Lyr Req: Oh Suzanna? / Oh Susanna

Subject: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From:
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 02:44 PM

I am in desperate need of the "real" Lyrics to "Oh Suzanna" 1880's version. I am in a play here on my college campus, and I am suppose to sing this song, however, noone seems able to agree upon the lyrics. I would like to have the correct ones...Can you help???

I would greatly appreciate it!

Thank you for your time...

Erin Peterson [e-mail] LCSC

---

Click for lyrics in the Digital Tradition

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: MMario
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 02:54 PM

published 1848 by Stephen Foster....

I found it on the Lester Levy sheet music site, searching for Banjo and knee.

I don't think you want to sing the original words

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 03:03 PM

Trying blue clicky CLICK Pray for me, maybe I got it right!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 03:05 PM

Oh well, the clicky worked, but it wasn't the right page. Just search for Levy, it's there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 03:13 PM

Oops, Sorcha, darlin, it said your search produced no results. I don't think it links directly to search results at that particular site.

Erin, go to the Menu Bar up top and click on Links. After it loads, scroll down to Lester Levy, where MMario found it, then click on that link. When you get there, type in the keywords MMario used, in the search box and it should pop up.

To bypass the links, etc. and get right into the site, click here, then do the search thing.

I will also email this to Erin.

Hope it helps, katlaughing

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 03:21 PM

Sorry, Sorcha, your second post wasn't there when I went off to write mine.*BG*

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: MMario
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 03:28 PM

sorcha - your link was probably correct, but I have yet to find a way to link to the results of a search at the site

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: MMario
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 03:30 PM

oops! kat - thanks for e-mailing erin. I didn't see that the first time through

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 05:34 PM

Thanks, guys, back to the html notepad!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: GUEST,dick greenhaus
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 05:59 PM

(sigh)--not for newcomers, but for experienced Mudcatters. DON'T search for names--they may have variant spellings. To find Oh, Susanna in DigiTrad, try a search for [banjo on my knee]. It's there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: MMario
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 06:10 PM

Dick, I found it in the DT, but was going for "as published" and there is quite a variation between what's in the DT and what is on the Levy site from the 1848 version

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 06:47 PM

Apologies. Would you post the "as poblished" version?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From:
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 11:34 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 12:13 PM

The Levy site has only the cover pages of the Christy Minstrels version, as sung by G. N. Christy, 1848. American Memory does not have it.
The song was immediately taken up by other groups, including "Susanna," pub. 1848 in Baltimore by Willig, as sung by Mr. Tickner of the Sable Harmonists. Another version, "Oh, Susanna," by the Ethiopian Serenaders, dated 1850 by American Memory but no date on the sheet music, can be seen at both sites.
As early as 1849, sheet music including variations was being published.

The Christy version would be the "original," but apparently neither Levy nor American Memory have a complete copy.
The undated copy (but dated 1850 by American Memory) of the Ethiopian Serenaders version probably is the most reliable rendition at either site.
If there is any interest in this or another of those listed, I will print it out.

Subject: Lyr Add: SUSANNA (Stephen Foster, 1848)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 12:41 PM

This is one of the earliest known copies of the Peters edition (according to Saunders and Root, The Music of Stephen C. Foster: A Critical Edition, vol.1, p. 461). The title is simply "Susanna."

Title: Songs of the Sable Harmonists. Susanna.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Written and Composed by S[tephen] C[ollins] Foster.
Publication: Baltimore; G. Willig, Jr., 197 Baltimore St., 1848.: , .
Form of Composition: strophic with chorus
Instrumentation: piano and voice (solo and satb chorus)
First Line: I come from Alabama with my Banjo on my knee
First Line of Chorus: Oh! Susanna do not cry for me
Plate Number: 2157
Subject: African Americans
Subject: Caricatures
Subject: Courtship & love
Subject: Homecomings
Subject: Accidents
Subject: Death
Subject: Dreaming
Call No.: Box: 068 Item: 126

SUSANNA
Written and Composed by S.C. Foster

I come from Alabama with my Banjo on my knee
I's gwine to Lou'siana, My true lub for to see,
It rain'd all night de day I left, De wedder it was dry;
The sun so hot I froze to def-- Susanna, dont you cry.

CHORUS
Oh! Susanna, do not cry for me,
I come from Alabama, Wid my Banjo on my knee.

I jump'd aboard the telegraph and trabbled down de ribber,
De lectrick fluid magnified, and kill'd five hundred Nigga.
De bulgine bust and de hoss ran off, I really thought I'd die;
I shut my eyes to hold my bref-- Susanna, dont you cry.

(CHORUS)

I had a dream de udder night, when ebry ting was still;
I thought I saw Susanna dear, a coming down de hill,
De buckweat[sic] cake was in her mouf, de tear was in her eye,
I says, I'se coming from de souf,-- Susanna, dont you cry.

(CHORUS)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: masato sakurai
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 01:09 PM

The Christy edition, published by C. Holt Jr. in 1848, is Richard Jackson's Stephen Foster Song Book (Dover, 1974, pp. 88-91), which is available online (Click here). The title is "Oh! Susanna," and it has the "I soon will be in New Orleans" stanza. There's no mention of Foster on the sheet.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 02:03 PM

The University of Pittsburgh, Center for American Music site: Susanna has the words, dated 1848 (same as those given by Masato, above, Songs of the Sable Harmonists). In the index it is listed as "Oh! Susanna," but at the head of the lyrics, it is simply "Susanna."
The verse about New Orleans may have been added later, but in the same year (for a trip to New Orleans by the Christy Minstrels?). (The Christy Minstrel sheets do not mention Foster as composer).

The Christy edition (Holt) 1848, also posted by Masato, has several Foster songs. The song was also printed singly, as shown by the Levy site, where the 1848 cover is preserved. It would be interesting to see the words accompanying this cover. Is the New Orleans verse there?

The sheet music of the version "written by Wells", 1850(?), pub. by Benteen in Baltimore, has the New Orleans verse. Oh! Susanna
More than one rewrite by various lyricists came out in 1848-1849, illustrating the popularity of the song.

Subject: Lyr Add: OH, SUSANNA!
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 02:52 PM

Despite the possible unsuitability of the words, I found this in the "Hackney Scout Song Book" (1965 edition)

OH, SUSANNA!

I came from Alabama
Wid my banjo on my knee;
I'm gwine to Lousiana
My true lub for to see:
It rained all night the day I left,
De wedder it was dry;
De sun so hot I almost froze,
Susanna don't you cry!

Chorus
Oh, Susanna! Don't you cry for me;
Ive come from Alabama
Wid my banjo on lay knee.

1 jump'd aboard de telegraph,
And trabbell'd down de ribber;
De 'lectric fluid magnified
And killed five hundred nigger!
De bullgine bust, de horse run off—
I really tho't I'd die:
I shut my eyes to hold my breath,
Susanna don't you cry!

I soon will be in New Orleans,
And den I'll look all round
And when I find Susanna,
I'll fall upon de ground
But if I do not find her den,
Dis darkie'll surely die
And when I'm dead and buried Oh!
Susanna don't you cry


Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 03:19 PM

Nigel, those were the words in the Holt ed. of 1848 posted by Masato (and in several other editions of the period). These words also are in the Mudcat DT.
Is the Hackney Song Book English? These words probably would have been rooted out of American Scout Songbooks by 1960.
A few months ago, I found some lyrics I wanted in an English Scout songbook, not Hackney, online. These books are hard to find; I wish I had a collection of them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 03:38 PM

Guest Q: "The Hackney Scout Song Book" has been published by the Hacney (London Borough) Local Association Boy Scouts sice 1921. The 1965 one is the 9th edition, 4th impression. The address given at that time is "District Scout Headquarters, Navarino Grove, Hackney, London E8" if this address fails, the centre for Scouting in the UK is now
Baden-Powell House,
65-67 Queens Gate,
LONDON. SW7 5JS.

Tel [phone]

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 04:58 PM

Thanks, Nigel!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: masato sakurai
Date: 14 Nov 02 - 10:47 AM

Most broadsides in the Bodleian Library collection bear the title "Susanna(h), Don't You Cry (for Me)."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 14 Nov 02 - 11:09 AM

American Memory has sheet music dated 1848 in which "Susanna" lacks the New Orleans verse, pub. Louisville by W. C. Peters (#19 on the list of 27).It is printed with the songs Louisiana Belle, Away Down South, Uncle Ned, Wake Up Jake and Old Iron City.
The Univ. Pittsburgh site says that the New Orleans verse was added "later." It was in the same year. Several printings in several cities occurred in 1848-1849.

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?mussm.19:./temp/~ammem_P7vn::

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 06:31 AM

GuestQ: a late response, but clarification. The cover for the Christy Minstrels version of 1848 is also reproduced with the music in the "Stephen Foster Sesquicentennial Song Book" (1976), but looking back at 'Levy', your request for the music & lyric pages is answered there. At the end of the details shown for the cover page you're searching it refers to the music being the same as that shown at "Box 068 Item 037"
It was often a case that the printing plates would remain the same, but be printed with a new cover for different performers/performances

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: masato sakurai
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 10:29 PM

According to James J. Fuld (The Book of World-Famous Music, 4th ed., pp. 404-405),

"An unauthorized printing, the first edition, was copyrighted Feb. 25, 1848, by C. Holt Jr., 156 Fulton St., New York, N.Y. Front cover mentions the Christy Minstrels and lists 16 titles, only three of which are followed by prices, Oh! Susanna being no. 8 at 25¢. p. [2] blank. m. on pp. [3]-[5]. No plate number. Back cover blank. Engraved. There is no mention of Stephen C. Foster. The publication by W.C. Peters & Co., Louisville, Ky., authorized by Foster, was copyrighted Dec. 31, 1848."

The edition in Richard Jackson's Stephen Foster Song Book (linked to above at my post: Date: 13 Nov 02 - 01:09 PM) is closest to the first unauthorized edition, except that fifteen titles are followed by prices.

"'Oh! Susanna,' the title in common use today, does not seem to have been Foster's original choice. The earliet copies of the song published by W.C. Peters, copies prepared from Foster's manuscript, have the title 'Susanna.[...]
"In his early days as a songwriter, Stephen Foster sometimes presented copies of his compositions to minstrel performers before they were published, a practice that led to several songs being issued in unauthorized editions. 'Susanna' was one such song; more than twenty editions (including arrangements) of 'Susanna,' issued by thirteen different publishers, appeared between 1848 and 1851. Several bibliographically distinct copies of most of these editions exist." (Saunders and Root, The Music of Stephen Foster, vol.1, p. 461)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: masato sakurai
Date: 25 Jan 03 - 08:13 AM

'Oh Susanna' - Nevada Slim [Real Audio], from The Record Lady's All-Time Country Favorites (Real Country Requests Page Three).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: masato sakurai
Date: 25 Jan 03 - 08:27 AM

There's a minstrel-ish rendition of "O! Susanna" at The Virtual Gramophone:

Performer: Harry C. Browne, baritone and banjo effect; Peerless Quartette, vocal quartette with orchestra accompaniment
Title: O! Susanna / [Foster]
Recorded: [6 Oct 1916], [New York, NY] by Columbia Graphophone Company
Released [Jun 1917]
Numbers: Issue no.: A2218
Matrix no.: 46873

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 25 Jan 03 - 09:57 AM

I was listening to the BBC World Serivce, John Peel's program, and a band from Cambridge UK did 'O Suzanna' so slowly and very sexily. It made a whole new song out of it.

Sal

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 02:02 PM

A 19th c. songsheet, printed by Andrews', New York, reverses the direction given in Foster's first four lines-

I cum from Lousianna,
Wid de banjo on my knee;
I'm bound for Alabama,
My own true lub to see.
It thaw all night de week I left,
De hailstone dey war dry;
De sun so hot I froze alive,
Susannah, don't you cry.
Chorus:
Oh! Susannah, you must not cry for me,
I'm cum from Louisianna wid de banjo on my knee;
Oh! Susannah, you must not cry for me,
I'm cum from Alabama wid de banjo on my knee.
2.
I stepp'd on board de lightengraph,
An steer it by de trigger,
My finger slip it bustified,
And kill a tousand nigger.
And den it was, my dearest lub,
I tought dat I should die,
I shut my ears to keep my breff,
Susannah don't you cry.
3.
I had a dream tomorrow night,
When all de tings war still,
I tought I saw Susannah
Coming by de mill.
She wore de robe ob mourning,
And de tears war in her eye,
Says I, here am your true lub,
Susannah don't you cry.
4.
I soon will be in de ole Mobile,
And dare I'll look around,
Oh, should I find Susannah,
I shall sink into de ground.
But if I so not find her
Dis chile will surely die,
And when I'm cold and in my grave,
Susannah don't you cry.

American Memory


American Memory

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Oh Suzanna' Needed! ASAP
From: SINSULL
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 10:12 PM

A buckwheat pan was in her hand
A tear was in her eye
And I said to her "Susannah, Oh Susannah don't you cry."

Oh Susannnah Oh don't you cry for me
I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee.