I'm not sure if this is related in any way to Leadbelly's rendition of Whoa Back Buck. In any event, I thought it might be prudent to post it just in case. I'm writing it as it is found in the journal.

Whoa Mark Juba

Source:The Black Perspective In Music Vol. 4, July 1976, Special Issue, Number 2, pp.148-149, "Negro Folk Songs", reprinted from "The Southern Workman" 24 {February 1895}, 30-32 {program presented by Hampton Folklorist Society of Washington, DC, meeting of the American Folklore Society}

Statement that prefaced the performance of the song:

"Among the Dance-songs may be included all those musical or rhythmical combinations of sounds which were used to set the time of the dances, plays, or marches in which plantation Negroes indulged when work hours were over. On some of these, the rhythmic expression is mainly through the beating of feet and the patting of hands, while the vocal expression is simply a rude chant. The whole effect of this music, if music it can be called, is as barbarous as if rendered in African forests at some heathen festival, A specimen of this class is the well known Juba..."

Marster had a yaller man
Talles' nigger in de land,
Juba was dat feller's name.
De way he strutted was a shame.
Juba, Juba, Juba, Juba (repeat several times)
Oh, twas Juba dis and Juba dat
Juba killed the yaller cat
To make his wife a Sunday hat-Juba.
His wife was ualler, tall an' fat;
He killed ole missis yaller cat
To make his wife a Sunday hat.
Juba, Juba, Juba, Juba
Marster had a yaller steer
Ol's de mountain to er year,
I tells yer dis for all 'er dat
He'd run away at de drop' o yer hat.
Whoa Mark.
See 'im comin up de road
Pullin in er monstrous load,
Git out'n de way mighty spry
Or he'll tho' you to de sky.
Whoa Mark.
Juba driv dat ole steer
Fer five an' twenty year,
Thu de rain and thu de snow
Juba an de steer'd go
Whoa Mark-Juba.
When de sun was shinin breight,
Ef twas dat, ef twas night,
Her him holler loud an' strong
Mark, why don't yer git er long.
Golong-Whoa Mark-Juba.
By'em by dat ole ox died,
Juba he jes cried and cried
Tell on day he ups an' die
I spec he's drivin in de sky,
Golong-whoa Mark-Juba.