The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #58897   Message #1009826
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
28-Aug-03 - 05:10 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Jonah and the Whale-2
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jonah and the Whale-2
Jonah got flung, puked, vomited up all over the place.

Come 'ere, chillun, an' listen to me;
I'll tell you 'bout whale swallowin' Jonah,
While sailin' on de sea,
Yes, es-es, Yes, es-es Yes, es-es.

Three long days and three long nights,
Jonah in de belly of de whale swelled,
Yes, es-es, Yes es-es, Yes, es-es.

De whale 'gin to pinch an' ole Jonah 'gin to scratch,
So de whale flung Jonah in a sweet 'tater patch.
Yes, es-es, Yes, es-es, Yes, es-es.

D. Q. McCord Ms., Alabama, 1915-1916, in N. I. White, 1925, American Negro Folk-Songs, no. 39, p. 98.

The whale swallowed Brother Jonah,
Yes, he did, no, he didn't.
Puked him up on sandy land,
An' a goad* vine growed around Brother Jonah's head. (*gourd)
The greatest prayer that ever I heard
Was the prayer that Jonah prayed,
When the worm came an' cut the goad vine down From around Brother Jonah's head.

Ms of N. I. White, sung by Ed Lloyd (fragment), NC.
In N. I. White, No. 40, as above, p. 98-99.

Who did, who did, who did swallow Jonah, Jonah, (three times)
Who did swallow Jonah, who did swallow Jonah- dow-own?

Whale did, whale did, whale did swallow Jonah, Jonah, (three times)
Whale did swallow Jonah, whale did swallow Jonah - dow- own!

Also in White, no. 41, North Carolina, White Ms. 1925.