The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #3013   Message #2120464
Posted By: Azizi
06-Aug-07 - 05:55 PM
Thread Name: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca
Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca
Also, Dorothy Scarborough's 1925 book "On The Trial Of Negro Songs" {Folklore Associates, Inc. edition, 1963; originally published by Harvard University Press, 2935; p. 100} briefly mentions a song called "Johnny Booker." I'll post the entire paragraph:

"Dr. Wyeth performed magic tricks with a banjo, as he had been taught by old Uncle Billy in slavery times. He evoked melodies of wistful gaiety by drawing a handkerchief across the banjo strings and lively tunes by playing it with a whisk-broom.And when he danced some of the old breakdowns for me, just to show how they went, I felt transported to the old plantation if days before the war. Amother of the dance-songs he gave me was Johnny Booker.

I went down to de back of de fiel';
A black snake cotch me by de heel.
I cut de dus', I run my bes'.
I run right into a horhey's nes'.

Chorus:

Oh, do Mr. Booker, do! Oh, do, Mr. Booker, do!
Oh, do, Mr. Booker, Johnny Booker,
Mr. Booker, Mr. Booker, Johnny Booker, do!