The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #152419 Message #3564797
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
06-Oct-13 - 06:04 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Ring, Ring de Banjo (Stephen C. Foster)
Subject: Lyr Add: RING, RING DE BANJO (Stephen C. Foster)
Lyr. Add: RING, RING DE BANJO First published as RING DE BANJO Stephen Collins Foster, 1851 (1850?)
1* Oh! nebber count de bubbles While dere's water in de spring, De darkey hab no troubles While he got dis song to sing. Be beauties ob creation Will nebber lose der charm While I roam de old plantation Wid my true lub on my arm.
*Chorus- Ring, ring de Banjo! I like dat good old song. Come again my true-lub, Oh! wha you been so long.
2 De time is nebber dreary, If de darkey nebber groans; De ladies nebber weary Wid de rattle ob de bones; Den come again Susanna By de gaslight ob de moon; We'll tum de old Piano When de banjo's out ob tune.
Chorus
3 Once I was so luckcy, My massa set me free, I went to old Kentucky To see what I could see: I could not go no farder, I turn to massa's door, I lub him all de harder, I'll go away no more.
Chorus
4 Early in de morning On a lubly summer day, My massa send me warning He'd like to hear me play. On de banjo tapping, I come wid dulcem strain; Massa fall a napping--- He'll nebber wake again.
Chorus
5 My lub, I'll hab to leabe you While de ribber's runnin' high;* But I nebber can deceibe you--- So don't you wipe your eye. I's guine to make some money; But I'll come anodder day--- I'll come again my honey, If I hab to work my way.
Chorus
*The earliest printed copies lack the first verse given here. The music seems to have been used first in 1850.
* Chorus usually sung twice by most singers.
*When the river is high, the escapee is less likely to be sniffed out by dogs.
There are printed parodies, some of which I will post. One version for children is given at several websites.