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Origins: Ballad of Harriet Tubman DigiTrad: HARRIET TUBMAN Related thread: happy? - Mar 10 (Harriet Tubman) (1) |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Ballad of Harriet Tubman From: Felipa Date: 12 Feb 22 - 04:13 PM There is a short Wikipedia entry re Walter Robinson, author of the Ballad of Harriet Tubman and also a "several operas." Songs of Slavery In Operatic Form - CSMonitor.com https://www.csmonitor.com/1992/0324/24101.html Composer Walter Robinson brings gospel music and African-American history to classic opera March 24, 1992 By John Budris Special to The Christian Science Monitor CAMBRIDGE, MASS. AFRICAN-AMERICAN... "[In 1984], Mr. Robinson became a fellow at Harvard University's Du Bois Institute, an independent research facility that brings scholars together to pursue African and African-American themes. There Robinson began work on "Look What a Wonder Jesus Has Done," an opera based on the life of Denmark Vesey. For Robinson, Vesey encompassed what he called the 'dichotomy of the African-American hero.' " 'He [Vesey] was a devout Christian but had to reconcile the use of violence to regain his people's dignity. He was a prosperous and free African at a time and in a place when 70,000 of his brothers and sisters were enslaved,' explains Robinson. " 'Originally I had intended to write the opera about Harriet Tubman and the 'underground railroad.' But the contradictions faced by a black male brought another dimension to the story I wanted to tell.'" |
Subject: RE: Origins: Ballad of Harriet Tubman From: Joe Offer Date: 11 Feb 22 - 11:31 PM Up above, I said that the song was written by "folk icon Walt Robinson," but the folk icon was Walt Robertson. So, who's this Robinson guy? Songfile.com confirms that the songwriter was WALTER H. ROBINSON |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Harriet Tubman From: Joe Offer Date: 05 Jun 17 - 01:41 AM Thread #275 Message #735 Posted By: Susan 10-Dec-96 - 10:17 PM Thread Name: Lyr Req: songs recorded by Holly Near Subject: Lyr Add: HARRIET TUBMAN -and- HAY UNA MUJER HARRIET TUBMAN |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs recorded by Holly Near From: Joe Offer Date: 05 Jun 17 - 01:36 AM Hi, Joe - Well, it's clear that in folk icon Walt Robinson's "Harriet Tubman" song, the underground railroad has both first mates and lifelines. I suppose one can do such things with metaphorical railroads. John McCutcheon has his version of the lyrics here (click), and I've moved pertinent messages here to our thread on the song. -Joe- |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs recorded by Holly Near From: Joe_F Date: 04 Jun 17 - 05:40 PM A railroad with a first mate & a lifeline! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Harriet Tubman From: GUEST,hg Date: 18 Feb 07 - 02:02 PM Thanks, oldhippie. That is the song I wanted. The previous song, which kt so kindly typed is already in our database and was not the one I was looking for but thanks anyway, kt. Thanks for the tune, Suffett. Veronika Jackson sang this song, Friday at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and I had not heard it but knew it existed. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Harriet Tubman From: oldhippie Date: 18 Feb 07 - 12:34 PM Magpie's recording is on their "John Brown, Spirit of the Sword". |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Harriet Tubman From: Suffet Date: 18 Feb 07 - 11:17 AM Greetings: The tune for Woody Guthrie's song is Lady of Carlisle. It's in the Digital Tradition. Guthrie's original recording is available on a CD from Smithsonian-Folkways called Long Ways to Travel, 1944-1949. The song has also been recorded by Magpie. In addition, Ethan Miller, a young musician from rural Maine, sings the song to a somewhat more modern, uptempo acoustic rock tune that he wrote by reworking the original. Miller also added a new final stanza: So now listen to me, daughter, Listen to me, my dear son, Don't you dare think I'm something special, And you couldn't do just what I've done. Don't you dare think I'm something special, And you couldn't do just what I've done. If we're gonna win this fight for freedom, You got to do just what I done. I have a live recording of Ethan Miller singing his version of Harriet Tubman's Ballad, taken from the sound board when he appeared at CB's 313 Gallery in New York a couple of years ago. I'm willing to lend it if you would like to learn the song, provided you agree not to make any illegal copies. If you are interested, please contact me by e-mail only, and not by PM. I read my e-mail at least once a day, but I might not log onto Mudcat for weeks at a time. --- Steve |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Harriet Tubman From: Willa Date: 18 Feb 07 - 10:49 AM Thanks, oldhippie. Any idea of the tune? |
Subject: Lyr Add: BALLAD OF HARRIET TUBMAN (Woody Guthrie) From: oldhippie Date: 18 Feb 07 - 09:08 AM more likely this..... BALLAD OF HARRIET TUBMAN Woody Guthrie I was five years old in Bucktown Maryland When into slavery I was sent I'll tell you of the beatings and of the fighting In my ninety-three years I've spent I helped a field hand make a run for freedom When my fifteenth year was rolling round And the guard he caught him in a little store In a little slavery village town The boss made a grab to catch the field hand I jumped in and blocked the door The boss he hit me with a two pound scale iron And I went black down on the floor On a bundle of rags in our log cabin My mother she ministered unto my needs It was here I swore I'd give my life blood Just to turn my people free In '44 I married John Tubman Well I loved him well till '49 But he would not come and fight beside me So I left him there behind I left Bucktown with my two brothers But they got scared and run back home I followed my northern star of freedom I walked the grass and trees alone I slept in a barn loft and in a haystack I slept with my people in slavery shacks They said I'd die by the bossman's bullets But I told them I can't turn back The sun was shining in the early morning When I come to my free state line I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming I just could not believe my eyes I went back home and I got my parents I loaded them into a buckboard hag We crossed six states and other slaves followed Up to Canada we made our tracks One slave got scared and he tried to turn backwards I pulled my pistol in front of his eyes I said get up and walk to your freedom Or by this fireball you will die When John Brown hit them at Harper's Ferry My men was fighting right by his side When John Brown swung upon his gallows It was then I hung my head and cried Give the black man guns and give him powder To Abe Lincoln this I said You've just crippled that snake of slavery We've got to fight to kill him dead When we faced the guns of lightning And the thunders broke our sleep After we waded the bloody rainstorms It was dead men that we reaped Yes we faced the zigzag lightning But it was worth the price we paid When our thunder had rumbled over We'd laid slavery in its grave Come now and stand around my deathbed And I will sing some spirit songs I'm my way to my greater union Now my ninety-three years are gone |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Harriet Tubman From: Willa Date: 18 Feb 07 - 08:17 AM It's on 'Carry It On' (Seeger, Sapp and Kahn) Flying Fish CD You can hear an audio clip here: http://www.amazon.com/Carry-Songs-Americas-Working-People/dp/B000000MF2 I found it in the book of the sme title(ISBN01371848X) book, where it had these additional words after V2 @who are these children dressed in red? Must br thr ones that Moses led.(Harriet was called 'The Moses of her people') |
Subject: Lyr Add: HARRIET TUBMAN (Walter Robinson) From: GUEST,kt Date: 18 Feb 07 - 02:13 AM Is this what you're looking for, hg? HARRIET TUBMAN (Walter Robinson, Shawnee Press, Inc.) ^^^ One night I dreamed I was in slavery 'bout 1850 was the time, Sorrow was the only sign- there's nothing about to ease my mind. Out of the night appeared a lady leading a distant pilgrim band, "First mate," she cried, pointing a hand "make room aboard for this young woman." "Come on up, I've got a lifeline! Come on up to this train of mine." They said her name was Harriet Tubman, And she drove for the Underground Railroad. Hundreds of miles we traveled onward gathering slaves from town to town, Seeking all the lost and found and setting those free that once were bound. Somehow my heart was growing weaker, I fell by the wayside's sinking sand, Firmly did this lady stand- she lifted me up and took my hand. Singing "Come on up, I've got a lifeline! Come on up to this train of mine." They said her name was Harriet Tubman And she drove for the Underground Railroad. |
Subject: Lyr Req: Ballad of Harriet Tubman From: GUEST,hg Date: 17 Feb 07 - 10:26 PM Did Woody Guthrie write and record this song? Can anyone find me the lyrics? Thanks... |
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