The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #81179   Message #1489071
Posted By: Azizi
20-May-05 - 08:46 AM
Thread Name: African American Secular Folk Songs
Subject: Lyr Add: GO TO ELLA WALL
I'm somewhat surprised that the song fragment 'Go To Ella Wall' is not included in that list of songs included in "Mule and Men'.
In that book, Zora Neal Hurston provides an account of a jook type gathering that she attended along with Big Sweet, Ella Walls' rival. When Ella Wall enters the room, the men sing a praise song to her. According to Hurston, at that time, "Go To Ella Wall" was sung in every "jook" and "job" in South Florida. [p. 192 according to my notes; Sorry. I can't find the book that I have right now; so I can't cite the publisher. However, I assume that this fragment is included in the online version]


GO TO ELLA WALL:

"Go to Ella Wall
Oh, go to Ella Wall.
If you want good boody
Oh, go to Ella Wall.

Oh, she's long and tall.
Oh, she's long and tall.
And she rocks her rider
From uh wall to wall.

Oh go to Ella Wall
Take yo' trunk and all-

-snip-

[At that point Ella Wall interrupts the singing and says]:
"Tell'em about me! Ella Wall snapped her fingers and revolved her hips with her hands.

"Ah'm raggedy, but right. Patchy but right, stringy, but I will hang on. "

[Then Hurston writes]:
"Look at her putting on her brag, said Big Sweet. Loud-talking de place." *

-snip-

* I believe this sentence means that Ella is loud talking" {boasting about herself in a loud voice}. Of course, Big Sweet says this instigating remark in a voice loud enough for Ella Wall and others to hear.

And that's when the 'fun' REALLY begins.