The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-12-01
OLD TIME MELODIES
SONGS THE DARKlES USED TO SING
IN THE Old SLAVE DAYS.

Negroes of the Present Day Cut Them
Into serapry Dseords "Massa VIII"
Visits Old Nose, ard Together They
Recall the Happy ald Times.
The old tMe plantation songs Of the
slavery days have about passed away,
and the negroes now cut the original
melodies into scrappy discords and mi
Lcr notes y negro had rather strike
minor note than to rub the waistband
# his pants against Il we'll filled table
and eat. 1t seems that the peculiar tone
+ holds fascination for him which can
not he overcome. There is always some.
thing to interest You when you can hear
n genuine old time plantation song rs
sung by the aged slave negroes, when
heart and soul ure united in the song.
have spent many n pleasant hour
listening to the quaint songs of an old
gray headed negro ON my grandfathers
farm as he would rasp tho screcching
chords III accompaniment on his banjo.
When he would sing, he would got II
humming start with tho chords, and
begin with 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 colorcd paper and all the
colored glass | could find to got him to
sing for mo and To repeat the farfamed
verse of ALTERATION, Did you ever sec
Il possum III papaw patch a-picliin
up papaws and a-puttin EN- i'll his
| pocket to mako II papaw pie for his
papa" This is the joy of his life and
1T never grew old or tircsome TO him TO
repeat II.
Nose was his name and not long
since | concluded To pay him II visit and
To hear again the songs | had so enjuyod
when child. ! found his cabin and he
WIS at home, being unable To get about
much. shock 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 aud give me "A few
strains af Niger Feet In Ashes" Mt "A
lively clip. lie did us ! asked. aud the
old time vigor came upon him again
After playing awhile | asked him to
sing me the corn shocking SONG the
n1Rgers' used 10 sing while they
danced the rabbit dance, after the
corn was all hnsled and the white folks
had gone to led. lie was in inc spirits
and, with his head way back ON his chair
and his feet extended 10 keep time with
the banjo, he sang
EARLY ulo mornin ON my massl'4 farm
Cut DAT pigeon wing LILY Jane,
/ heard dcm chickens Rtyn de HlaIm.
Shnte w feet, Miss LILY Jane
Sm'e " feet, niggers it'll soon be day.
Shoot along liNcly, Miss Lily June
Mnssn Eotch rs dHncin, thcrcll to tmyi
We got 10 dig tatcrs and hoe dnt com
Hit dat duhhlc shuttle, Lily Jnnc!
You'd better hc n-hunpin, COZ II soon b.
mon
shal.o Dat lnlmoiu, Lily lunc'"
After Nose finished singing Tins song
an eight inch grim played across his face
from car t9 ear, his eYcs sfulled and
the old III gro YVES happy again as if the
young tolls bad gone through their
! dancing Nllilo he sang. lie said, MAS
"a WILL dc Lest days CD dc old niger
life am Gcuo gone, but when ! think oh
de poed ed tines. ,ve lead Lero, Il, 81,
desc lents oh minc pits young and
want 10 git night up and hit de jig step
ug III like use 10 do "
told him | WAS something If
dancer myself ard that If he would
cut down lively On IN. .1d ,,bn,u,.,rd
cacklc" vGuld chow bir a few stems
in liz DANCING This tirkled tbe win
lNcd faecdcc rn.ird bp,utp urd plnvad
in earnest;
oP,ost,, I,,.,,,,,,vt,fo,,l H..
Horses IN 3eetalero my, nay, nay,
Ducks in de yard 80 G1ncll 4unck, quaei,,
And ~ ," - -" =fl,,,=t,,af
pigs in do lon lsoup u iAluoalin To- alup,
Zig dogs lHrlan like dey never viii stop.
Guinea8 in e uee 80 et-lnek, rot lHck,
slammed hin, b,,.,,.,, I ,...,-.- 80 -
- r., -
itatih aud 10 IN" h"'h III MS 'liill
and laughed tn his sides were aching
! pulled cut rabbits feet and tossed
1t to him. and Tie effect was uaRical
lie Juhll'd thiee llel On "A flse ahd SIX
feet on the stretch. and gave a Whgep
which Vag fauDI Ia fl GDutau,ie= chief.
Aft., liy f,i,,l,t =,,.,.z,..,. A.. Ill
yl,atovar ~ na, -, ,9', '',
thrso bocdnns ~, rim diJ D,t i,,t,.,l
fo f,ight,n I'm Inf ,ris6,d 80 r.
the .1r,rtti,i,n No fad a,s.,..nd i,
lis vo,lu, duys mad d.,or,ld f,,,, .h,,
I eavo Inn a., sbTnu,o dnIlar fl,5 sc. ,i',,
H., ~ "m5 IT, 49, ,i,.',.le .',,,.i, W.
had bad n fine ti,To m tbe f'eg ho,,,. :
had staid VII bin, ,,,d + .,sl.ad 49,,
toz,i,l, m, liz Lani, 'aa,i,, and -
eing Mo inuo n',d .,..iI .t,f'. o. '''
Ma ,.l..'.i '', ~.
st,inps ogain and he ..a,,,, tl,,' ,,,,ai,,,
,on~ had ,n;nv,d aft,n ,shr,, d I',I'
w.,
- Cd. x: : g: B. Rs. e e. . ':.."
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