Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes Part 14

Makin' fer de promise lan'.

While the negro sings, he sees the s.h.i.+p reelin' an' rockin', and repeats these phrases enough and in a rhythmic manner, so that he imitates the imagined motion of the s.h.i.+p. The other stanzas of the song are practically the same as those of the earlier days.

_O my Lord, shall I be the one?

O my Lord, shall I be the one?

O my Lord, shall I be the one?

Makin' for the promise lan'?_

Yes, 'tis that good ole s.h.i.+p of Zion, of Zion, Yes, 'tis that good ole s.h.i.+p of Zion, of Zion, Yes, 'tis that good ole s.h.i.+p of Zion, Makin' for the promise lan'.

O the s.h.i.+p is heavy loaded, loaded, loaded, Makin' for the promise lan'.

It's loaded with many er thousand, thousand, thousand, Makin' fer the promise lan'.

"This ole worl's a rollin'" is most likely a figure of the s.h.i.+p and modelled on the same song. However, it conveys a different idea, one of judgment and the end of the world. The negro sings:

Well the ole worl' is a rollin', rollin', rollin', Yes, the ole worl' is rollin', rollin' away.

Well ain't you goin' to get ready?

Yes, ain't you goin' to get ready? for it's rollin' away.

Well get on board little children, children, children, Well get on board, for this ole worl's rollin' away.

He sings for the _sinner_, _mourner_, and all his _friends_ and _relatives_ to get on board the world as she rolls away. It reminds one somewhat of the song once current among the negroes: "O de ole ferry boat stan' a-waitin' at de landin', Chilluns we'se all gwine home". The same feeling of motion and the end of the world as is indicated in the moving of the train, s.h.i.+p, and the world itself is also reflected in the opening of the graveyards and the rolling of the hea.r.s.e wheel. The same rhythmic effect of motion and words give a strikingly appropriate att.i.tude to the singer.

O the lightening flas.h.i.+n' an' the thunder rollin', rollin', rollin', O the lightening flas.h.i.+n' an' thunder rollin', rollin', rollin', O the light'ning flas.h.i.+n' an' thunder rollin', Lawd, I know my time ain't long; Lawd, I know my time ain't long.

The hea.r.s.e wheel rollin' an' graveyard openin', openin', openin', The hea.r.s.e wheel rollin' an' graveyard openin', openin', openin', The hea.r.s.e wheel rollin' an' the graveyard openin', Lawd, I know my time ain't long, my time ain't long.

And very much like the above song is "Every Day". However, it is so similar to other songs that one concludes that it is only a putting together of what the singer already knew. The Bahama negroes have a song, "If hev'ry day was judgment day", that is almost exactly the same in meaning as this one. The song, however, is a powerful one and seems to be gaining in popularity.

Well the hea.r.s.e wheel rollin', _Every day, every day_, Carryin' yo' brother to the graveyard, Every day, every day--_move, Zion, move_.

Well ain't it a pity, pity?

Every day, every day, Well ain't it a pity, ain't it a pity?

Every day, every day, _move, Zion, move_.

Well they're carryin' a sinner, sinner, Every day, every day, Yes, they're carryin' a sinner, Every day, every day, _move, Zion, move_.

Move, Zion, move, for you got to go to judgment, Every day, every day, Move, Zion, move, for you got to go to judgment, Every day, every day, _move, Zion, move_.

The getting of mail, and especially of letters, usually means much to the negroes; perhaps simply because they receive little mail. To have a letter from a distinguished person is superlative honor and the recipient usually makes the fact known generally. Just how the negro conceived of receiving letters from G.o.d, or why he imagined the angels and apostles as writing letters does not appear clear. One gets a letter, another reads it; one writes a letter and all know its contents. Such a reference is found in a number of songs, that serve as a warning or admonition.

Well my mother got a letter, O yes, Well she could not read it, O yes, What you reckon that letter said?

That she didn't have long to stay here.

_Won't you come, won't you come?

Won't you come an' get ready to die?

Won't you come, for my Lord is callin' you?_

How do you know that my Lord is callin', O yes?

If you look at this letter, O yes, You see it come from the Hebrews, O yes, Won't you come, for my Lord is callin' you.

Perhaps the idea of the letter came from the _epistles_ of the New Testament. John and Peter wrote letters; Mary and Martha read them. The letters of the Hebrews and Ephesians are spoken of. The idea "It just suits me" seems to have sprung up from satisfaction in reading the "word"

or in hearing the sermon and praying in the usual way.

John wrote a letter and he wrote it in haste, _An' it jus' suit me_: John wrote a letter and he wrote it in haste, _An' it jus' suit me_.

John wrote a letter and he wrote it in haste, If yer want to go to heaven yer better make haste, _An' it jus' suit me_.

I'll tell you a little thing that was in that letter, _An' it jus' suit me_.

I'll tell you a little thing that was in John's letter, The Holy Ghost came to make us better, _An' it jus' suit me_.

In the same form and repet.i.tion are sung other stanzas, all of which "suit" the negroes pretty well.

If this isn't the Holy Ghost I don't know, I never felt such a love befo', _But it jus' suit me_.

O my brother, you oughter been at de pool, To see me put on my gospel shoes, _An' it jus' suit me_.

Ezekiel said he spied the train a comin', We got on board an' she never stopped runnin', _An' it jus' suit me_.

This kind er religion is better than gold, It's better felt than ever told, _An' it jus' suit me_.

I tell you a little thing you can't do, You can't serve G.o.d and the devil, too, _But it jus' suit me_.

When trouble is done an' conflict have pa.s.sed, I rise to reign in peace at last, _An' it jus' suit me_.

By this time the singers are happy enough and the preacher joins them in shouting, "Yes, brethren, it just suits me." It is gratifying to the negroes that their sins have been "washed in the blood of the Lamb", as indeed it ought to be. Perhaps they give it its undue prominence without thought; for they have no conception of the seriousness of their claims.

The negro singers have exhibited a characteristic specimen of their _word combinations_, _concrete pictures_, and _theological principles_ in their song, "De blood done sign my name."

_O de blood, O de blood, O de blood done sign my name; O Jesus said so, Jesus said so, O de blood done sign my name._

I believe it for G.o.d he tole me, _That the blood done sign my name_, I believe it for G.o.d he tole me, _That the blood done sign my name, Yes, the blood done sign my name_.

How do you know so, G.o.d he said so _That the blood done sign my name_.

Well it's written in de Kingdom, _That the blood done sign my name_.

Well in de Lamb's book it is written, _That the blood done sign my name_.

Well the wheels a turnin', wheels a turnin', _Blood done sign my name_.

I'm boun' for glory, boun' for glory, _The blood done sign my name_.

On de mountain, on de mountain, _The blood done sign my name_.

In the valley, in the valley, _Blood done sign my name_.

But the Christian does not have an easy time after his conversion. Satan is always at hand and ready to lead him away if there is a chance. The negro's idea of satan and the devil has been noted. In his march songs the negro imagines that he is marching against his foe; this foe is sometimes satan himself. "The other world is not lak' dis" is a typical marching song.