I Thank God I’m Free At Las’ – anonymous

Free at las’, free at las’,
I thank God I’m free at las’.
Free at las’, free at las’.
I thank God I’m free at las’. 

Way down yonder in de graveyard walk,
I thank God I’m free at las’.
Me an’ my Jesus gwineter meet an’ talk,
I thank God I’m free at las’. 

On-a my knees when de light pass by,
I thank God I’m free at las’.
Thought my soul would arise and fly,
I thank God I’m free at las’. 

Some o’ dese mornin’s bright and fair,
I thank God I’m free at las’,
Gwineter meet my Jesus in de middle of de air,
I thank God I’m free at las’.

 

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Clementine by Percy Montross

………………………..Clementine

In a cavern in a canyon, excavating for a mine,
Dwelt a miner, forty-niner, and his daughter, Clementine. 

…Chorus (after each couplet):
…Oh, my darling, oh, my darling, oh, my darling Clementine,
…You are lost and gone forever, dreadful sorry, Clementine. 

Light she was and like a fairy, and her shoes were number
…nine,
Herring boxes without topses, sandals were for Clementine. 

Drove her ducklings to the water, every morning just at nine,
Hit her foot against a splinter, fell into the foaming brine. 

Ruby lips above the water, blowing bubbles soft and fine,
Alas, for me! I was no swimmer, so I lost my Clementine. 

In a churchyard, near the canyon, where the myrtle doth
…entwine,
There grow roses and other posies fertilized by Clementine. 

Then the miner, forty-niner, soon began to droop and pine,
Thought he ought to join his daughter, now he’s with his
…Clementine. 

In my dreams she still doth haunt me, robed in garments
…soaked in brine,
Though in life I used to kiss her, now she’s dead, I draw the
…line.

 

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Jim Crack Corn – anonymous

 

Jim Crack Corn
(or, The Blue Tail Fly)

When I was young I us’d to wait
On Massa and hand him de plate;
Pass down de bottle when he git dry,
And bresh away de blue tail fly.

Chorus:
Jim crack corn I don’t care,
Jim crack corn I don’t care,
Jim crack corn I don’t care,
Ole Massa gone away.

Den arter dinner massa sleep,
He bid dis niggar vigil keep;
An’ when he gwine to shut his eye,
He tell me watch de blue tail fly.

Chorus

An’ when he ride in de arternoon,
I foller wid a hickory broom;
De poney being berry shy,
When bitten by de blue tail fly.

Chorus

One day he rode aroun’ de farm,
De flies so numerous dey did swarm;
One chance to bite ‘im on the thigh,
De debble take dat blue tail fly.

Chorus

Dey laid ‘im under a ‘simmon tree,
His epitaph am dar to see:
‘Beneath dis stone I’m forced to lie,
All by de means ob de blue tail fly.

Chorus

Ole massa gone, now let ‘im rest,
Dey say all tings am for de best;
I nebber forget till de day I die,
Ole massa an’ dat blue tail fly.

Chorus:
Jim crack corn I don’t care,
Jim crack corn I don’t care,
Jim crack corn I don’t care,
Ole Massa gone away.

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Link to Burl Ives singing the song (2:16):

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Shenandoah – anonymous

Image via Wikipedia

                      

 

                      Shenandoah

Missouri, she’s a mighty river.
   Away, you rolling river.
The redskin’s camp lies on its borders
   Ah ha I’m bound away, ‘cross the wide Missouri.

The white man loved the Indian maiden,
   Away, you rolling river.
With notions his canoe was laden.
   Ah ha I’m bound away, ‘cross the wide Missouri.

The chief disdained the trader’s dollars;
   Away, you rolling river.
“My daughter never you shall follow.”
   Ah ha I’m bound away, ‘cross the wide Missouri.

At last there came a Yankee clipper,
   Away, you rolling river.
He winked his eye, and he tipped his flipper.
   Ah ha I’m bound away, ‘cross the wide Missouri.

He sold the chief that fire-water,
   Away, you rolling river.
And ‘cross the river he stole his daughter.
   Ah ha I’m bound away, ‘cross the wide Missouri.

“O, Shenandoah, I long to hear you,”
   Away, you rolling river.
“Across that wide and rolling river.”
   Ah ha I’m bound away, ‘cross the wide Missouri.

—————————————————————

Watch and listen as Sissel sings Shenandoah.  It will make your day.
The lyrics aren’t exactly the same, but the song is beautiful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1EG_4IBzbA

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A short harmonica solo/duet of Shenandoah.  Haunting!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p3yL4-jYto

 

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Buffalo Girls by John Hodges (“Cool White”)

  
                  Buffalo Girls *

As I was lumb’ring down de street,
                                       down de street,
                                       down de street,
A handsome gal I chanc’d to meet;
Oh! she was fair to view.

   Chorus:    
    Buffalo gals, cant you come out tonight?
                                                 come out tonight?
                                                 come out tonight?
     Buffalo gals, cant you come out tonight?
     And dance by de light ob de moon.

I ax’d her would she hab some talk,
                                          hab some talk,
                                          hab some talk,
Her feet cover’d up de whole sidewalk
As she stood close by me.

   Chorus:
   Buffalo gals can’t you come out tonight….

I ax’d her would she hab a dance,
                                          hab a dance,
                                          hab a dance,
I taught dat I might hab a chance,
To shake a foot wid her.

   Chorus:
   Buffalo gals can’t you come out tonight….

I’d like to make dat gal my wife,
                                        gal my wife,
                                        gal my wife,
I’d be happy all my life,
If I had her by me.

   Chorus:
   Buffalo gals can’t you come out tonight,
                                               come out tonight,
                                               come out tonight,
   Buffalo gals can’t you come out tonight?
   And dance by de light ob de moon.

————————————————–

* The song invites the gals of Buffalo, New York to “come out tonight”.
In other venues, the lyrics were changed.  “Chicago girls won’t you come
out tonight, come out tonight….”

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