Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes Part 10

Mer head got wet wid de midnight dew, Dat mornin' star was s.h.i.+nin' too.

So again the negro magnifies his Lord in "a weary Lan'" and makes both a striking picture and a pleasing song. His Lord is not only "a _walkin'_ in a weary lan'", but he is also a "_doctor_", a "_preacher_" and a "_shelter_". Thus he pictures him "_walkin'_" "_talkin'_" "_preachin'_", and "_healin'_" in the weary land.

My Lord's a walkin' in the weary lan', In a weary lan', in a weary lan', Yes, my Lord walkin' in weary lan', He's a shelter in a mighty storm.

Likewise he is a healer in a _mighty storm_ or in _the time of storm_. It is but natural that the negro should call upon the Lord to remember him.

The old plantation song "Do Lord remember me" was apparently based upon the idea of being remembered at Christmas times; indeed the negroes always ask to be remembered at such a time by the "whitefolks". They were always remembered and often their homes were made happy. The song asked: "O do Lord remember me, O do Lord remember me, O do remember me until de year roll round, Do Lord remember me." The song now current is most likely not the same song but an entirely different one.

_Do my Lord remember me, Do my Lord remember me, Do my Lord remember me, Do Lord remember me._

Upon de housetop an' can't come down, _Do Lord remember me_.

Upon de house an' can't come down.

_Do Lord remember me_.

When I am hungry do feed me Lord, _Do Lord remember me_.

When I am thirsty do give me drink, _Do Lord remember me_.

The negroes sometimes call the following song the "riddle song", asking "who is the Rock", while the answer comes back, like the Psalmist, "King Jesus is the Rock".

Lead me to the Rock, lead me to the Rock, Lead me to the Rock that is higher an' higher.

O, Lead me to the Rock, Yes, lead me to the Rock that is higher an' higher.

King Jesus is the Rock, yes, King Jesus is the Rock, King Jesus is the Rock that is higher an' higher, O King Jesus is the Rock, Yes, King Jesus is the Rock that is higher an' higher.

Standing on the Rock, yes standing on the Rock, Standing on the Rock that is higher an' higher.

O, standing on the Rock, Yes, standing on the Rock that is higher an' higher.

As Jesus is the Rock so the negroes have sung "Dere's no one lak' Jesus".

The chorus-line was common in the old songs; the verses of the song of to-day are different.

I think I heard a rumblin' in de sky, _Dar's no one lac Jesus_.

It mus' be mer Lord pa.s.sin' by, _Dar's no one lac Jesus_.

_Stan' still, walk study, keep de faith, Dar's no one lak' Jesus._

Sister Mary went up on de mount'n top, _Dar's no one lak' Jesus_.

She sung a li'l song an' she never did stop, _Dar's no one lak' Jesus_.

She argued wid de Fadder an' chatter'd wid de Son, _Dar's no one lak' Jesus_.

She talk'd erbout the ole worl' she c.u.m frum, _Dar's no one lak' Jesus_.

The song "Gi' me Jesus" was said to have been the product of "over-free spirit and super-religiousness" just after the war. The negro claims that the white man took him at his word when he sang, "Gi' me Jesus, You may have all this worl", and has left him nothing in this world but Jesus. At least this is one view of the song, which is represented as a bargain which the white man wants the negro to keep. The song is a typical and well known one, said to have been first sung by a blind negro preacher.

In de mornin' when I rise, In de mornin' when I rise, In de mornin' when I rise, Giv' me Jesus.

_Giv' me Jesus, Giv' me Jesus, You may hab' all dis worl', Giv' me Jesus._

Ef it's midnight when I rise, Ef it's midnight when I rise, Ef it's midnight when I rise, _Giv' me Jesus_.

Jes' fore day when I cried, _Giv' me Jesus_.

When I wade death's cold stream, _Giv' me Jesus_.

The negro says that if you love Jesus, it seems to him that you "can't keep it", and that you are duty bound to let the world know it. The custom is a common one of asking "members" at the cla.s.s meeting and revival services whether or not they "love the Lord". It is the duty of the cla.s.s leader to see to the religious welfare of the members. The song "Love the Lord" represents this phase of wors.h.i.+p.

Well, did you say that you love Jesus?

Did you say that you love the Lord?

_Yes, I say that I love Jesus.

Yes, I say I love the Lord._

All I wants to know is, "Does you love Jesus?"

All I wants to know is, "Does you love the Lord?"

_Yes, I say that I love Jesus, Yes, I say I love the Lord._

If you love Jesus, you can't keep it, All I want to know is, "Does you love the Lord?"

_Yes, my mother, I love Jesus, Yes, my mother, I love the Lord._

The chorus then varies from "Yes, I _say_" to "Yes, my _mother_", "Yes, my _sister_", "Yes, my _brother_".

In striking contrast to his earthly life, the negro sings of his heavenly home. It will be seen in the study of his social songs that home plays a small part in their subject matter. It is true that the negro has little love of home or devotion to loved ones. Perhaps for this very reason he expects to have a better home in the beyond. He wants that which is ideal and impractical; he wants that which will come without effort. If in slavery days he had no home, it was natural that he should look to Heaven for his home. This conception, intensified by the negro's emotional nature and self-pity, is still prominent. Not only is his home to be a happy one, but it is to be exclusive; only the fortunate, of whom he is the chiefest, may go there. This cla.s.s of songs--of Heaven and home--is perhaps as large as any. The negro sings:

I got a home where liars can't go, _Don't you see?_ Jus' between the heaven an' earth, Where my Saviour bled an' died, I got a home where liars can't go, _Don't you see?_

I got a home where sinners can't go, _Don't you see?_ Jus' between the earth an' sky, Where my Saviour bleed an' die, _Don't you see?_

When the earth begin to shake, _Don't you see?_ You better get a ticket or you'll be late, _Don't you see?_

In the same way the singers repeat, using the words "_drunkards_,"

"_hypocrits_", and other sinners. Sometimes instead of saying "I got a home where the drunkards can't come", the sinner will say "where the drunkards can't _find me_". Another version of the same song is found in different localities:

I got a home in the Rock, _Don't you see?_ Just between the heaven an' earth, Well, yes, I got a home in the Rock, _Don't you see?_

Judas was a deceitful man, _Don't you see?_ Well he betrayed the innercent Lam', Well he lost a home in the Rock, _Don't you see?_

Well the sun refuse to s.h.i.+ne, _Don't you see?_ The sun refuse to s.h.i.+ne, An' the sun refuse to s.h.i.+ne, _Don't you see?_

G.o.d don't talk like a natural man, _Don't you see?_ G.o.d don't talk like a natural man, He talk so sinners can understan', _Don't you see?_

Well I don't want to stumble, _Don't you see?_ Well I don't want to fall, I read that writin' on de wall, _Don't you see?_

The "Home in the Rock" and the "Rock of ages" mean little to the negroes; they are suitable terms and appeal to their sense of sound. Like other peoples, the negroes have inserted them into their religion as forceful symbols. Interesting comparisons may be made in a later chapter. The chorus of "Heaven" hummed in a monotone, with lips sometimes closed, makes a beautiful song, and one that appeals much to both old and young negroes.

You got a robe, I got a robe, All G.o.d's children got a robe, Goin' try on my robe an' if it fits me, Goin' to wear it all round G.o.d's heaven.

_Heaben--heaben, ev'ybody goin' to heaben An' I'm goin' dere, too._