From a related thread, HERE

Subject: RE: Slave song: There's a man going round ta

From: Amos
Date: 05-Oct-01 - 12:28 AM

Leadbelly recorded it on Vanguard, if memory serves.

"They's a man goin roun' taking names
They's a man going 'roun' takin' names
Well he took my father's name,
An' he left my heart in vain,
They's a man goin' round, takin' names....

(Repeat for mother's, sister's, brother's name....).

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Subject: RE: Slave song: There's a man going round ta

From: ddw
Date: 05-Oct-01 - 12:49 AM

Josh White did a version of this song as well.

Amos, isn't line 4 "An' he left my heart in pain"?

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Subject: RE: Slave song: There's a man going round ta

From: ddw
Date: 05-Oct-01 - 12:55 AM

BTW, I don't think I've ever heard anything that could be interpreted as somebody taking away African names and substituting Euro/Anglo names. Not saying it's not out there, but it must be a version of this song — which I know as a spiritual — that I've never heard.

david