Lyr Req: Comic song about end of slavery in USA

Subject: Lyr Req: Comic song about end of slavery in USA
From: GUEST,Margaret
Date: 13 Oct 18 - 05:40 PM

My associations for the song (they may all be imaginary) are the word "jubilee", Stephen Foster, and the tune to the White Cockade.

The song is a comic one about soon-to-be-free Black people celebrating while White overseers and slave owners run away because the "boys in blue" (northern army) are coming.

Does that ring a bell for anyone?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Comic song about end of slavery in USA
From: Mossback
Date: 13 Oct 18 - 06:20 PM

"Year Of Jubilo" a.k.a. "Kingdom Coming" by Henry Clay Work, perhaps?

& its not comic at all, rather "its about time, sucker"!

Work was an abolitionist.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Comic song about end of slavery in USA
From: Lighter
Date: 13 Oct 18 - 06:31 PM

With one of the best melodies ever written by an American.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wgpJDGy4Bo

A similar, lesser known but equally comic (and inspired) song - also by Work - is "Babylon is Fallen":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsJj5cETV9E

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Comic song about end of slavery in USA
From: GUEST,Margaret
Date: 13 Oct 18 - 06:40 PM

That's the one. Thanks!

I didn't mean "comic" in the sense of dismissive or belittling, if that's what you thought, but rather in the sense of pawkieness:

"He seen a smoke way up de ribber, whar de Linkum gunboats lay;
He took his hat, and lef' berry sudden, and I spec' he's run away!"

It's slyly contemptuous humor about someone for whom the singer has, quite rightly, no kindly feelings of any sort.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Comic song about end of slavery in USA
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Oct 18 - 07:19 PM

Yes, that's "Year Of Jubilo" a.k.a. "Kingdom Coming" by Henry Clay Work. I'd call it comic - it certainly paints a comic picture of the "Massah." Henry Clay Work (1832-1884) and Stephen Collins Foster (1826-1864) were contemporaries. I think that Work was better able to write songs without becoming racially offensive - and "Kingdom Coming" does an especially good job of representing the sentiments of former slaves.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Comic song about end of slavery in USA
From: Lighter
Date: 13 Oct 18 - 07:27 PM

The tune alone would make it comic - unlike the more ambiguous tune and lyrics of "Babylon is Fallen."