Lyr Req: Don't Get Weary (Uncle Dave Macon)

Subject: Uncle Dave- Don't get weary
From: DPAUL
Date: 23 Feb 00 - 01:53 PM

anybody know the lyrics to "Don't get weary children" by Uncle Dave Macon?

Subject: RE: Uncle Dave- Don't get weary
From: Stewie
Date: 24 Feb 00 - 12:09 AM

It's on Uncle Dave Macon 'Go Long Mule' County CO-CD 3505. That's probably the best sound you will get. Have you tried to transcibe the song? Uncle Dave is very difficult to decipher at times. I can't decipher the last part of the refrain:

Oh don't get weary, don't get weary children Don't get weary, I'm comin' from ...

It sounds like he's saying, 'I'm comin' from the fall', but it could be 'the farm', 'afar' or something else that may be blindingly obvious when one finally hears it properly. It took me about 15 minutes of repeated plays to get this for the first verse, but I wouldn't vouch for it:

Nashville for a big hotel Chatanooga for a saloon Knoxville's full of Republicans [could be 'publicans'] And Memphis loves a tune

If you have had a go at transcribing it, post what you have and I'll work on it with you.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Uncle Dave- Don't get weary
From: Clifton53
Date: 24 Feb 00 - 08:17 AM

One verse I've had in my head for years is this

" The little bee sucks the blossom and the big bee gets the honey,

Poor man picks the cotton and corn, Rich man makes the money"

And I think it IS "coming from the fall", not sure.

Clifton53

Subject: RE: Uncle Dave- Don't get weary
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson (at work)
Date: 24 Feb 00 - 10:25 AM

Stewie, my gratitude to you-- you have taken a racist song and heard it in a way that makes it singable! I have heard that first verse (as have some of my friends) as
Nashcille has a big hotel, Chattanooga for saloons
Knoxville for Republicans, and Memphis loves the coons

Unfortunately, a pretty good geopolitical description of TN in 1925. Eastern Tennessee was still voting Republican (whoever spoke of the Solid South didn't look hard enough) and Memphis, right on the water, had a big "colored" district. I've never been able to sing that verse, and now you've given me a way!

Subject: Lyr Add: DON'T GET WEARY (Uncle Dave Macon)
From: Stewie
Date: 24 Feb 00 - 06:28 PM

Pete

Listening to it again, I reckon you are correct - he is saying 'coons'. In the first 3 lines, I'm now fairly sure he's saying 'full of':

Nashville's full of big hotels
Chattanooga's full of saloons
Knoxville's full of Republicans
And Memphis lots of coons

I am glad my misshearing can be of assistance to you. But you still have the problem of the 'yella gal' verse, unless you simply omit it.

Here's what I can hear of the rest. The third verse is a little different from Clifton53's recollection. I haven't a clue what he is singing in last 2 lines of the last verse. Any ideas?

Wish I had a sugar-o (?)
Sugar by the pound
Great big bowl to stir it in
Pretty girl to hand it around

Big bee sucks the blossom
Little bee makes the honey
Poor man makes the cotton and corn
The rich man sees the money

Master had a yella gal
He brought her from the south
Tied (tight?) so curly on her head
She could not shut her mouth

People on the corner
Watchin' us go by
Could not see ...(a sparrow ?)
....................

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Uncle Dave- Don't get weary
From: GUEST,Bud Savoie
Date: 24 Feb 00 - 06:39 PM

"Don't get weary, children, I'm comin' from the ball." At least, this is the way the Charles River Valley Boys sang it in the '60s. Any way you do it, it makes no sense and probably isn't supposed to. I'll give a listen to the Uncle Dave CD and have a whack at the verses.

Subject: RE: Uncle Dave- Don't get weary
From: jofield
Date: 25 Feb 00 - 10:02 AM

Oh, those Charles River Valley Boys -- those Harvard snots -- what do *they* know.

Subject: RE: Uncle Dave- Don't get weary
From: Wendy_
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 09:53 PM

This is what I hear for that last verse. Been listening repeatedly, but I still can't even begin to vouch for the accuracy...


People on the corner,
Watchin' us go by,
Could not see we sped along,
'S old Bob he could fly.


Stewie has been tirelessly transcribing lyrics to Uncle Dave Macon songs in this thread .

Wendy

Subject: RE: Uncle Dave- Don't get weary
From: Wendy_
Date: 17 Mar 01 - 02:01 AM

Forgot to post this also - I found these two songs in the Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, 1870-1885 at the Library of Congress:

Children, don't get weary

Oh! don't get weary, children!

Wendy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Get Weary (Uncle Dave Macon)
From: GUEST,sam b
Date: 04 Sep 14 - 10:23 PM

people on the corner watching us go by
could not see us for very long for we could fly

master had a yella girl brought her from the south
tied her hair so curly could not shut her mouth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Get Weary (Uncle Dave Macon)
From: GUEST,sam b
Date: 04 Sep 14 - 10:40 PM

Nashvilles but a big old jail and its im coming from the ball

wish I had a sugar roll sugar by the pound
great big bowl to stir it in pretty gals hands around

big bee sucks the blossom little bee makes the honey
poor man makes the cotton n corn rich man saves the money

and its people on the corner watching us go by
could not see us for very long though for we could fly

Subject: Lyr Add: CHILDREN DON'T GET WEARY (1877)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Sep 14 - 08:50 AM

Apparently the song went through a lot of folk-processing between this publication and Macon's recording:

From the sheet music at The Library of Congress:


CHILDREN DON'T GET WEARY
"Plantation song and chorus sung with great success by all the minstrels"
Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co., 1877.

1. Oh, see dat angel band; dar calling me away.
I ain't got time to tarry; just hear dat trumpet play.
When de sun comes up de medder, we rise just like de lark,
And work till ebening shadder, den dance long after dark!

CHORUS: Oh, don't get weary; children, don't get weary.
Don't get weary; we ain't got long to stay!

2. We'll hoe no more de corn; de blessed time hab come.
We'll leave de fields ob cotton, and float to yonder home.
Oh, we'll nebber mind de tempest; de sunshine's bound to fall.
Dere's rest for ebbery darkey, and glory too, for all!

3. Den come and join de band; de train am on de way.
Just hear de whistle blowing; we ain't got long to stay.
Whar de silber sand am shining, on de wings ob glory bright,
We'll meet you in de morning, all beaming wid delight!


Nearly identical lyrics appear with a different title published 7 years earlier, and can be seen in The Levy Collection:

OH! SEE THAT ANGEL BAND
Plantation Song and Chorus
Music by C. E. Pratt.
Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co., 1870.

Subject: Lyr Add: OH! DON'T GET WEARY, CHILDREN! (Eva West)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Sep 14 - 09:21 AM

Another quite different song with a similar title, and from the same year, also from sheet music at the Library of Congress:


OH! DON'T GET WEARY, CHILDREN!
"The great plantation song composed by Eva West
and sung by her with immense success throughout the U. S."
New York: Spear & Dehnhoff, 1877.

1. O Car'line come and go wid me.
Oh! ah, oh, ah, oh, ah!
We'll dance and sing and happy be.
Oh! ah, oh, ah, oh, ah!
Come take your bonnet off the wall,
Den all de kids dey 'gin to bawl:
O Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

CHORUS: Oh, don't get weary; don't get weary, children.
Don't get weary; we hain't got long to stay!
Fall down upon your little knees,
And pray de Lord to take you in,
And he will wash your face from sin,
And take you to his home.

2. O what's dat music playin' for?
Oh! ah, oh, ah, oh, ah!
Come pick de banjo; scrape de floor.
Oh! ah, oh, ah, oh, ah!
Now Car'line what you doin' dar?
For de good Lor's sake go comb yer har!
O Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

CHORUS: Now don't get weary....

3. Now white folks come and 'gin de spree.
Oh! ah, oh, ah, oh, ah!
You'll 'joy yourselves like(?) bumble bees.
Oh! ah, oh, ah, oh, ah!
Come bring de kids bofe great and small.
Dar's room enough for Sall and all.
O Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

CHORUS: So don't get weary....

Subject: Lyr Add: DON'T GET WEARY / JOHNNY, YOU'VE BEEN A..
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Sep 14 - 05:13 PM

From the sheet music at Duke University:


DON'T GET WEARY: OR, "JOHNNY, YOU'VE BEEN A BAD BOY."*
Music by J. M. Turner
New York: Frederick Blume, 1877.

1. O Johnny, you've been a bad boy,
For to treat your true love so,
And if you don't stop your nonsense,
I'm gwine to let de old folks know.

CHORUS: When de sun rise in de mornin',
Down by de yellow corn,
Dat's de time de larks take warnin',
When Dinah blows de horn!
Oh, don't get weary; don't get weary; children, don't get weary,
Bekase I'm gwine home.

DUET: When I'm gone! (Den I will miss you!)
When I'm gone! (Yes, den I'll miss you!)
Den(And) dere's one fond heart will miss me
When I'm(you're) gone! Yes, when I'm gone!
When I'm gone! (Den I will miss you!)
When I'm gone! (Yes, den I'll miss you!)
Den(And) dere's one fond heart will miss me/you,
When I'm(you're) gone! Yes, when I'm(you're) gone!

2. Yes, Sally, I've been a bad boy,
And I ain't gwine to bother you no more.
If you will give your hand to me,
We'll float to the old Virginny shore.


* Title as given on the cover. On page 1, the title is:
JOHNNY, YOU'VE BEEN A BAD BOY. ("DON'T GET WEARY, CHILDREN")

Subject: Lyr Add: MY BRETHEREN, DON'T GET WEARY
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Sep 14 - 06:25 PM

Unlike the "coon songs" given above, this version probably has more authentic roots among African Americans.


From Hampton and Its Students by Mrs. M. F. Armstrong and Helen W. Ludlow (New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1874), page 180:


MY BRETHEREN, DON'T GET WEARY.

CHORUS: My bretheren, don't get weary.
    Angels brought de tiding down.
Don't get weary.
    I'm hunting for a home.

1. You'd better be a-praying.
    I do love de Lord.
For judgment day is a-comin'.
    I do love de Lord.

2. Oh, whar you runnin', sinner?
    I do love de Lord.
De judgment day is a-comin'.
    I do love de Lord.

3. You'll see de world on fire.
    I do love de Lord.
You'll see de element a-meltin'.
    I do love de Lord.

4. You'll see de moon a-bleedin'.
    I do love de Lord.
You'll see de stars a-fallin'.
    I do love de Lord.