Chapter 9

[34]We are told that this song is common among the whites of Western North Carolina.

[34]We are told that this song is common among the whites of Western North Carolina.

Bloodhoun’ on My TrackBloodhoun’ from Macon right on my track,Right on my track, right on my track.Bloodhoun’ from Macon right on my track,Wonder who gonna stan’ my bon’?

Bloodhoun’ on My Track

Bloodhoun’ from Macon right on my track,Right on my track, right on my track.Bloodhoun’ from Macon right on my track,Wonder who gonna stan’ my bon’?

Bloodhoun’ from Macon right on my track,Right on my track, right on my track.Bloodhoun’ from Macon right on my track,Wonder who gonna stan’ my bon’?

Bloodhoun’ from Macon right on my track,

Right on my track, right on my track.

Bloodhoun’ from Macon right on my track,

Wonder who gonna stan’ my bon’?

Buffalo BillI’m de bad nigger,If you wants to know;Look at dem roundersIn de cemetery row.Shoot, nigger,Shoot to kill,Who’s you foolin’ wid?My Buffalo Bill?Buffalo BillWus a man of might,Always wore his britchesTwo sizes too tight.Split ’em nigger,Ride ’em on a rail;I’ve got de mon toPay yo’ bail.

Buffalo Bill

I’m de bad nigger,If you wants to know;Look at dem roundersIn de cemetery row.Shoot, nigger,Shoot to kill,Who’s you foolin’ wid?My Buffalo Bill?Buffalo BillWus a man of might,Always wore his britchesTwo sizes too tight.Split ’em nigger,Ride ’em on a rail;I’ve got de mon toPay yo’ bail.

I’m de bad nigger,If you wants to know;Look at dem roundersIn de cemetery row.Shoot, nigger,Shoot to kill,Who’s you foolin’ wid?My Buffalo Bill?

I’m de bad nigger,

If you wants to know;

Look at dem rounders

In de cemetery row.

Shoot, nigger,

Shoot to kill,

Who’s you foolin’ wid?

My Buffalo Bill?

Buffalo BillWus a man of might,Always wore his britchesTwo sizes too tight.Split ’em nigger,Ride ’em on a rail;I’ve got de mon toPay yo’ bail.

Buffalo Bill

Wus a man of might,

Always wore his britches

Two sizes too tight.

Split ’em nigger,

Ride ’em on a rail;

I’ve got de mon to

Pay yo’ bail.

Dat Leadin’ Houn’Dere’s a creeper hangin’ ’roun’,I’m gwiner git ’im I be boun’.Den dey put dat feller in de groun’An’ I be listenin’ fer dat houn’,Dat leadin’ houn’.All aroun’ here,All aroun’ here,What does I keer?Listenin’ fer dat leadin’ houn’.Steal in home middle o’ de night,Give dem folksies sich a fright.Say, “Feed me, woman, treat me right,”But she send fer de sheriffAn’ de leadin’ houn’.

Dat Leadin’ Houn’

Dere’s a creeper hangin’ ’roun’,I’m gwiner git ’im I be boun’.Den dey put dat feller in de groun’An’ I be listenin’ fer dat houn’,Dat leadin’ houn’.All aroun’ here,All aroun’ here,What does I keer?Listenin’ fer dat leadin’ houn’.Steal in home middle o’ de night,Give dem folksies sich a fright.Say, “Feed me, woman, treat me right,”But she send fer de sheriffAn’ de leadin’ houn’.

Dere’s a creeper hangin’ ’roun’,I’m gwiner git ’im I be boun’.Den dey put dat feller in de groun’An’ I be listenin’ fer dat houn’,Dat leadin’ houn’.

Dere’s a creeper hangin’ ’roun’,

I’m gwiner git ’im I be boun’.

Den dey put dat feller in de groun’

An’ I be listenin’ fer dat houn’,

Dat leadin’ houn’.

All aroun’ here,All aroun’ here,What does I keer?Listenin’ fer dat leadin’ houn’.

All aroun’ here,

All aroun’ here,

What does I keer?

Listenin’ fer dat leadin’ houn’.

Steal in home middle o’ de night,Give dem folksies sich a fright.Say, “Feed me, woman, treat me right,”But she send fer de sheriffAn’ de leadin’ houn’.

Steal in home middle o’ de night,

Give dem folksies sich a fright.

Say, “Feed me, woman, treat me right,”

But she send fer de sheriff

An’ de leadin’ houn’.

Outrun Dat CopHi lee, hi lo, happy on de way,Hi lee, hi lo, outrun dat cop today.Hi lee, hi lo, watch his shirt-tail fly,Hi lee, hi lo, ’splain to you by and by.

Outrun Dat Cop

Hi lee, hi lo, happy on de way,Hi lee, hi lo, outrun dat cop today.Hi lee, hi lo, watch his shirt-tail fly,Hi lee, hi lo, ’splain to you by and by.

Hi lee, hi lo, happy on de way,Hi lee, hi lo, outrun dat cop today.Hi lee, hi lo, watch his shirt-tail fly,Hi lee, hi lo, ’splain to you by and by.

Hi lee, hi lo, happy on de way,

Hi lee, hi lo, outrun dat cop today.

Hi lee, hi lo, watch his shirt-tail fly,

Hi lee, hi lo, ’splain to you by and by.

Don’t You Hear?Don’t you hear dat shakin’ noise?Don’t you hear dat creepin’ ’roun’?Don’t you hear dat stefly walkin’?Dat’s dat man I laid down, laid down.Can’t you hear dem bones a-shakin’?Can’t you hear dem dead man’s moan?Can’t you see dem dead man’s sperrits?Can’t you see dat man ain’t gone?

Don’t You Hear?

Don’t you hear dat shakin’ noise?Don’t you hear dat creepin’ ’roun’?Don’t you hear dat stefly walkin’?Dat’s dat man I laid down, laid down.Can’t you hear dem bones a-shakin’?Can’t you hear dem dead man’s moan?Can’t you see dem dead man’s sperrits?Can’t you see dat man ain’t gone?

Don’t you hear dat shakin’ noise?Don’t you hear dat creepin’ ’roun’?Don’t you hear dat stefly walkin’?Dat’s dat man I laid down, laid down.

Don’t you hear dat shakin’ noise?

Don’t you hear dat creepin’ ’roun’?

Don’t you hear dat stefly walkin’?

Dat’s dat man I laid down, laid down.

Can’t you hear dem bones a-shakin’?Can’t you hear dem dead man’s moan?Can’t you see dem dead man’s sperrits?Can’t you see dat man ain’t gone?

Can’t you hear dem bones a-shakin’?

Can’t you hear dem dead man’s moan?

Can’t you see dem dead man’s sperrits?

Can’t you see dat man ain’t gone?

I’s a Natural-bo’n EastmanI’s a natural-bo’n eastman,An’ a cracker jack,I’s a natural-bo’n eastmanAn’ a cracker jack,On de road again,On de road again.

I’s a Natural-bo’n Eastman

I’s a natural-bo’n eastman,An’ a cracker jack,I’s a natural-bo’n eastmanAn’ a cracker jack,On de road again,On de road again.

I’s a natural-bo’n eastman,An’ a cracker jack,I’s a natural-bo’n eastmanAn’ a cracker jack,On de road again,On de road again.

I’s a natural-bo’n eastman,

An’ a cracker jack,

I’s a natural-bo’n eastman

An’ a cracker jack,

On de road again,

On de road again.

I Steal Dat CornI steal dat cornFrom de white man’s barn,Den I slips aroun’,Tells a yarn,An’ sells it back again.I steal dem chickensFrom de white man’s yard,Den I tells dat manI’s workin’ hard,An’ I sells ’em back again.I steal de melonsFrom his patch,It takes a smarter man dan himFer ter ketch,An’ I sells ’em back again.

I Steal Dat Corn

I steal dat cornFrom de white man’s barn,Den I slips aroun’,Tells a yarn,An’ sells it back again.I steal dem chickensFrom de white man’s yard,Den I tells dat manI’s workin’ hard,An’ I sells ’em back again.I steal de melonsFrom his patch,It takes a smarter man dan himFer ter ketch,An’ I sells ’em back again.

I steal dat cornFrom de white man’s barn,Den I slips aroun’,Tells a yarn,An’ sells it back again.

I steal dat corn

From de white man’s barn,

Den I slips aroun’,

Tells a yarn,

An’ sells it back again.

I steal dem chickensFrom de white man’s yard,Den I tells dat manI’s workin’ hard,An’ I sells ’em back again.

I steal dem chickens

From de white man’s yard,

Den I tells dat man

I’s workin’ hard,

An’ I sells ’em back again.

I steal de melonsFrom his patch,It takes a smarter man dan himFer ter ketch,An’ I sells ’em back again.

I steal de melons

From his patch,

It takes a smarter man dan him

Fer ter ketch,

An’ I sells ’em back again.

I’m de Rough StuffI’m de rough stuff of dark-town alley,I’m de man dey hates to see.I’m de rough stuff of dis alley,But de womens all falls for me.Lawd, Lawd, how dey hates me!Lawd, Lawd, how dey swear!Lawd, Lawd, how dey hates me!Lawd, Lad, what-a mo’ do I care?

I’m de Rough Stuff

I’m de rough stuff of dark-town alley,I’m de man dey hates to see.I’m de rough stuff of dis alley,But de womens all falls for me.Lawd, Lawd, how dey hates me!Lawd, Lawd, how dey swear!Lawd, Lawd, how dey hates me!Lawd, Lad, what-a mo’ do I care?

I’m de rough stuff of dark-town alley,I’m de man dey hates to see.I’m de rough stuff of dis alley,But de womens all falls for me.

I’m de rough stuff of dark-town alley,

I’m de man dey hates to see.

I’m de rough stuff of dis alley,

But de womens all falls for me.

Lawd, Lawd, how dey hates me!Lawd, Lawd, how dey swear!Lawd, Lawd, how dey hates me!Lawd, Lad, what-a mo’ do I care?

Lawd, Lawd, how dey hates me!

Lawd, Lawd, how dey swear!

Lawd, Lawd, how dey hates me!

Lawd, Lad, what-a mo’ do I care?

I Ain’t Done Nothin’Went up to ’Lanta,Who should I meet?Forty-leben blue coatsComin’ down de street,Forty-leben blue coatsComin’ down de street.I ain’t done nothin’,What dey follerin’ after me?I ain’t done nothin,Can’t dey let me be?

I Ain’t Done Nothin’

Went up to ’Lanta,Who should I meet?Forty-leben blue coatsComin’ down de street,Forty-leben blue coatsComin’ down de street.I ain’t done nothin’,What dey follerin’ after me?I ain’t done nothin,Can’t dey let me be?

Went up to ’Lanta,Who should I meet?Forty-leben blue coatsComin’ down de street,Forty-leben blue coatsComin’ down de street.I ain’t done nothin’,What dey follerin’ after me?I ain’t done nothin,Can’t dey let me be?

Went up to ’Lanta,

Who should I meet?

Forty-leben blue coats

Comin’ down de street,

Forty-leben blue coats

Comin’ down de street.

I ain’t done nothin’,

What dey follerin’ after me?

I ain’t done nothin,

Can’t dey let me be?

When He GrinHis head was big an’ nappy,An’ ashy wus his skin,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.His nose wus long an’ p’inted,His eyes wus full o’ sin,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.His foots wus long an’ bony,An’ skinny wus his shin,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.He’d fight ten,He could sin, always win,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.

When He Grin

His head was big an’ nappy,An’ ashy wus his skin,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.His nose wus long an’ p’inted,His eyes wus full o’ sin,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.His foots wus long an’ bony,An’ skinny wus his shin,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.He’d fight ten,He could sin, always win,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.

His head was big an’ nappy,An’ ashy wus his skin,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.

His head was big an’ nappy,

An’ ashy wus his skin,

But good God-a’mighty, man,

You forget it when he grin.

His nose wus long an’ p’inted,His eyes wus full o’ sin,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.

His nose wus long an’ p’inted,

His eyes wus full o’ sin,

But good God-a’mighty, man,

You forget it when he grin.

His foots wus long an’ bony,An’ skinny wus his shin,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.

His foots wus long an’ bony,

An’ skinny wus his shin,

But good God-a’mighty, man,

You forget it when he grin.

He’d fight ten,He could sin, always win,But good God-a’mighty, man,You forget it when he grin.

He’d fight ten,

He could sin, always win,

But good God-a’mighty, man,

You forget it when he grin.

Shot My Pistol in the Heart o’ Town[35]O Lawd,Shot my pistolIn the heart o’ town.Lawd, the big chief hollered,“Doncha blow me down.”O Lawd,Which a-wayDid the po’ gal go?She lef’ here runnin’,Is all I know.O Lawd,Which a-wayDo the Red River run?Lawd, it run east and westLike the risin’ sun.Black gal hollered,Like to scared my brown to death.If I hadn’t had my pistolI’d a-run myself.O Lawd,Jes’ two cardsIn the deck I loveLawd, the Jack o’ DiamondsAn’ the Ace o’ Clubs.O Lawd,Stopped here to playJes’ one mo’ game.Lawd, Jack o’ DiamondsPetered on my han’.

Shot My Pistol in the Heart o’ Town[35]

O Lawd,Shot my pistolIn the heart o’ town.Lawd, the big chief hollered,“Doncha blow me down.”O Lawd,Which a-wayDid the po’ gal go?She lef’ here runnin’,Is all I know.O Lawd,Which a-wayDo the Red River run?Lawd, it run east and westLike the risin’ sun.Black gal hollered,Like to scared my brown to death.If I hadn’t had my pistolI’d a-run myself.O Lawd,Jes’ two cardsIn the deck I loveLawd, the Jack o’ DiamondsAn’ the Ace o’ Clubs.O Lawd,Stopped here to playJes’ one mo’ game.Lawd, Jack o’ DiamondsPetered on my han’.

O Lawd,Shot my pistolIn the heart o’ town.Lawd, the big chief hollered,“Doncha blow me down.”

O Lawd,

Shot my pistol

In the heart o’ town.

Lawd, the big chief hollered,

“Doncha blow me down.”

O Lawd,Which a-wayDid the po’ gal go?She lef’ here runnin’,Is all I know.

O Lawd,

Which a-way

Did the po’ gal go?

She lef’ here runnin’,

Is all I know.

O Lawd,Which a-wayDo the Red River run?Lawd, it run east and westLike the risin’ sun.

O Lawd,

Which a-way

Do the Red River run?

Lawd, it run east and west

Like the risin’ sun.

Black gal hollered,Like to scared my brown to death.If I hadn’t had my pistolI’d a-run myself.

Black gal hollered,

Like to scared my brown to death.

If I hadn’t had my pistol

I’d a-run myself.

O Lawd,Jes’ two cardsIn the deck I loveLawd, the Jack o’ DiamondsAn’ the Ace o’ Clubs.

O Lawd,

Jes’ two cards

In the deck I love

Lawd, the Jack o’ Diamonds

An’ the Ace o’ Clubs.

O Lawd,Stopped here to playJes’ one mo’ game.Lawd, Jack o’ DiamondsPetered on my han’.

O Lawd,

Stopped here to play

Jes’ one mo’ game.

Lawd, Jack o’ Diamonds

Petered on my han’.

[35]For music seeChapter XIV.

[35]For music seeChapter XIV.


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