Thanks.

Nora

chorus
Angelina Baker!
Angelina Baker's gone,
She left me here to weep a tear
And beat on de old jaw bone.

From "A Treasury of Stephen Foster" (Random House, 1946, notes by John Tasker Howard):

The original title-page of "Angelina Baker" stated that it was No. 4 of "Foster's Plantation Melodies, as sung by Christy's Minstrels." It was published by F.D. Benteen of Baltimore, March 18, 1850, less than a month after the publication of "Camptown Races."

"Angelina Baker" is a typical minstrel song, in pseudo-Negro dialect. In the last line of its chorus it refers to the "jaw-bone" which was an instrument the end-men of a minstrel show shook like a tambourine. It was made from the actual jawbone of a horse or ass. When the bone was thoroughly dried the teeth became so loose that they rattled and produced a sound as loud as that of a pair of castanets.

In every sense a minor Foster song, "Angelina Baker" is nonetheless representative of the nonsense song in which Foster was so successful. One of his greatest contributions to minstrelsy was his refinement of the humor of its songs. His words were as nonsensical as other ditties, but he made an art product of a type of lyric which had belonged exclusively to the bar room. It was not so much a matter of Foster's refinements of words and music, but an individuality of style.

Foster's earnings on this song were pathetically low. In the course of seven years, it netted him a total of $16.87.

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Angelina Baker
M:2/4
Q:1/4=80
K:G
E2^c2^c2B2|-BA^c2A2F2|A2B2E2d2|-d^cB6|B2^c3^cB2|
A2^c2A2F2|A2B2B2^c2|-^cBA6|E2^c^c3B2|A2^cA3F2|
A2B2E2d2|-d^cB6|B2^c3^cB2|A2^c2A2F2|A2B3B^c2|
-^cBA6|-A2E3EE2|E2F2A4|-A2E3EE2|E2F2A2B2|
-B3B^c2^c2|B2A2^c3A|F2A2BBB2|^c2B2A4|-A3||

This is an old Eck Dunford tune with possible Negro origins. Frank George, fiddler from West Virginia, calls it "Angeline" and gives it Scottish overtones. In some parts of West Virginia it is called "Angeline Baker," thus causing some friction between fiddlers when it is played. The tune was played only as an instrumental; the words are a comparatively recent addition. There is a Stephen Foster song called "Angelina Baker," and the tune may have some derivision from that, or perhaps it's the other way around. (notes by Sara Grey)

For a good time, click here.

There's a version of "Angelina Baker" recorded by the Critton Hollow String Band on their first or second album. The lyrics are essential the same as those found in the DT, but the mock-dialect pronunciation has been dropped in favor of an Appalachian twang. Unfortunately, I don't have either of CHSB's first two albums in my possession any longer, so can't be of much assistance with titles or record labels...

Good luck with your research.

I am indeed looking for other related or possibly related stuff, and I did check the database first, and have heard a couple of recordings that don't vary that much. Often I hear it as a fiddle tune with no lyrics.

Thanks, Joe, for the notes from the songbook and all the information.

Sure it's a nonsense song, but the underlying story about a slave whose wife/lover/whatever is sold away and the hints the song contains about the woman Angelina has fascinated a songwriter pal and she has written a couple of extra verses and is looking for more to the story if it can be found.

Nora

Chorus

V.2 I bought Angeline a brand new dress, 'twas neither black nor brown It was the color of stormy skies before the rain came down. 16 horses in my pack, the leader he was blind. I dreamed that I was dying, I saw my Angeline.

Chorus