Lyr Req: Uncle Ned (Stephen Foster)

Subject: Looking for a song: shovel/hoe and fiddle/bow
From:
Date: 15 Mar 99 - 08:33 PM

I'm trying to find the name of a song. The lyrics go something like this:

"laid down the shovel and the hoe
but did not take up the fiddle and the bow
or if they did they would play but a sorry tune"

It is allegedly from the Gold Rush era.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song: shovel/hoe and fiddle/bow
From: maeve
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 05:48 AM

Okay... Here's Old Ned by Stephen Foster, from the Digital Tradition. It includes the first part of the quoted lyrics. Perhaps your request song is related?


Old Ned

Old Ned here too, on another interesting site:

here (click)

Subject: RE: Looking for a song: shovel/hoe and fiddle/bow
From: GUEST,John from Kemsing
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 03:57 PM

When I was a child in S.E.London my mother, the most inoffensive lady you could wish meet, taught us this version of "Old Ned" and I know there was not an iota prejudice in her veins. To us children it was just one of the many songs our family sang.

"There was an old nigger and his name was Uncle Ned.
He`s gone dead long ago.
He had no hair on the top of his head
In the place where the hair ought to grow.

He had no hair on the top of his head
He had no eyes for to see
He had no teeth for to eat the oat cake
So`s obliged to let the oat cake be.

CH:- So put away the shovel and the ee-i-oh
    Put away the fiddle and the bow.
    There`s no more work for poor Old Ned
    `Cos he`s gone where the good niggers go-i-oh
    He`s gone where the good niggers go.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song: shovel/hoe and fiddle/bow
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 06:18 PM

"Uncle Ned," 1848, text, midi and mp3, and title page of original sheet music, here:
Uncle Ned

Subject: RE: lyr req: Uncle Ned - shovel & hoe
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Oct 10 - 03:32 PM

THERE WAS A OLD NIGGAR AND HIS NAME WAS UNCLE NED
AND HE DIED LONG AGO LONG AGO
FOR HE HAD NO WOOL ON THE TOP OF HIS HEAD
IN THE PLACE WERE THE WOOL OUGHT TO GROW.
LAY DOWN YA SHOVEL AND YOUR O O O O
HANG UP YOUR FIDDLE AND YOUR BOW O O
THERES NO MORE HARD WORK FOR POOR OLD NED
CAUSE HES GONE WERE THE GOOD NIGGARS GO.

THIS IS HOW I WAS LEARNT THIS SONG 35 YEARS AGO BY MY OLDER SISTER.

Subject: RE: lyr req: Uncle Ned - shovel & hoe
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 Oct 10 - 04:25 PM

The best copies of Stephen Foster lyrics, plus excellent midis, here:
Stephen Foster Songs

Click on Foster Collection. The best because they follow the original sheet music.
Many other popular songs of the period here also.

Uncle Ned often listed or published as "Old Uncle Ned," as it is here; the original sheet music just has "Uncle Ned."
Uncle Ned

Unfortunately the DT lacks the original verses of several of Foster's songs.

Subject: Lyr Add: UNCLE NED (Stephen Foster)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 Oct 10 - 05:16 PM

Lyr. Add: Uncle Ned
Composed and arranged by Stephen Foster, 1848

1
Dere was an old Nigga, dey called him Uncle Ned-
He's dead long a-go, long a-go!
He had no wool on de top ob his head-
De place whar de wool ought to grow.
Bass Voice
Den lay down de shubble and de hoe-

Chorus
Add Soprano or alto
Hang up de fiddle and de bow:
No more hard work for poor old Ned-
He's gone whar de good Niggas go.
No more hard work for poor old Ned-
He's gone whar de good Niggas go.

When old Ned die de Massa take it mighty bad,
De tears run down like de rain;
Old Missus turn pale, and she gets berry sad
Cayse she nebber see Old Ned again.
Den lay down de shubble and de hoe.....

His fingers where* long like de cane in de brake,
He had no eyes for to see;
He had no teeth for to eat de corn cake
So he had to let de corn cake be.
Den lay down de shubble and de hoe ......
D. C. Chorus

*were (Misprint)

Songs of the Sable Harmonists, W. C. Peters, Louisville.
Levy Collection, John Hopkins.