Oh, believe to my soul that a nigger's gone, here, Rattler, here! Believe to my soul that de nigger's gone, here, Rattler, here! Went right down through the corn, here, Rattler, here! Think I heard a horn blow, here, Rattler, here! Tryin' to find a way that nigger must go, here, Rattler, here! He tripped this time, he can trip no more, here, Rattler, here! I'm goin' take him through the biggest fold, here, Rattler, here! He's gone where the good niggers go, here, Rattler, here!
I heard the horn blow, Hoo! Here, Rattler, here! I think I heard the horn blow, here, Rattler, here! I heered the horn blow, Hoo! Here, Rattler, here! Rattler, here's a beef bone, here, Rattler, here! You can eat it, you can leave it alone, here, Rattler, here! You can eat it till the day's all gone, here, Rattler, here!
What is the matter with the niggers today? Here, Rattler, here! Everyone is runnin' away, here, Rattler, here! Rattler, here's a beef bone, here, Rattler, here! You can eat it, you can leave it alone, here, Rattler, here! Take it till we cut all the corn, here, Rattler, here! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Here, Rattler, here!
That old Rattler's comin' along; here, Rattler, here! There's the blowin' of the horn, here, Rattler, here! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Here, Rattler, here! That old Rattler's comin' along; here, Rattler, here! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Here, Rattler, here! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! here, Rattler, here! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Here, Rattler, here! Jes' put that nigger right up a tree, here, Rattler, here! Runnin' so full he dodged(?) a knee, here, Rattler, here! Run so full he dodged a knee, here, Rattler, here! Master says he blow that horn, here, Rattler, here! You killed a spade, that nigger is gone, here, Rattler, here! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Here, Rattler, here! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Here, Rattler, here!
Sung by Rev. Moses (Clear Rock) Platt, Wyandot, Taylor, Texas; sometime inmate of the Texas State Prison Farms. The ironic, bitter, understated humor of the Black convicts on the Texas State Prison Farms is evident here. Recorded over 60 years age, little has changed except that the guards methods are more sophisticated. Lomax can be heard in the background, exhorting Platt to repeat parts for the recorder. John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip. Click on Links at top of page and scroll to Lomax Collection for sound recording and notes (Sec. 11). @prison @work @Negro
Ol' Rattler, here some nigger gone, here, Rattler, here! (twice) You can ketch him or you can leave him alone, here, Rattler, here! (twice) Go call that sergeant, here, Rattler, here! (twice) Tell him, gwine lose a trusty, here, Rattler, here! (twice) Tell that sergeant, come with me, suh, here, Rattler, here! (twice)
Went to callin' ol' Rattler, here, Rattler, here! (twice) An' it's HEAH, Rattler, here, Rattler, here! (twice) Ol' Rattler come a-leapin', here, Rattler, here! (twice) Ol' Rattler heah dat nigger gone, here, Rattler, here! (twice) You can ketch him, Ol' Rattler, bite 'im, ol' dog! Here, Rattler, here! (twice)
Lawd, dey talk about ol' Rattler, here, Rattler, here! (twice) Lawd, dey ought to see dat Logan dog, here, Rattler, here! (twice) Lawd, dat dawg he could trail a hawg, here, Rattler, here! (twice) Lawd, dey talkin' 'bout dat Logan dog, here, Rattler, here! (twice) But dey oughta seen dat Queen dog, here, Rattler, here! (twice) Bet dat dog she could trail a cop, here, Rattler, here! (twice)
Tommy Woods and group of Negro convicts, Clemens State Farm, Brazoria, Texas. John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip. Click on Links at top of page and scroll to Lomax Collection for sound and notes. @prison @work @Negro