Barry and Frank, I have never said that there were no coded spirituals during slavery time. Of course there were. I have read that some coded words and phrases meant other things besides a fellow slave or more than one perrsons' imminent departure to freedom. For instance, I read that one word (which escapes me now-no pun intended), meant that a "social" dance was on in the area where the slaves usually go to worship.

My point was-and remains-that all of the spirituals didn't contain coded messages, and for those spirituals that did include such codes, those coded words likely didn't mean the code each time that they were sung.

Furthermore, I continue to remain unconvinced that the specific song (which is not a spiritual, by the way) "Follow The Drinking Gourd" was actually a song that enslaved Black people used to as a code that would help them find their way safely from bondage.

And wih regard to your statement, Barry, that "Like shanties you could sing whatever the hell you wanted without fear or reprisal", I would like to offer my opinion that shanties were not the same as coded spirituals in that there could indeed be severe reprisals for enslaved persons planning to flee slavery if those plans were revealed. Frank wrote "Certainly there was betrayal but I don't think it was widespread."

I'm not convinced that "betrayal of Black people by another Black person or persons" (be they "house slaves" or "field slaves) was not widespread.

And I think that one of the major points that differentiates shanties from coded slave songs was that if that coded song was decoded -meaning: if a slave alerted the master/mistress/slave driver to the imminent departure of a fellow slave, he or she would likely receive some reward, even if that reward was a little bit more rations that week.

If I were making secret plans to undertake the highly dangerous effort of fleeing slavery, I certainly wouldn't tell my entire community because I know that some people I live with and work with might be snitches, and sometimes the snitches are the people you least likely expect would betray you.

And that's all I have to say-in this thread-about the subject of coded slave songs, although I thank you Frank and Barry for your posts as I believe that they add value to this thread.

If you or others want to continue this discussion-in this thread-of course you are free to do so.

But I'm free to return to more light hearted listing of my favorite songs by Black singers or Black groups.