The "Arkansas Farmer" lyrics were what was proposed for the upcoming Rise Again songbook. My first reaction, like many of those above, was outrage at the blatant attempt at political correctness. There's no way we can include "big buck nigger" in a songbook that may be used in the US outside the folk community, so we have to come up with some alternative.

But I found several recordings, mostly by younger chantey singers, that used the "Arkansas farmer" verse. Then I found the Frederick Douglass page, and misread the "Arkansas Farmer" lyrics as having come from Douglass (give me a break, it was 3 AM). So then I got a little more open to the farmer verse, but still questioning. That's why I'm asking,

Yes, Gibb, I read the entire thread above, and Doerflinger, and Hugill, and Lomax (these books don't have much). And I listened to maybe twenty recordings....and I still haven't come up with what I need - something that's reasonably authentic, fun to sing, and that can be sung in an American elementary school without the singer getting arrested.

I kinda like the one verse Gibb posted above:

I nebber seen de like, Since I ben born
When a 'Merican man wid de sea boots on
Says Johnny come down to Hilo.
Poor old man!
Oh! wake her! Oh! Shake her
Oh wake dat gal wid der blue dress on,
When Johnny comes down to Hilo!
Poor old man!

Bob Zentz has "big buck sailor with his sea boots on," which clearly sanitized, but not (I think) blatantly so.

I guess I've most often heard this song sung by Ken Schatz. Most likely, I first heard the song at the FSGW Getaway in 1999, with Ken singing. There's a recording of Ken singing here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3OaTC43BHs&feature=youtu.be.

I wish I could understand all the verses he's singing.

So, here's my working copy, subject to change per the advice of y'all:

Johnny Come Down to Hilo

Never seen the like since I been born
A big buck sailor with his sea boots on
Johnny come down to Hilo / Poor old man
D - - - / - - - A / D - GD D / D A D -
Wake her, shake her
Wake that gal with the blue dress on / Johnny come down...

I got a gal across the sea
She's a 'Badian beauty & she says to me / Johnny…

Sally's in the garden picking peas
The hair on her head hanging down to her knees…

My wife she died in Tennessee
And they sent her jawbone back to me…

I put that jawbone on the fence
And I ain't heard nothing but the jawbone since…

Hilo girls they dress so fine
They ain't got Sunday [supposed to be "Jesus"] on their mind…

She's a Down East gal with a Down East smile
And a dollar a time is well worth-while...

So hand me down my riding cane
I'm off to see Miss Sarah Jane…

Sorry about the chords. A few of us volunteers questioned the inclusion of chords on songs meant to be sung a cappella. Editor Peter Blood thinks the chords help people get an idea what the song is supposed to sound like, so the chords stay.

So, can we jointly come up with lyrics that will work for this purpose?

-Joe-