The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #123317   Message #2714231
Posted By: Gibb Sahib
01-Sep-09 - 10:41 PM
Thread Name: Negro Folk Rhymes (Thomas W. Talley)
Subject: RE: Folklore: Negro Folk Rhymes (Thomas W. Talley)
The germ of the so-called "Dead Horse" chantey -- probably better called "Poor Old Man" IMO -- is found in Talley's "He is My Horse." The lines, about "Old man your horse will die" were pervasive, often cited under the guise of minstrel routines, but also appearing, for instance, in Allen's "Slave Songs" book.