The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #128220 Message #3200760
Posted By: Gibb Sahib
03-Aug-11 - 04:39 AM
Thread Name: The Advent and Development of Chanties
Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
1942 Parrish, Lydia. _Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands_. New York: Creative Age Press.
Parrish first heard this music in Feb. 1909 when she took up residence on St. Simon's Island. However, she's not specific about when particular items were heard, and her presentations may be based on several hearings. Some items were recorded in the 1930s.
Music transcribed by Creighton Churchill and Robert MacGimsey. Chapter 6 on "Work Songs".
She read Colcord and Terry, and Allen's _Slave Songs_. Also Fanny Kemble's _Journal_. Quotes NGJ Ballanta who wrote of the connection between song and work in Africa.
Talks about field-calls, which include a break in the voice. Says that these "old ways" died after 1880s in her neighborhood (Southern New Jersey).
// In Brunswick, vessels are still loaded to the musical chant of "Sandy Anna"; freight cars at the sugar terminal are shunted for short distances to the rhythm of "Old Tar River," and the cabin in front of my house was moved on rollers from Kelvin Grove to the significant tune of "Pay Me My Money Down!" //
Joe Armstrong and Henry Merchant of St. Simon's Island were both at one time leaders of stevedore crews. Loaded lumber, stowed cotton. Floyd White, Henry Merchant, and others gave her shanties. Employed "the old-fashioned falsetto tones"
"Free at Last" used for "blockin' timber."
[BLOW BOYS BLOW] Used to hoist the gaff:
// What do you think he had for dinner? Monkey soup an' gray molasses. Blow, my bully boys, blow! //
And
[CLEAR THE TRACK] // Clear the track an' let the bullgine back. //
And
// O bring me a 'gator O gal when you come off the islan'. A ring-tail 'ator O gal when you come off the islan' A Darien 'gator O gal when you come off the islan' //
[HANGING JOHNNY] Used in loading timber on board vessel, 6 men on each side of rope hauled. // Call me hangin' Johnny O hang boys hang. You call me hangin' Johnny O hang boys hang. [etc] Yes, I never hang nobody I never hang nobody O we'll heave an' haul together We heave an' haul forever They hang my ole Grandaddy They hang him for his money O they hang him for his money They hang him for his money They call me hangin' Johnny O I never hang nobody //
[SANTIANA] // Sandy Anna
Seaman, what's the madda? Hoo-ray 'o-ray Seaman, what's the madda? Hooray, Sandy Anna.
Seaman stole my dolla' He stole it in Savannah
He spend it in Havana I caught 'im in his colla'
I shake 'im till he holla' Seaman stole my dolla' //
[BLOW THE MAN DOWN] // KNOCK A MAN DOWN
Whoever heard talk about Little Johnny Brown Oh Ho knock a man down Knock a man down from London town Oh gimme some time to knock a man down.
Knock a man down bullies an' kick him aroun' Oh Ho knock a man down Knock a man down from London town Oh gimme some time to knock a man down.
Y'u ever hear dtalk about Little Johnny Brown Oh Ho knock a man down Fines' cap'n on Doboy Sound Oh gimme some time to knock a man down. //
[MONEY DOWN] // PAY ME MY MONEY DOWN
Pay me, Oh pay me Pay me my money down Pay me or go to jail Pay me my money down. Oh pay me, Oh pay me Pay me my money down Pay me or go to jail Pay me my money down.
Think I heard my captain say T'morrow is my sailin' day
(chorus)
Wish't I was Mr. Coffin's son Stay in the house an' drink good rum
(chorus)
You owe me, pay me Pay me or go to jail
(chorus)
Wish't I was Mr. Foster's son I'd set on the bank an' see the work done //
// DEBT I OWE
Debt I owe, Lord, debt I owe I ain' gonna pay no debt I owe Debt I owe, Lord, debt I owe I ain' gonna pay no debt I owe Debt I owe in Brunswick sto'e I ain' gonna pay no debt I owe O Mister Watchman don't watch me I ain' gonna pay no debt I owe Watch that nig'ah right behine that tree I ain' gonna pay no debt I owe //
// RAGGED LEEVY
Ragged Leevy! Oh—Ho! Do ragged Leevy Ragged Leevy! O boy! You ragged like a jay bird! Mr. Sipplin! Han-n-nh Goin' to buil' me a sto'e fence In the mornin'—Oh—Ho! Soon in the mornin'. Hos' an buggy—Oh—Ho! Hos' an' buggy Hos' an' buggy—O boy! Dey's no one to drive 'um. Mr. Sipplin' Ha-n-nh In de mornin' When I rise I goin' to sit by de fire. In the mornin'—Oh—Ho! O soon in the mornin' In de mornin' When I rise I goin' to sit by de fire. Mauma Dinah Oh—Ho! Do Mauma Dinah Mauma Dinah O gal I can't suppo't you. Mr. Sipplin! Ha-n-nh Do Mr. Sipplin Walkin' talkin'! O buil' me a sto'e fence. Sweet potato Oh—Ho! Sweet potato Sweet potato O boy There's two in de fire. Mr. Sipplin! Ha-n-nh Goin' to buil' me a sto'e fence In de mornin' Oh—Ho! When I rise I goin' to sit by de fire. //
// OLE TAR RIVER
Chorus: O, On the ole Tar river O-e-e-e O, On the ole Tar river Lord, Lord, the ole Tar river Tar river goin' run tomorrow O-e-e-e- Tar river goin' run tomorrow Lord, Lord, the ole Tar river.
Tar river run black an' dirty O-e-e-e Tar river run black an' dirty Lord, Lord, the ole Tar river Tar river goin' to water my horses O-e-e-e Tar river goin' to water my horses Lord, Lord, the ole Tar river
Ole Tar river is a healin' water O-e-e-e Ole Tar river is a healin' water Lord, Lord, the ole Tar river Ole Tar river run free an' easy O-e-e-e Ole Tar river run free an 'easy Lord, Lord, the ole Tar river
Chorus: Way down, way down in the country O-e-e-e Way down, way down in the country Lord, Lord, the ole Tar river //
Bit similar to TOMMY'S GONE. // GOOD-BYE MY RILEY O
Riley, Riley where were you? O Riley, O man! Riley gone an' I'm goin' too Goodbye my Riley O!
Riley, Riley, where were you? Riley gone to Liverpool
You Democrat Riley You Democrat Riley
Riley, Riley, where were you? When I played that nine spot through //
This time another year I may be gone In some lonesome graveyard O Lord how long! My brother broke the ice an' gone O Lord how long! My brother broke the ice an' gone O Lord how long!
Befo' this time another year I may be gone In some lonesome graveyard O Lord how long! Mind my sister how you walk on the cross O Lord how long! Your right foot slip an' y'ur soul get los' O Lord how long! //
[SOUTH AUSTRALIA] // HAUL AWAY, I'M A ROLLIN' KING
Haul away, I'm a rollin' king Haul away, haul away I'm boun' for South Australia. Yonder come a flounder flat on the groun' Haul away, haul away I'm boun' for South Australia. Belly to the groun' an' back to the sun Haul away, haul away I'm boun' for South Australia. Ain' but one thing worry me Haul away, haul away I'm boun' for South Australia. I leave my wife in Tennessee Haul away, haul away I'm boun' for South Australia. Haul away, I'm a rollin' king Haul away, haul away I'm boun' for South Australia. //
// SUNDOWN BELOW
This tune was sung at the end of the day as a hint to the captain, when the hold was too dark for the stevedores to see what they were doing.
Sun is down an' I must go Sundown Sundown below Sun is down in the hole below Sundown Sundown below I hear my captain say Sundown Sundown below Sun is down an' I mus' go Sundown Sundown below //
// MY SOUL BE AT RES'
One a dese mornin's—it won't be long My soul be at res'. One a dese mornin's—it won't be long My soul be at res'. Be at res'—goin' be at res' My soul be at res'. Be at res' till Judgement Day My soul be at res'. It won't be long—it won't be long My soul be at res'. Be at res' till Judgement Day My soul be at res'. One a dese mornin's—it won't be long My soul be at res'. Goin' t'hitch on my wings an' try the air My soul be at res'. One a dese mornin's—it won't be long My soul be at res'. You a'ks fo' me an' I'll be gone My soul be at res'. //
// ANNIBELLE
Of all the shanties, this concerning Anniebelle appears to be adaptable to the most varied uses, and to be the most widely distributed. Joe tells me he learned it over forty years ago from the stevedores who loaded lumber on the vessels at the Hilton-Dodge mills, but its main use was for "spikin' steel" on the railroads. I notice, however, that he puts the song to equally good use in chopping wood or swinging the weed cutter. In the mines it is called a "hammerin'" song."