Origins: Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego

Subject: RE: Origins: Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 09 Sep 15 - 09:51 AM

That's great!

Subject: RE: Origins: Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego
From: GUEST,# LYR ADD
Date: 09 Sep 15 - 09:05 AM

From

http://meditationsandmemories.blogspot.ca/2008/07/warm-babies.html

I just thought I would post another page from the old 1930 scrap book that was given me. The pages are all yellow and brittle but I still enjoy reading it. This poem was written by a black man years ago.

Warm Babies

Note: When a negro preacher with imagination and poetic license sets out to deliver a sermon, especially if there be fire involved, he makes things hot. Keith Preston has caught the spirit of the theme and rendered it in true "Negro" style.

Shadrach, Mesach, Abednego, Walked in the furnace to and 'fro.
Hay foot, straw foot, fro and' to - an' the flame an' the smoke flared up de flue.
Nebuchadnezzar he listen some, and hear 'em talk, an' he say,"How come?"
An' he hear 'em walk, and he say."How so? Dem babies was hawg tied an hour ago!"
Then Shadrach call, in a uppity way, "A little more heat or we ain gwine stay!"
An Meseach bawl, so dat furnace shake: Lanlawd, heat! fo' de good Lawd's sake.
Abednego yell wid a loud "kerchoo -Is you out to freeze us, y' great big Jew?"
Nebuchadnezzear, he rare and ramp, An' call to his janitor, "You big black scamp
Shake dem clinkers an' spen' dat coal! I'll bake dem birds, ef I goes in de hole."
He puts on de draf an' he shuts de door, so the furnace glow and de chimbly roar.
Ol' Nebubuchadnezzar, he smole a smile, "Guess lat'll hold 'em " says he ,"one while."
Then Shadrach, Mesach, Abednego, Walk on de hot coals to an' fro,
An holler out fo' a mite mo' heat - Gulp dem cinders like chicken meat.
Ol' Nebuchadnezzar gives up de fight: He open dat door an' he bow perlite.
He shade his eyes from the glare infernal , an' he say to Abednego, "Step out colonel."
An' he add, "Massa Shadrach, I hopes you all - wont be huffy at me a'tall.
Then Shadrach, Mesach, Abednego, hay foot, straw foot, three in a row
Stepped right smart from dat oven door, Jes' as good as they wuz before,
An' far as Nebchadnezzar could find, Jes' as good as they was behind.
-Keith Preston

Subject: RE: Origins: Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego
From: GUEST,Kathryn McCary
Date: 09 Sep 15 - 07:31 AM

Oops, sorry, that last one was me--forgot to fill in the "From" line.
Thanks again!

Subject: RE: Origins: Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 15 - 07:30 AM

Thanks, Gerry and Leeneia, but the Louis Armstrong number ("The Shadrach Song," covered by many others as well) is NOT the same thing, nor is The Fourth Man. Same subject--very different handling. However, # appears to have nailed it, particularly as the "Keith Preston" referenced as the author did write humorous poetry in roughly the time period when my father was a young man. Gonna go see if I can find his books of poetry, for the original form. Thanks, all!

Subject: RE: Origins: Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 09 Sep 15 - 12:41 AM

Here's Louis Armstrong singing such a song. Is the tune the same?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r1baNdgImo

Subject: RE: Origins: Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 08 Sep 15 - 09:38 PM

Also, there's a version at http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=6326

Subject: RE: Origins: Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 08 Sep 15 - 09:37 PM

There is some discussion of (a version of) this song at http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=1240

Subject: RE: Origins: Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego
From: GUEST,#
Date: 08 Sep 15 - 09:09 PM

http://meditationsandmemories.blogspot.ca/2008/07/warm-babies.html

Subject: Origins: Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego
From: GUEST,Kathryn McCary
Date: 08 Sep 15 - 08:32 PM

My father used to recite a bit of verse that I remember as:

Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego
Walked in the fiery furnace to and fro;
Hayfoot, strawfoot, fro and to
While the smoke and the flames flared up the flue.

Nebuchadnezzar, he listened some
And he said "How so?" and he said "Why come?
How can them boys walk to and fro?
Them babies was hogtied an hour ago."

I'd like to track down the origin--and any additional words to it. Does it ring a bell with anyone?

Thanks!