The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-12-07
OLD TIME MELODIES.
SONGS THE DARklES USED TO SING
IN THE OLD SLAVE DAYS.

IN THE OLD SLAVE DAYS.
Negroes of the Present Day Cut Them
Into Scrappy Discords-'sdassa VIII"
Visits Old Nose, and Together They
Recall the Happy Old Times.
The old time plantation songs Of the
slavery days have about passed away,
and the negroes now cut the original
melodies into scrappy discords and mi
nor notes. A negro had rather strike
minor note than to rub the waistband
of his pants against well filed table
and eat. 1t seems that the peculiar tone
holds fascination for him which can
not be overcome. There is always some
thing to interest you when you can hear
a genuine old time plantation song as
sung by the aged slave negroes, when
heart and soul are united in the song.
l have spent many pleasant hour
listening to the quaint songs of an old
gray headed negro on my grandfather's
farm as he would rasp the screeching
chords in accompaniment on his banjo.
When he would sing, he would get a
humming start with the chords, and
begin with a long drawn out note, rear
way back, pat his feet and shake his old
gray head. He enjoyed singing, and /
enjoyed listening. would take him
little pieces of colored paper and all the
colored glass I could find to get him to
sing for me and to repeat the farfamed
verse of ALTERATION, Ibid you ever see
postum in papaw patch a-pickin
up papaws and a-puttin 'em in his
pocket to make papaw pie for his
papa?" This is the joy of his life, and
it never grew old or tiresome to him to
repeat it.
Nose was his name, and not long
since l concluded to pay him visit and
to hear again the songs had so enjoyed
when child. found his cabin and he
was at home, being unable to get about
much. shook hands with the honest
old negro and sat down. The light
which came into his face showed how.
welcome was, and we had long talk.
Finally asked him to take the dusty
banjo from the wall and give me few
strains of Niger Foot In Ashes at
lively clip. He did as / asked, and the
old time vigor came upon him again.
After playing awhile asked him to
sing me the corn shocking song the
ringers" used to sing while they
danced the rabbit Dance" after the
corn was all husked and the white folks
had gone to bed. He was in fine spirits,
and, with his head way back on his chair
and his feet extended to keep time with
the banjo, he sang:
"Early one mornin on my massa's farm
| Cut dat pigeon wing, Lily Janet
| heard dem chickens a-givin de alarm.
Shake 20 feet, Miss Lily janet
| Shake yo' feet, niggers; III soon be day.
Shoot along lively, Miss Lily janet
Massa ketch us dancin there'll - to payi
| We got to dig taters and hoe dat corn.
| Hit dat bubble shuttle, Lily janet
| You'd better be a-humpin, coz it soon be
morn.
Shake dat balmoral Lily Janei''
After Nose finished singing this song
an eight inch grin played across his face
from ear to ear. his eyes sparkled and
the old negro was happy again as if the
young folks had gone through their
dancing while he sang. He said, "Mas-
sa Will, de best days OBJ de old nigger's
life am done gone, but when / think OBJ
de good old times we had befo' de wah
desc bones OBJ mine gifts young, and L
want to git right up and hit de jig step
ag in like use to do.''
told him I was something of
dancer myself, and that if he would
cut down lively on the old "barnyard
cackle" would show him a few steps
in jig dancing. This tickled the wrin-
killed. faced coon, and he sang and played
in earnest:
"Rooster in de chicken coop CROWN TO- day,
Horses in dc stable go nay, nay, nay,
Ducks in de yard go quack, quack, quack,
Quack,
And de goose goes flley-Ifeel
"Pigs in de pen keep a-squealin TO- slop,
Big dogs barkin like dey never will stop,
Guineas in de tree go pot-rack, pot-rack,
And de goose goes flley- I-feei"
I stopped him because I was out of
breath, and he laid back in his chair
and laughed till his sides were aching.
pulled out rabbits foot and tossed
it to him, and the effect was magical.
He jumped "three feet on rise and six
feet on the stretch, and gave whoop
which was equal to Comanche chiefs
After his fright was over he told me,
whatever did, not to put any more of
those hoodoos on him. l did not intend
to brighten him, but wished to see If
the superstition he had possessed in
his young days had departed from him.
gave him a shining dollar for soaring
him SO, and he was himself again. We
had had fine time in the few hours I
had staid with him, and / asked him
to pick up his banjo again and play and
sing the tune he used to call ''Mr Kim
BILE. % His bony fingers raked across the
strings again, and he sang the quaint
song I had enjoyed often when child:
"You can't guess what we had TO- supper
Cum rop-strop- bottle, Mr.. Kimblei-
Black eyed peas and bread and butter.
Cum rop-strop- bottle, Mr.. Kimblei
"Beefsteak, ham and mutton chop
Cum rop-strop-bottle, Mr.. Kimblei-
Make nigger,s lips go fippity flop.
Cum rop-strop- bottle, Mr.. Kimblei"
And after each verse he sang the cho-
rus:
''KeemN. kimo, kilgo, kayro,
Fleero, hiro, flavorayi
Rop-strop eriwinzle, little yaller boogeri
Cum rop-strop- bottle, Mr.. Kimbiei"
Though age had left its telling mark
on the person of Nose, his rich voice
was as clear as a bell, and the minstrel
of today cannot equal it for genuine
melody. 1 was not anxious to leave
him, but the day was far spent, and I
had several miles to go, SO babe him
goodby and left the faithful old servant
with tears streaming down his husky
face. He laid his rough hands on my
head and blessed me, saying, "Massa
Will, I'll soon be over dere in de land
OBJ Canyan, but I'll remember dis visit
to my dyin day. Louisville Courier
Journal
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