' I'll drive 'em down;
shake 'em up, buddy,
An' I'll drive 'em down;
1 belong to steel-drivin' crew,
Lawd, I belong to steel-drivin' crew.
O lovin' buddy,
Where you been so long?
lovin' buddy,
Where you been so long?
1 belong to steel-drivin' crew,
Lawd, I belong to steel-drivin' crew.
O Buckeye Rabbit
The rabbit run, the rabbit jumped,
The rabbit skipped the river.
O buckeye rabbit, hey, hey!
O buckeye rabbit, Susan!
buckeye rabbit, hey, hey!
The rabbit skipped the river!
U — h, U — h, Lawdy 1
U — h, u — h, Lawdy,
1 wonder why
I got to live
Fer de by an' de by.
1 This is aa example of a pick song, although it could be used, of course,
for almost any kind of rhythmic work. For a description of the singing-
digging technique see Chapter XIV.
Construction Camps and Gangs 111
U — h, u — h, Lawdy,
Don't you bother me.
I'm always mighty happy
When I'm on a spree.
U — h, u — h, Lawdy,
U — h, u — h, Lawdy,
U — h, u — h, Lawdy,
U — h, Lawdy, u — h, Lawdy, po' me!
This Ol' Hammer
This ol' hammer, hammer
Mus' be loaded;
This ol' hammer, hammer
Mus' be loaded;
This ole' hammer, hammer
Mus' be loaded;
Do bear down,
Do bear down.
Bitin' spider, where did
You leave trottin' Sallie?
Bitin' spider, where did
You leave Trottin' Sallie?
Bitin' spider, where did
You leave Trottin' Sallie?
In Birmingham, Lawd,
In Birmingham.
We Are Clambin' Jacob's Ladder l
Get 'em over yonder,
Get 'em long,
Get 'em short.
Lord, get 'em over yonder,
Get 'em over yonder.
We are clambin', clambin'
Jacob's ladder,
Jacob's ladder.
Oh, we are clambin' Jacob's ladder,
Almos' home, yes, almos' home.
1 Here a theme from a spiritual is made to do service as a pick song.
112 Negro Workaday Songs
Every little roun' gets
Higher and higher,
Higher and higher.
Every little roun' gets higher and higher,
Almos' home, home, almos' home.
Reason I Stay on Job So Long l
Reason I stay on job so long,
Lawd, dey gimme flamdonies
An' coffee strong.
Reason I love my captain so,
'Cause I ast him for a dollah,
Lawd, he give me fo'.
Reason why I love Boleen,
She keeps my house
An' shanty clean.
Why I like Roberta so,
She rolls her jelly
Like she do her dough.
Hot Flambotia an' Coffee Strong
Reason I stay on job so long,
Oh, reason I stay on job so long,
O Lawd, reason I stay on job so long:
Hot flambotia an' coffee strong.
Hot flambotia an' coffee strong,
Yes, Lawd, hot flambotia an' coffee strong.
O Lawd, hot flambotia an' coffee strong,
Reason I stay on job so long.
I'm Goin' On 2
I'm gonna row here,
I'm gonna row here,
I'm gonna row here few days longer,
Then, Lawd, I'm goin' on.
1 For music see Chapter XIV.
1 This song has been heard also as "I'm on road here few days longer"
and "I'm gonna roll here few days longer." "Row" may well be a corruption
of "road" or "roll."
Construction Camps and Gangs 113
Oh, I'm gonna row here,
Lawd, I'm gonna row here,
Yes, Lawd, I'm gonna row here few days longer,
Then I'm goin' on.
Yes, Lawd, I'm goin' on,
Then, Lawd, I'm goin' on,
Yes, Lawd, I'm gonna row here few days longer,
Then I'm goin' on.
I Don't Want No Trouble With de Walker 1
I don't want no,
Want no trouble with de walker.
I don't want no,
Want no trouble with de walker.
I wanta go home,
Lawd, Lawd, I wanta go home.
Oh, me an' my buddy
Jes' came here this mornin'.
Wanta go home,
Lawd, Lawd, wanta go home.
I can drive it,
Drive it long as anybody.
Wanta go home,
Lawd, Lawd, wanta go home.
Cap'n, did you hear about,
Hear about two your womens gonna leave you ?
Wanta go home,
Lawd, Lawd, wanta go home.
I'm gonna roll here, 2
Roll here a few days longer.
I'm goin' home,
Lawd, Lawd, I'm goin' home.
1 This is a pick song commonly heard around Chapel Hill, N. C. The
"walker" refers to the walking boss or overseer on the job. The first two
lines of each stanza are repeated as shown in the first stanza. For music see
Chapter XIV.
2 See footnote, p. n2.
114 Negro Workaday Songs
Cap'n an' walker,
Walker been raisin' san'.
Cap'n told walker
He could git 'im another man.
Lawd, dey got my buddy,
Buddy an' his forty-fo!
Next 'lect'ocution
Dey'll git him sho'.
I Don't Want No Cornbread 1
I don't want no, 2
Want no cornbread, peas, an' molasses;
I don't want no,
Want no cornbread, peas, an' molasses,
At supper time,
Lawd, Lawd, at supper time.
Oh, hand me down a
Can o' corn an' tomatoes,
For my meal,
Lawd, Lawd, for my meal.
My little woman,
She don't treat me like she used to.
No she don't,
Lawd, Lawd, no she don't.
She used to feed me,
Feed me on biscuits an' butter
For my meal,
Lawd, Lawd, for my meal.
She used to give me,
Give me lots o' huggin' every mornin'.
Now she don't,
Lawd, Lawd, now she don't.
1 This is sung to the same tune as the preceding song, / Don't Want
No Trouble With the Walker, the music of which is given in Chapter XIV.
2 All of the stanzas have this form, first two lines always repeated.
Construction Camps and Gangs 115
Turning from the songs of construction or railroad
gangs, some of the mixed songs, partly remnants of
former years, partly products of sophistication, may
be cited. There are many songs about the white
man and the captain, excellent samples of which have
already been cited in this chapter. Some were given
in The Negro and His Songs and many more are to
be found. Indeed, songs about the white man may well
constitute a separate chapter in a later volume. A
stock joke among the older Negroes used to be that
of telling how the white man always brought "nigger
out behind." The modern singer, albeit not always
in joking mood, still thrusts "at" his "captain" or
"boss" or "white man." "Captain," he sings, "you
look mo' lak farmer than railroad man," and with
considerable glee asks, "Captain, captain, where'd
you come frum?" On the other hand, reminiscent
of farm days and echoing current life, he still sings:
Niggers plant the cotton,
Niggers pick it out,
White man pockets money,
Niggers does without.
In another song the Negro complained that no matter
if he worked all the time, "Boss sho' bring nigger out
behin'." So now in some Georgia scenes he sings:
Nothin' to Keep
Up at fo' 'clock,
Work till dark,
Wages han,'
I'm de man.
Twelve a month an' boa'd,
Lawd, twelve a month an' boa'd.
Hope I die,
Mo' I try,
I comes out
116 Negro Workaday Songs
Owin' boss mo',
I comes out,
Lawd, owin' boss mo'.
Plenty to eat,
Place to sleep,
All night to stray about;
But nothin' fer a feller,
Lawd, nothin' fer
A feller to keep.
Everybody Call Me the Wages Man
Early in the spring I'm plowin' my Ian',
Early in the spring I'm plowin' my Ian',
Early in the spring I'm plowin' my Ian',
Everybody calls me the wages man,
Baby, baby.
Next down de row with guano horn,
Next down de row with guano horn,
Next down de row with guano horn,
Never work so hard since I've been born,
Baby, baby.
Little bit later I swings de hoe,
Little bit later I swings de hoe,
Little bit later I swings de hoe,
I'se de nigger dat leads de row,
Baby, baby, baby.
Sack an' basket all that I pick,
Sack an' basket all that I pick,
Sack an' basket all that I pick,
Never stop for nothin', even if you sick,
Baby, baby.
White man in starched shirt settin' in shade,
White man in starched shirt settin' in shade,
White man in starched shirt settin' in shade,
Laziest man that God ever made,
Baby, baby.
Construction Camps and Gangs 117
Missus in de Big House
Missus in de big house,
Mammy in de yard.
Missus holdin' her white hands,
Mammy workin' hard,
Mammy workin' hard,
Mammy workin' hard.
Missus holdin' her white hands,
Mammy workin' hard.
01' marse ridin' all time,
Niggers workin' 'roun'.
Marse sleepin' day time,
Niggers diggin' in de groun',
Niggers diggin' in de groun',
Niggers diggin' in de groun'.
Marse sleepin' day time,
Niggers diggin' in de groun'.