Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 07:32 PM

I can't believe there's any documentation to show that "Run, Johnny, Run" is a product of the Whisky Rebellion. If there is, where is it?

"Federals," however, is a perfectly likely replacement for "patteroles", and was commonly used for Union troops in the Civil War.

And "Johnny," of course, meant a Southern soldier.

So that much topical adaptation in a state like Missouri, which supplied 100,000 troops to the Union cause, would be perfectly believable - if not provable.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 07:17 PM

I'm on a roll today. I meant cnd. Very sorry.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 07:15 PM

Thank you, cdn, much obliged. If a mod wishes to delete my post then please do.

Subject: Lyr Add: Run, Johnny, Run
From: cnd
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 06:43 PM

Starhip - the link you shared does match Lighter's post.

I have an album by noted Ozark folk music historian and songwriter Jimmy Driftwood (the album is Music of the Ozarks, produced by National Geographic) and Driftwood swears the song started life as a bootlegging song, as "Run Johnny Run." He writes:

"Alexander Hamilton’s excise tax of 1791--a special whiskey tax--caused an insurrection in western Pennsylvania in 1794. President Washington sent federal troops to put down the riots. Out of this squabble came ”Run, Johnny, Run,” a song about a moonshiner and his trials with the law. During our Civil War, the Northerners sang a version called “Run, Johnny Reb.” Southerners didn’t like the song, but they liked the tune, so they sang it “Run, Nigger, Run." History has changed the lyrics of many a good old tune, but I had rather sing “Run, Johnny, Run”--even though I have been accused of tampering with the song. Here I play the mouth bow, perhaps mankind’s oldest musical instrument. Made of hickory in the form of a regular hunting bow, it’s played like a jew’s harp."

On my quick search of Mudcat, I didn't see his version here so I thought I'd add it here. As sung on that album (though you can find a much more rousing version that I prefer online here to the dirge-like version on the album)

Johnny was down at the moonshine still,
In the bottom of a holler at the foot of the hill.
He woke up ’bout the break of day
And he thought he heard his grandpa say,

Refrain “Run, Johnny, run, the federals will get you
Run, Johnny, run, you better get away.”

Johnny stopped at the top of the hill,
And he saw them federals around his still,
They busted the barrel and the boiler, too,
And started drinking his mountain dew.

Refrain

The feds caught Johnny making a run,
And they took him up to Washington,
Put him to work for the government
Making moonshine for the President.

Refrain

Johnny got rich at the government stills,
And he ran off to his home in the hills.
Now the federals are on his tracks
He still owes a dollar on the whiskey tax.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 06:27 PM

https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Run,_Nigger,_Run

Perhaps someone with better eyes could handle this, but I think it duplicates Lighter's post.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 06:26 PM

Here it is in book form, credited to White:

https://tinyurl.com/vaggmfg

The woodcut shows that "M.P." should mean "metropolitan police."

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 06:15 PM

This song slip in the Library of Congress may be it:


RUN, NIGGER, RUN!
OR THE M.P. 'LL CATCH YOU.

De sun am set—dis nigger am free,
De colored gals he goes to see;
I heard a voice cry, "Run, dad, fech you!
Run, nigger, run, or de M.P. 'll catch you!

Chorus and repeat.
Run, nigger, run, de M.P.'ll catch you!
Run, nigger, run, tum a du daddle da!

Spoken. — Oh! you ought to seen me dressed dat day. I had a pair ob dese United States gaiters, hem-stitched behind, made ober at Blackwell's Island; and den I had on dat pink snuff-colored coat, and den I had on dat green white satin vest, together wid a hickory mahogany cane, wid a gold brass feller on de bottom. Oh! dar wasnt room enough dat day for me. I knocked de people off of de side-walk, and some of de time I got knocked off; but I got dar at last, and rung de bell. She opened the door; then hung my hat up on the floor. I set down by her side about an hour, telling her dat I lubbed her, when all at once she swooned ober in de chair, and exclaimed, "Look dar!" Says I, Whar? when I looked ober toards the door, and there was a white mans face, peeping fro de crack ob the door; at the same time he exclaimed, What, Mr. Bones?

Run, nigger, run, &c.
Wid eyes erect, and head hanging down,
Like de sprightly hare before de hound,
Dis nigger streak it through de pasture,
Nigger run fast, white man run faster.

Spoken. — Well, I didn't zactly run; but I done some pretty tall walking. I went ober fences, fro fields, and I got drowned four times in the mud, an at last I got on the other side; an just as I passed the old corn crib, thar was a little boy come out from behind the crib, an he whispered in my ear, an told me to "What did he tell you to do, Mr. Bones?"

Run, nigger, run, &c.
And ober de fence, as slick as an eel,
Dis nigger jumped—all but his heel;
De white man caught dat fast you see,
And tied it tight around de tree.

Spoken. —Yes, just like all the niggers, the heel is the biggest part ob the foot, an' just as I jumped ober the fence, he coch me by the heel, an held me fast, an sez, "I got you now." Sez I, I dont know bout that; so he took an tied it three or four times 'round the tree, an' then I tought I was a goner, when all at once something fell out of the top of the tree, cut off my heel, an at the same time it exclaimed What, Mr. Bones?

Run, nigger, run, &c.
Dis nigger heard dat old whip crack,
But nebber stopped for to look back;
I started home as straight as a bee,
And left my heel tied round de tree.

Spoken. —Yes, there wur no time to stop an' look back then, kase I wur making bout a milemile an a halftwo milesthree miles ana halfor four miles to the minute. So ober the fence I went, knocked in the front door, upset the cook stove, spilt all the victuals ober the floor, scalded de old cook to deff, an knocked the old woman fro the front window ; den de old man got after me wid de broomstick, an ebery jump I took, he hollered out "What did he holler, Mr. Bones?"

Run, nigger, run, &c.


My *guess* is that "M.P." means "mounted patrol."

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 04:54 PM

A version of the great tune - with revised words:

https://tinyurl.com/toyoahl

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: GUEST,John Braden
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 02:41 PM

Two references found at the Library of Congress "Chronicling America" website:
1. Speaking in opposition of a plan to make the land west of the Blue Ridge non-slave, Mr. Thornton said, "In his imagination, he stood upon the Blue Ridge and observed with breathless anxiety the fugitive slaves passing from Eastern Virginia to the tune, 'Run, nigger, run, the patroler catch you." May 20, 1859 Richmond [Virginia] Enquirer p. 2, col. 2
2. "One of the rebel flags captured by General Curtis' troops, near Grand Glaize, in Arkansas, bore the following pleasant mottoes: 'Run, nigger, run! or Lincoln will catch you'" July 30, 1862 [Clearfield, Pa.] Raftsman's Journal p. 1, Col. 4.
I'd like to see a discussion of the tune(s) attached to this song.
Also, since the 1851 Serenaders' Songbook is not on line, it would help if someone would post the version of the song that allegedly apprears therein.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: GUEST,Hellbilly
Date: 26 Jan 11 - 08:22 PM

I didn't see the lyrics to "Run Nigger Run" in this thread... are they available somewhere else on this Site?

As a side note, stating one finds the word nigger offensive is as obvious as openly admitting one is opposed to the holocaust and crack-cocaine. But we're all glad you're champions of the people.

---

See this thread (click) for lyrics. -Joe Offer, Moderator-

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 04:53 PM

The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 made it a crime to harbor escaped slaves, or to knowingly ignore their presence. Anyone who found an escaped slave or knew of one was required by law to report to Fedral marshals or other legal authority.

This meant that anyone wishing to avoid trouble, well-to-do or not, reported fugitives, regardless of their feelings about slavery.
In Kansas, Missouri and some other states, pro- and anti-slavery gangs attacked those holding the opposite view.

It also contributed to the creation of patrollers, the bounty hunters of their time.

The song mirrors history.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: meself
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 04:04 PM

Steve - No problem; I appreciate your response. I was a little tired, and, as those near and dear to me can attest, I get a little grouchy when I get tired ....

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 08:57 AM

Ahh!!

Again, let me apologize for the typo. I meant to type "textbooks".

I know that from certain typos new words are coined (like pwned). But my propensity to make typos is probably more a result of my Sun in Sagittarius (and Mercury & Jupiter in the same sign) and the fact that my Sagittarius Mercury is closely square my Ascendant in Virgo (not to mention that my Sun in Sagittarius is exactly opposite my Uranus in Gemini).

And yes, I consider pyschological astrology to be one valid way for me to increase my understanding of myself and others.

Besides all of that, my statements about astrology in this post are an attempt to "lighten" the seriousness of this thread.



Positive vibrations :o)


Azizi Powell

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 08:43 AM

You're welcome, Steve. And thank your for focusing attention on this history through your recording and your posts on this thread.

With regard to your guesses about why very little attention is paid in American schools to the history of slave patrols other than the brief mention that they existed, I believe that it has much more to do with your first guess than with your second.

Furthermore, in my opinion, the fact that the function of slave patrols and their role in maintaining slave codes (and not just in hunting down runaway slaves) is minimized has alot to do with the continued existence in the United States of institutionalized racism.

Here's a definition of "institutionalized racism":

"Those forces, social arrangements, institutions, structures, policies, precedents and systems of social relations that operate to deprive certain racially identified categories equality"
http://dictionary.babylon.com/INSTITUTIONAL_RACISM

As I'm sure that you know, Steve (as a former teacher), in the United States extbook publications are a powerful Eurocentric institution. Most textbooks used in American public schooks don't fully & accurately reflect the history of the United States or the full and accurate history of other nations.

Because of this, persons who really want to learn more about these histories need to do independent research both online and off-line.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 07:55 AM

Correction:

Here is information about "paddyrollers" that I have gleaned from several online sources which are noted in this post:

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Suffet
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 07:49 AM

Azizi,

Thank you for looking this up, condensing it, and posting it. As a former high school teacher in the USA, I can tell you from experience that very little attention is paid to slave patrols other than the brief mention that they existed. Much more attention is given to the Underground Railway, who are rightfully regarded for their heroic work, but who were rarely ever encountered. The slave patrols, on the other hand, were a constant fact of life in slave holding society. Maybe it's a reluctance to face the overwhelming and brutal reality of slavery in the Land of he Free. May it's a desire to find and applaud the few brave souls who resisted the slavocracy at great peril to themselves. Maybe it's both.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 06:56 AM

Here is information about "paddyrollers" that I have gleaned several online sources which are noted in this post:

"Slave patrols (called patrollers, pattyrollers or paddy rollers by the slaves) "apprehended runaways, monitored the rigid pass requirements for blacks traversing the countryside, broke up large gatherings and assemblies of blacks, visited and searched slave quarters randomly, inflicted impromptu punishments, and as occasion arose, suppressed insurrections. The patrollers generally made their rounds at night, with their activity and regularity differing according to time and place. And patrol duty was often compulsory for most able-bodied white males. Some professions were exempt, but otherwise avoiding duty required paying a fine or hiring a substitute." http://eh.net/bookreviews/library/0513


These slave patrols were composed of White men who were well to do "respectable" members of society as well as poor Whites. Armed with whips and guns, "paddyrollers" exerted a brutal and archaic brand of racial control that is inextricably linked to post-Civil War vigilantism and the Ku Klux Klan (KKK)." http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:oNn8nsnJK5oJ:www.rinr.fsu.edu/issue2001/slavery.html+paddyrollers&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

"Patrols used summary punishment against escapees, which included maiming or killing them."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slave_patrol

"Slave patrols were populated in the beginning by people from all walks of life in the South, from wealthy land- and slave-owning aristocrats on down. Service in the patrols was required by law and refusal to perform patrol duty met with stiff fines. As such, Hadden writes, "Historians have routinely assumed that since patrollers did not stop every runaway, it matters little what patrols did; their uneven enforcement of the law must have diminished their impact on Southern history and slavery. As a result, the number of prominent slave histories that fail to mention even the existence of patrollers is startling. And when histories do include them, patrollers generally appear as little more than straw men, paraded for their inadequacies and little else.

When mentioned at all, slave patrollers are drawn as poor, slaveless, sadistic whites of very low social rank. In fact, the dominant image is of Marks and Loker, the supremely evil slave-catchers of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

But, as Hadden's research reveals, "Slave patrols between 1704 and 1721 frequently included men of superior social status, not just poor slaveless whites." And in a two-county study in Virginia, Hadden finds that "'Poor whites' does not describe the status of 18th century slave patrollers ...Typically, these men headed their own households. ...Half or more of all patrollers owned slaves, usually one to five slaves."
http://books.google.com/books?id=WC7andkrJNcC&dq=slave+patrols+hadden&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The book Slave Patrols Law and Violence in Virginia and the Carolinas by Sally E. Hadden, (Harvard University Press, 2001) is available online at http://books.google.com/books?id=WC7andkrJNcC&dq=slave+patrols+hadden&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=MjXClVUCta&sig=v2ttH1zo5

**

Incidentally, the word "paddyroller" probably has no connection to "paddy, a pejorative referent for Irish people.



Azizi Powell

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Suffet
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 01:20 AM

Meself,

I wasn't trying to be sarcastic, and I'm sorry if my message came across that way. I was only trying to cite a fact about the earlier versions. Tone of speech and nuance do not come across well in this medium. Your comments are well taken.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: meself
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 01:15 PM

No one is arguing it isn't, as far as I know.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 12:36 PM

The song is first noted in the 1851 "Serenaders Songbook," and later in "Slave Songs of the United States," Allen, Ware and Garrison, 1867.
It definitely is about the patrollers and catching slaves.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: meself
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 12:30 PM

I was not trying to convince anyone that the song under discussion is actually about a dog - I was simply reporting that there is a song that uses the expression "run, N*gger, run" in which N*gger is a dog. There's no argument, and no call for sarcasm. But go ahead anyway and enjoy yourself.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Suffet
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 12:11 PM

Greetings:

However the song may have evolved by the 1920s, the earlier versions were not about dogs but about human beings. The references to the paddarollers make that clear. In my own recorded version,* for example, I sing the refrain It's run, children, when the paddarollers come..." Paddarollers or patrollers were posses of armed white men who hunted down runaway slaves. They were not dog catchers.

*Click here to listen.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: meself
Date: 14 Sep 09 - 03:09 PM

I'm not familiar with the song, although I've known the title ever since seeing it on the back of a Skillet Lickers album thirty years ago or so. However, a while back I heard on internet radio an old recording (1920s?) of a harmonica player doing a "hunting" son which occasionally used that phrase, "run, N*gger, run" (apologies to those who are offended by asterisks) - but "N*gger" (apologies) was clearly the name of a dog. FWIW.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Suffet
Date: 14 Sep 09 - 12:59 PM

Greetings:

I just uploaded an adapted version of Run...Run to the SoundClick website. I renamed it Run, Children, Run, and I wove together pieces of melody and text from several sources. Please click here to listen.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 10:31 PM

See Po' Mona, Poor Mourner, and Good Lord Set You Free verses in thread 38691: Poor Mourner

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Apr 02 - 12:49 PM

Amy has posted the gospel song, "Run Samson Run," which has the line in the chorus: "Run Samson Run, Delilah's gonna get you, ..." in thread 46271 (Lyr. Req: Run Boy Run ): Run Samson Run

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 08:48 PM

Joe; Thank you for your insightful post. It gives a person much to think about. Kindest regards, Neil

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 09:38 AM

Thanks for your input, Joe. It's a complicated issue and there is much to consider, eh?

~Susan

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Joe in the'pool
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 08:29 AM

Very interesting thread, as a young person I was very used to the word (as observed by my various scars) and acted accordingly. As be-fitting my upbringing I fought with anyone who used the word nigger, which, with hindsight helped to develop my 'could'nt care about life' attitude 'if this is what it was all about'. That led to the usual 'off to the bad boys home for you laddo' where I discovered that the other black people there, had nearly all been through similar situations, i.e.

If somebody calls you nigger act first think later, yeh right but, we're the ones who end up in prison, or worse! As an adult I have fought against injustices for ALL people (as do many, many people) and at this time in my life (47) I welcome young Black people getting used to the word without their hearts missing a beat and their blood boiling to a point of 'no return'. It's part of the history of the most vile way, langauge can be used against Black people, so lets take the power away from those who use it to insult and await a response, which use to mean 'Prison' for the black person.

So, run nigger run aka run rabbit run or whatever other version, lets have the discussions, lets utilise the words in poems/songs etc. we know when it's part of a racist attack or a way of explaining history etc. we know who the enemy is and it's NOT the word it's the ACTION.

Keep up the discussions..it plays a part in keeping young black people out of Prison, for a word!!

Joe

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Apr 02 - 02:58 PM

There seems to be another RUN MOURNER RUN sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. I heard it at the Kennedy Center Millenium Stage concert, a live and online-broadcast concert archived that you can hear too. Now where did I put that link..........

~S~

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 23 Dec 01 - 09:01 PM

That's the one I have it on a CD of Civil War music.! Neil

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Rolfyboy6
Date: 23 Dec 01 - 01:42 AM

There is a version of "Run, Mona, Run" called "Bright Angels." I can only recall the chorus:

Run Mona Run, run for your freedom, bright angels show you the way.

See Sweet Honey in the Rock's CDs.

Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys performed "Run Mona Run" in the 30s and 40s.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Dec 01 - 09:34 PM

Thanks, Stewie-- good job and WELL-HANDLED.

~Susan

Subject: Lyr Add: PO' MOURNER
From: Stewie
Date: 22 Dec 01 - 07:32 PM

Here is a transcription of 'Po' Mourner' as recorded by Jules Allen for Victor in 1928.

WARNING: Like many minstrel-derived pieces, these lyrics contain racist and offensive material.

PO' MOURNER

Well a nigger went to the creek to get baptised
And when he got into the creek oh well he got surprised
The creek was deep, the preacher was weak
The nigger went to heaven from the bottom of the creek

Fightin' water

You shall be free, in the morning
You shall be free, little children
You shall be free, when the good lord sets you free

What was it the lord told Jonah to do
Go on and put on your long tail blue
You've got four kegs of pickles, five kegs of cheese
If you want to go to heaven keep a-shoutin' on your knees

Po' mourner

You shall be free, sister Lula
You shall be free, little children
You shall be free, if the good lord sets you free

As I was going down the road, lonesome road it was
There is a nigger and a monkey sittin' on a rail
You couldn't have told the difference
But the monkey had a tail

Po' mourner

You shall be free, in the morning
You shall be free, sister Lula
You shall be free, little children
You shall be free, if the good lord sets you free

If you want to go to heaven, I'll tell you what to do
Kinda grease yourself with mutton stew
When the devil comes with a greasy hand
Scoot him right over in the promised land

Po' mourner

You shall be free, sister Lula
You shall be free, little children
You shall be free, when the good lord sets you free

There was a coon up a simmon tree
Racoon on the ground
Racoon says, You striped son-of-a-gun
Throw a few simmons down

Spoken:
Now ladies and gentlemen, brethern, and sistern, while I have something to do with this congregation, I have a few preliminary remarks to make and that am this: 'Some gentleman in the audience has been smoking a rambo (?) stoggie. He will be withdrawn 'cause of him smelling very obnoxious and therefore suffocating the ladies'.

Po' mourner

You shall be free, in the morning
You shall free, sister Lula
You shall be free, little children
You shall be free, when the good lord sets you free

Source: Jules Allen 'Po' Mourner' Vi 23834, recorded in El Paso, Texas, on 24 April 1928. Reissued on Jules Allen 'The Texas Cowboy' Folk Variety LP FV12502. The above transcription is by Frank Mare and included in booklet accompanying the reissue LP.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 11:01 AM

Hmm........ have to look into that one Neil. Thanks!

~S~

Subject: Lyr Add: RUN MOURNER RUN (Sweet Honey in the Rock)
From: GUEST,Irish Sergeant
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 10:34 AM

Susan: I have "Run, Mourner, Run" done by Sweet Honey in the Rock.
The chorus goes:

Oh, run, run, mourner, run.
Bright angels above
Oh, run, run, mourner, run.
Bright angels above
Oh, run, run, mourner, run.
Bright angels above
Oh, run, run, mourner, run.
Bright angels above

The verses follow that same pattern I show two:

I would fly away to the kingdom/Bright angels above (x4)

and

You gotta escape for your life/bright angels above (x4).

Hope it helps and for all the information. Kindest regards, neil

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 12:08 AM

Masato, thanks for the link. Wow! I now know why this book is so highly prized among collectors. It has always been a treasure to me, anyway. Knowing more about the author makes it even more so.

kat

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Sep 01 - 11:10 PM

rich, oy! "Hello, may I introduce myself? I'm Riff, he's Raff!" (The rector and his wife.)

Masato, oy!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Sep 01 - 10:59 PM

Susan,
Paul Laurence Dunbar's digital text collection is here. Howdy Honey Howdy is in it.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: raredance
Date: 27 Sep 01 - 10:25 PM

~S~, I live where the weather keeps out the riff-raff, so good luck :-)

rich r

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 11:02 PM

Ah, rich, now we're gona hafta come getcha. Lock it up, or look out!

~S~

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 10:14 PM

Kat, I would love to see these, and I received something today you might like to see as well. It's a drawing of an old slave in front of the cabin, playing what looks like a cross between a bowed psaltery and a homemade fiddle, with a bent-stick bow looking like a child's archery implement. If you would like to see a scan of it, pls send me your e-mail address via PM and I will beam it over.

Is it OK if I copy your post over to another thread as well as leaving it here? There are a couple of places it would fit right nice.

How about to post the poems, you make a thread for them, and I will include that thread in the index thread? I don't recognize any of the titles, but when we see the words they may bring up some connections.

BTW the one you posted-- did it become Bury Me Beneath the Willow??? *G*

And Burke-- if that Rocky Road is not posted in the threads or DT, would you add it here in this thread? Thanks!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: raredance
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 10:10 PM

~S~, 'deed I do

rich r

Subject: Lyr Add: DEATH SONG (Paul Laurence Dunbar)
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 09:31 PM

Susan, I have an old rare book, which belonged to my grandmother, called "Howdy, Honey, Howdy" by Paul Laurence Dunbar. It was given to my grandmother in 1906 and was first copyrighted in 1896, published in 1905, and has photos of African Americans, many former slaves, I am sure, on every other page, with a poem/song on a certain theme to go with them. There are no tunes and I am not sure they were meant as songs, but I am wondering if they are the type of thing you might like to have copies of? It is too fragile to scan or copy, but I could post the words, at least, every once in awhile, for each one.

Titles are:

Howdy, Honey, Howdy
Encouragement
De Way T'ings come
The Delinquent
Accountability
Protest
Possum
Foolin' wid de seasons
Angelina
A Death Song (see below);
A Christmas Folksong
Faith
Hope
A Love Letter
Puttin' the baby away
Advice
Dreamin' Town
Scamp
Opportunity
A Summer Night
The Old Cabin

Here's an example, most of them are longer:

DEATH SONG

Lay me down beneaf de willer in de grass.
Whah de branch'll go a-singin' as it pass.
An' w'en I's a-layin' low,
I kin hyeah it as it go
Singin' "Sleep, my honey, tek yo' res' at las'."

Lay me nigh to whah hit meks a little pool,
An' de watah stan's so quiet lak an' cool.
Whah de little birds in spring,
Ust to come an' drink an' sing,
An' de chillen waded on dey way to school.

Let me settle w'en my shouldahs draps de load
Nigh enough to hyeah de noises in de road;
Fu' I t'ink de las' long res'
Gwine to sooth my sperrit bes'
Ef I's layin' 'mong de t'ings I's allus knowed.

kat

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Burke
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 08:54 PM

Praise, those words really remind me of an old song that's arranged in The Sacred Harp as Rocky Road. It can go on forever with different members of the family. I'm almost positive I've heard a non-Sacred Harp version as well, but I don't recall where.

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: Finn McCool
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 08:45 PM

I agree with the post of Ms. Latina Lewis above. Let's avoid the use of racially or ethnically offensive epithets, even if the purpose is only to discuss their use in the abstract.

I do not regard such advice as a form of censorship, but as a form of respect for those whose life experiences have sensitized them to such words.

--Finn

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 08:29 PM

Hm, thanks-- so you have that book?

~S~

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: raredance
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 08:04 PM

The Scarborough book is "On the Trail of Negro Folk-songs" by Dorothy Scarborough (1925, Harvard University Press)(reprinted in 1963 by Folklore Associates, Hatboro, PA). Emily Dorothy Scarborough was born in Texas in 1878. Her father was a district judge and trustee of Baylor University. She got a BA from Baylor in 1896 and MA in 1899. She taught in the public schools for a while and then became an English instructor at Baylor. She got a PhD from Columbia University in 1917 and taught creative writing and English until her death in 1935. She wrote a number of books, probably her most famous (at least to this group) was "A Songcatcher In the Southern Mountains" which was published after her death. her writing style is very chatty, devoting much space to describing the anecdotes relating top how she obtained this and that song including details about the people she got them from.

As for "Most done Lingerin'Here" all the lyrics she had in the book are in the other thread.

rich r

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 02:38 AM

BTW, here's how they say "it" at Duke University's website:

This site includes historical materials that may contain offensive language or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. These items are presented as part of the historical record.

~S~

Subject: RE: Slavery-Era Song, 'Run, ======, Run'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 02:20 AM

Missed two possibly-related:

I'm Almost Done Traveling, in Down-East Spirituals And Others
I'm Mos' Dun Travelin', in Befo' De War Spirituals

~S~