Negro Work Songs and Calls AFS L8

FOLK MUSIC OF THE UNITED STATES Music Oivision Recording Laboratory AFS L8

From the Archive of Folk Song

Edited by B. A. Botkin

WASHINGTON . ~ . AI-UNLOADING RAILS Walk to the car, steady yourself. AI-TAMPING TIES Head high! Called by Henry Truvillion at Wiergate, Throw it away! Tex., 1940. Recorded by John A. and Ruby That's just right. T. Lomax. Go back and get another one. You got the wrong one that time .... Henry Truvillion (now Rev. Henry Truvil­ li on, pastor of a small country church near New­ Walk humble and don't yo u stumble, to n, Texas) grew up on a farm in Mississippi And don't you hurt nobody. and has at various times been railroad section Walk to the car and steady yourself. hand, boss of a construction gang on southern Stand a minute. railways, driver of a "two-horse wheeler" on Head high! Mississippi River levee-building jobs, and roust­ Good-bye, rail! about on Mississippi River steamboats. For Good iron! nearly twenty years he was head tracklayer for I heard it ring-nnng.... the Wiergate Lumber Company, where, accord­ Go back and get another one . ... in g to John A. Lomax, "track-laying goes on All right, steady. the year round. Railways must be built to drag Stand a minute. the big logs out of the woods miles from the Get yo ur wi nd a minute. mills. " Head high! The problems presented by recording railroad Good-bye, old rail' construction songs an d calls on the job are such That's all right, son. that most attempts are unsuccessful. In spite of Go back and get another one .... a certain loss of authenticity that results from "stagin g" the work, the present record has con­ Wa lk humble and don't you stumble. siderable documentary value-for its language Don't let me hurt nobody. and declamation style as much as for what is This is the safety first company. said. Only excerpts from Mr. Truvi1lion's rapid­ Steady! fire monolog for unloading steel rails are given Head high! below. Good-bye! For a track-lining holler ("Sis Joe") by Henry That's all right! Truvi11ion, see Our Singing Country, coll ected I heard it ring! and compiled by John A. Lomax and Alan Now let's go back and get another one . .. . Lomax, Ruth Crawford Seeger, music editor · (New York, 1941), pp. 262- 64. A number of steel-laying, tie-shuffling, an d TAMPING TIES tie-tamping chants are given in American Bal­ lads and Folk Songs, collected and compiled by Tamp 'em up solid, John A. Lomax and Alan Lomax (New York, All the livelong day. 1934), pp. 10-20. Tamp 'em up solid, Then they'll hold that midnight mail. UNLOADING RAILS The captain don't like me. Won't allow me no show . . . . All right now, listen to me right good. Well, work don't hurt me, Walk up until you're almost to the car. Don't care where in the world I go. Inside men, step back. Work don't hurt me, Outside, pull up good and strong. Like the early rise. Head high! Well, work don't hurt me, Throw it away! But that's the thing that hurts my pride, That's all right! That hurts my pride, I heard it ring. That hurts my pride, Come on back and get another one now ... . That hurts my pride.

1 A3-HEAVING THE LEAD LINE Don't you change your mind. Called by Sam Hazel at Greenville, Miss., Heave it in the water just-a one more time. 1939. Eight feet and a half, Mr. Pilot, will you change your mind. A4-MISSISSIPPI SOUNDING CALL 1 Run him on a slow bell, AS- MISSISSIPPI SOUNDING CALL 2 Run him on a slow bell. Called by Joe Shores at Greenville, Miss., Quarter less twain on the sta'board side. 1939. Recorded by Herbert Halpert. Mr. Pilot, will you change your mind. Drap it on over on the left-hand side. Tell me there's a buoy, a buoy right on the This record will be interesting to all readers bar. of Mark Twain, especiall y of his Life on the The light is twisted, and you can see just Mississippi. how. On February 2, 1863, according to George pull a little over to the la'board side. D. Lyman, in The Saga of the Comstock Lode Lawd, Lawd. (New York, 1941), p. 213, Samuel L. Clemens, Quarter less twain, then a reporter on the Territorial Enterprise, of Quarter less twain, Was hoe, Nevada, dropped his undistinguished Quarter less twain, pen-name, "Josh," and first signed himself Quarter less twai n, "Mark Twain. " This was originally the "nom de Lawd, Lawd, now send me quarter less plume of one Capt. Isaiah Sellers, who used to twain. write river news over it for the New Orleans Throw the lead line a little higher out. Picayune" (according to a letter of Twain's I've gone low down, so mark twain, dated June 24, 1874). "Mark twain" is the Mark twain. sounding call for two fathoms, or 12 feet­ Come ahead, Mr. Pilot, a little bit strong. "just enough draft for the boat to get over." In I've done got over, and I believe we're his chant Sam Hazel, eighty-six years old, calls gonna th e sounding calls the "old way," as he heard Throw the lead line over-­ them while roustabouting on the Ohio and Mis­ No bottom here. sissippi Rive rs. Joe Shores, fifty-two years old, uses "newer" call s. At the time of this record­ in g, he was pilot on the night run of the A. C. MISSISSIPPI SOUNDING CALLS Jaynes, a ferryboat plying between Greenville, Mississippi, and Arkansas City, Arkansas. 1. No bottom, Mark four, The soundings are call ed by the leadsman to Quarter less four, a deckhand (the word passer) on the hurricane Quarter less fiv e, deck, who relays them to the pilot. "Quarter Half twain, less twain" means two fathoms less a quarter, Quarter twain. or 10.5 feet. Similarily, "quarter less four" is 22.5 feet, and "quarter less five" is 28.5 feet. 2. Quarter less four, "Half twain" is 2.5 fathoms or 15 feet. Half twain, Quarter twain, HEAVING THE LEAD LINE Mark twain, Quarter less twain, Now we're stuck there-?­ Nine and a half feet, For the lead line drapped off right now. Nine feet, Well, old deck hand, when you git on top Eight and a half feet. I'm gonna hear that line-?­ Let the old boat draw. Lord, I'm throwin' lead line on the la'board A6-ARWHOOLIE (CORNFIELD HOLLER) side. Sung by Thomas J. Marshall at Edwards, Quarter less twain, Miss., 1939.

2 QU ITTIN' TIME SONG 2 1;/-QUITIIN' TIME SONGS I and 2 Sung by Samuel Brooks at Edwards, Miss., O h, etc. 1939. MEALTIME CALL A9-MEALTIME CALL Oh, Miss Wright, Called by Thomas J. Marshall at Edwards, Why don't you ri ng that bell" Miss., 1939. Recorded by Herbert Halpert. Oh, Miss Wright, At the time of this recording Thomas J. Mar­ Why don't you rin g that bell ? shall and Samuel Brooks were students at the I can tell Southern Christian Institute, Mount Beulah Col­ The way those greens smell. lege, Edwards. They were brought up together in Edwards and often worked together on the AIO-POSSUM WAS AN EVIL THING same job. According to Mr. Marshall, the "ori g­ A II- COME ON, BOYS, AND LET'S GO TO in al name" of the cornfield holl er is "arwhooli e" HUNTlN' or "hoolie." Of the "Quitting Time Song," Mr. Sung by Henry Truvillion at Burkeville, Brooks says: "They si ng it late in the evening. Tex., 1940. Recordcd by John A. and About the time they quit, they generall y feel Ruby T. Lomax. good and they like to si ng this kind of thing .. . . They usually si ng it on a plantation ... if one I n order to appreciate these children's songs, man starts, well, across maybe another field one must visualize the settin g in the cotton fi elds, close by, why, they sing that same tune back to where childrcn have bccn pi ckin g cotton and are him.... Then maybe another man may answer thinking of a fcast of fat possum baked with him another tune." " Mealtime Call " origi nated sweet potatoes. "Along toward sundown," says among the students at the institute, where meals Henry Truvillion, "we'd all leave and go on were served "on the bell" by Miss Wright, the home, and you can hear sometimes twenty-five dining hall matmn. boys and twenty-five girls all going home through For a discussion of "call" and " response" in the woods and across the fi elds, and they're all fi eld calls, see Negro Folk Rhymes by Thomas singing the same song back at one another." W. Talley (New York, 1922), pp. 264 ff.

POSSUM WAS AN EVIL THING ARWHOOLIE Poss um was an evil thing, Oh, etc. He rambles in the dark. I won't be here long. He didn't know what the trouble was, Oh, etc. Until he hear old Rover bark. Oh, dark gonna catch me here, Ooooh, baby, who*-oh-hoo! Dark gonna catch me here. Ooooh, baby, who-oo-hoo-hoo! Oh, etc. That's my baby, who-oh-oo-oo-oh' Ooooh, baby, who-oh-hoo! Old Aunt Dinah, who-oo-oo-oo! QUITTIN' TIME SONG I Old Aunt Dinah, who-ho-oo-oo-ho! Ooooh, the sun goin g down, Ooooh, baby, who-oh-hoo! And I won't be here long, Ooooh, baby, who-oo-hoo-hoo! Ooooh, the sun going down, That's me a-talkin', who-ho-hoo-hoo-oh! And I won't be here long. Who-ho-hoo-hoo-oh-who-ho-hoo-hoo-oh! Ooooh, then I be going home. Oooh, Dinah, who-oh-ee! Ooooh, I can't let this dark cloud catch me Old Aunt Dinah, who-oo-hoo-hoo' here. Old Aunt Dinah, who-oh-oo-hoo-oh' Ooooooh, I can't stay here long, Ooooooooooh, I be at home. * Pronounced "whoa."

3 Ooooh, baby, who-oh-ho! Mose (Clear Rock) Platt-the "Old Rock" Possum was an evil thing, and "Big Foot Rock" of the song-sings of a He rambles in the dark. dog named Rattler, famed in Negro folk song He didn't know what the trouble was, as (in Clear Rock's own words) "de fastes' an' Until he hear old Rover bark. de smellin'es' bleedhoun' in de South." Clear Ooooh, Rover, who-oh-oo! Rock himself has an almost legendary reputa­ Who-oh, Rover, who-oo-hoo-hoo! tion for being fleet footed. Once, in running That's me a-talkin', who-oh-hoo-hoo-oh! away from a "ghost," he told John A. Lomax, his "eyes was stickin' out an' shinjo' like the COME ON, BOYS, AND LET'S GO TO spy-light on a locomobile. I was goin' so fas' HUNTIN' when I crossed the T. P. tracks in Fort Worth 1. Come on, girls, and let's go to huntin', [2] that my shirt tail catch afire and made me run Dog in the woods, and he done treed faster. That's what I call runnin' yourself lost. sump'n. [2] Before I could protect myself I had run clear [R epeat. ] outa Texas over into Oklahoma." For another ' version, see American Ballads 2. Yo'dog bark, he don't see nothin', [2] and Folk Songs, collected and compiled by John When my dog bark, he done treed sump'n. A. Lomax and Alan Lomax (New York, 1934), Come on, boys, let's go to huntin'. pp.66-67. Dog in the woods, and he done treed sump'n. CHORUS 3. The woods is wet, the roads is muddy. Here, Rattler, I'm so drunk till I can't stand steady. Here, Rattler, here, Come on, boys, let's go to huntin', Here, here, Rattier, ' Dog in the woods, and he done treed Here, Rattler, here. sump'n. 1. Oh, b'lieve to my soul there's a nigger gone, Come on, boys, let's go to huntin', [2] Here, Rattler, here. Dog in the woods, and he done treed Oh, b'lieve to my soul there's a nigger gone, sump'n. Here, Rattler, here. 4. Possum 'up a gum stump, coon in the holler. Rabbit give a backtrack and stole a half a 2. Oh, he went right through the corn. dollar. I heard old horn blow. Come on, boys, let's go to huntin '. 3. Go and get the dog man. Dog in th e woods, and he done treed Go and get the dog man. sump'n . Come on, boys, let's go to huntin', [2] 4. Run that nigger to the riverside. Dog in the woods, and he done treed Run that nigger to the riverside. sump'n. 5. Go and call old Rattler. 5. Possum up a gum stump, coon in the holler, Call old Rattler. Rabbit give a backtrack and stole a half a dollar. [2] 6. Old Rattler come a-yelpin'. Come on, boys, let's go to huntin', [2] Go and call old Rattler. Dog in the woods, and he done treed sump'n. [3] 7. Old Rattler come a-yelpin'. Old Rattler come a-yelpin'. Al2- 0LD RATTLER 8. Oh, put that nigger right up that tree. Sung by Mose (Clear Rock) Platt and Old Rock couldn't get to three. James (Iron Head) Baker at Central State Farm, Sugar Land, Tex., 1934. Recorded by 9. Oh, he set so long with the sympathy. John A. and Alan Lomax. Oh, run that nigger right lost his mind.

4 10. Go and call old Rattler. 2. Lawd, if you rise, Go and call old Rattler. Bring Judgment on. Lawd, if you ri se, 1 I. Oh, he run that nigger till he went stone Bring Judgment on. blind. Oh, cross the river to the long leaf pine. 3. Oh, did you hear What the captain said? 12. Oh, he run so far he didn't leave no sign. Oh, did you hear Oh, got a baby here, got a baby there. What the captain said? 13. Oh, believe to my soul it's the Worldy Fair. 4. That if you work Oh, they didn't 'low no black folks there. He'll treat you well, And if you don't 14. Oh, trip this time, I'll trip no rna'. He'll give you hell. Oh, gain' to the North where you can't go. 5. Oh, go down, old Hannah, Won't you rise no more? 15. Gain' ring the sergeant. Won't you go down, old Hannah, Gain' ring the sergeant. Won't you ri se no more? 16. Old Rattler's good, old Rattler's bad. 6. Oh, long-time man, Believe to my soul it's another one gone. Hold up your head. Well, you may get a pardon 17. Oh, if you can hold it up you can hold And you may drop dead. right on, Run that nigger right through that corn. 7. Lawdy, nobody feel s sorry For the life-time man. 18. Oh, Big Foot Rock is surely gone! Nobody feels sorry Oh, Big Foot Rock is surely gone! For the life-time man.

82-HAMMER, RING BI- GO DOWN, OLD HANNAH Sung by Jesse Bradley and group at State Sung by James (Iron Head) Baker, Will Penitentiary, Huntsville, Tex., 1934. Re­ Crosby, R. D. Allen, and Mose (Clear corded by John A. and Alan Lomax. Rock) Platt at Central State Farm, Sugar Land, Tex., 1933. Recorded by John A. The most dynamic of Negro work rhythms and Alan Lomax. are to be found in the hammer songs. Of "Ham­ mer, Ring," John A. Lomax has written: "The This is one of the best known of the slow­ men who drove the spikes that fastened the long drag work songs sun g by Negro prisoners in steel rails to the wooden ties sang the most South Texas. James (Iron Head) Baker says thrilling tune of all-the hammer song, song that he first sang it in 1908, on long hot sum­ of the ten-pound hammer with its two heads mer days when, about three o'clock in the scarcely more than a couple of inches in diam­ afternoon, the sun (Old Hannah) seemed to eter, that was swung free from the shoulder in stop and "just hang" in the sky. a complete circle about the head ... that song For another version, sung to a sim il ar tune, with its own individual vibrant and stirring see Our Singing Country, collected and com­ tune. " piled by John A. Lomax and Alan Lomax, The Bible story of Noah and the ark, which Ruth Crawford Seeger, music editor (New York, is also the theme of spirituals, is here used to 1941) , pp. 356-58. dramatize the work, with echoes of ballad and game-song usage. 1. Go down, old Hannah, For another version see American Ballads Won't you rise no more? and Folk Songs, collected and compiled by Go down, old Hannah, John A. Lomax and Alan Lomax (New York, Won't you rise no mor e? 1934) , pp. 61-62.

5 (,HORliS LEADER AND CHORUS Well. 1 wonder what's the matter Won't yo u ring. old hammer? With my long time here. Hammer. ring. Awrillirr. Won't you ring. old hammer? Hammer. ring. LEADER Boys, 1 woke up early this mornin'. I. Broko the handl e on my hammer. CHORUS Hammer. ring . Hey. Lawd! Broke the handle on my hammer. LEADER AND CHORUS Hammer. ring . Boys. 1 woke up early this mornin'. AwriJ:hl, Qwrighl . .., (101 to hammcrin' in the Bihlc. ) , GonIa talk aho ut Norah. LEADER AND CHORUS 4. Well. God told Norah. 'Bout the break of day. ~ . Y~ll1 is a-guill' in the timber. Til e break of day. (l, You argue some Bible. H ear iI, hear il. 7. Well. Norah got worried. LEADER X. What you want with th e timber? Well . the big bell sho was tonin '. 9 . Won't YO li build me a ark. sir? CHORUS 10. Well. Norah asked God. sir. Oh--o, Lawd. I I . How high do yo u want it? LEADER AND CHORUS I~ . Build it fort y-t wo cubits. Well , the bi g bell sho was tonin'. I~ . Every cubit ha ve a window. Silo WU.f. Good Lawd. 14 . Well. it start ed in to r"inin· . LEADER AND CHORUS I ~ . Old Norah got worried. I(,. He called in hi s children. Just a while fa' day . 17. Well. Norah told God. sir. Judge right. I R. This is a ve ry fine hammer. Oh, yah! 19. Got the sa me old hammer. Everybody talk. 20. Got to h:lI11l11crin' in the timber . . .. LEADER Well, the bully turn over in the bed a-grumblin '. R_'-I WONDER WHAT'S THE MATIER CHORUS Sung by "Lightnin g" and group at Darrin g­ Oh--o, Lawd. ton State Farm. Sandy Point. Tex .. 1934. Recorded by John A. and Alan Lomax. LEADER AND CHOR US over in the bed a-grumblin'. This slow-drag pri son song is an unusual 'Bout that night so short. l'xample of ce rtain qualities of declamation as­ Oil, Lawd. sociated wit h Negro serm ons :md religious serv­ DOll' IIurt Ilobody. ices. Most striking . perhaps. is the use of Nigilt so silort. rh yt hmic interjection s whi ch resemble the ex­ LEADER clamations and interp olations in Negro sermons. Well, it look like it been one hour. In it s blending of solo and group voices and its CHORUS handling of pause and repetition in the call and Oh-o, Lawd. response passages. it is more akin to a reli gious chant than a work song. LEADER AND CHORUS Well, it look like it been one hour. LEADER Oh, Lawd. [ wonder what's the matter. LEADER AND CHORUS C HORUS Pardner, since I lay down. Oh-o, Lawd! all, Lawd, since flay down . ...

6 B4-ROLL '1M ON DOWN [Bahaman 4. Well, we roll 'im along, Launching Song] Well, we pull 'im along, Sung by David Pryor and group of Andros Hey, ay, pull 'im along. Island men at Nassau, Bahamas, 1935. Well, we pull 'im along from this old ship­ Recorded by Alan Lomax and Mary E. yard, Barnicle. Give me some time to pull 'im along.

David Pryor comes of a family of singers. 5. Well, we slide 'im along, "My mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, Well, we push 'im along, and all their children sang all the time." A Hey, ay, push 'im along. native of Nassau, he used to follow sponge fish­ Oh, come and give me a little bit of time ing (until recently one of the principal indus­ for to push 'im along, tries of the island) as a bowman, who "sights Give me some time to push 'jm along. the sponges with his glass and hooks them." 6. Oh, come roll 'im along, The launching described in this song is a com­ Well, we slide 'im along, munity affair, which takes place in October or Hey, ay, slide 'im along. November, after the hurricane season, when the Well, we slide 'im along down to the old sailboats are hauled down the beach again. seaside. "Roll '1m on Down" is the type of work song Give me some time to slide 'im along. whose words describe the action and whose rhythm suggests the movement of the work. It 7. Oh, as we roll 'im along, is also a good example of the process of fitting Then we'll roll 'im along, new words to an old tune ("Blow the Man Hey, ay, roll 'im along. Down") which is just suited to them. More­ Give me some time for to slide 'im along, over, its words are such as might have been Give me some time to slide 'jm along. composed by a group. 8. Well , we jerk 'im along, For two other Bahaman launching songs Well, we kick 'im along, (versions of the shanties, "Round the Bay of Hey, ay, slide 'im along. Mexico" and "Bowline"), sung by David Pryor Gi ve me a little time for to kick 'im along, and Henry Lundy, see album L5 in this series. Give me some time to pull 'im along.

I. So pull 'im along, 9. Well, we roll 'im along, Well, we pull 'im along, And we pull 'im along, Hey, ay, pull 'im along. Hey, ay, pull 'im along. Now we pull 'im along from this old ship­ Give me some time for to pull 'im along, yard, Give me some time to push 'im along. Give me some time to roll 'im along. 10. Oh , well, we roll 'im along, 2. Now we jerk 'im along, Well, we swing 'im along, Well, we jerk 'im along, Hey, ay, swing 'jm along. Hey, ay, jerk 'im along. Well, we swing 'im along down to the old Come and give me some time for to jerk seaside, 'im along, Give me some time to push 'im along. Give me some time to roll 'im along. BS-THE ROCK ISLAND LINE 3. Well, we kick 'im along, Sung by Kelley Pace, Charlie Porter, L. T. Weil, we kick 'im along, Edwards, Willie Hubbard, Luther Wil­ Hey, ay, kick 'im along. liams, Napoleon Cooper, Albert Pate, and Now we kick 'im along from this old Cap­ Willie Lee Jones at Cumins State Farm, tain's ground, Gould, Ark., 1934. Recorded by John A. Give me some time to kick 'im along. Lomax.

7 B6-TRACK-LINING SONG 2. Well, the train left Memphis at half pas' Sung by Allen Prothero at State Peniten­ nine. tiary, Nashville, Tenn., 1933. Recorded by Well, it made it back to Little Rock at John A. and Alan Lomax. eight forty-nine. As a song about a railroad, "The Rock Island 3. Well, Jesus died to save me in all of my sin. Line" (sung both as a spiritual and as a field Well-a, glory to God, we gain' to meet Him song) is presented here for contrast with a rail­ again. road work song like "Track-Lin ing Song." In the one the train is a symbol of speed and es­ TRACK-LINING SONG cape, with a tall tale twist that makes it arrive forty-one minutes before it started . In the other 1. Hey, boys, joint ahead. the men sing about their troubles on the job and I'm gonna tell you something now. their pleasures off it, with one biblical allusion. Oh, all I want-my navy beans, Allen Prothero, himself a railroad worker, A big fat woman and a wheeler team. died of tuberculosis in the Nashville penitentiary Hi, hi, won't you line 'em? just before receiving his parole. Only a portion Hi, hi, won't you line 'em? of his "Track-Lining Song" is reproduced here Ho, ho, won't you line 'em? because of defects in the original record. See Eloise go lining track. For another version, by Henry Truvillion, see 2. I! I could, I surely would American Ballads and Folk Songs, collected Stand on the rock where Moses stood. and compiled by John A. Lomax and Alan Oh, boys, in the morning, Lomax (New York, 1934), pp. 14-17. Hi, hi, a'ternoon, Hi, boys, in the evening, THE ROCK ISLAND LINE I'd be standing there all the time. CHORUS 3. Oh, boys, want to tell you something now. Oh, way down yonder in the harvest field, I says the Rock Island Line is a mighty Angels working at the chariot wheel. good road. Oh, boys, won't you line 'em, I says the Rock Island Line is the road to Oh, boys, won't you line 'em, ride. Oh, boys, won't you line 'em, I says the Rock Island Line is a mighty See Eloise go lining track. good road. I! you want to ride, you gotta ride it like 4. Oh, if I'd known my cap'n was blind, you're flyin'. Wouldn't went to work till the clock struck Buy your ticket at the statlOn on the Rock nine. Island Line. Ha, boys, he can see. I. Well , Jesus died to save me in all of my sin. Hi, hi, he ain't blind. Well-a, glory to God, we gain' to meet Him Hi, hi, got a Waterbury. again. Hi, hi, he can tell time ... .

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Library of Congress Catalog Card Num be r R59-5X I rev

Avail able from the Recorded Sound Section, Music Division , Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540