The Song Of The Negro Boatmen
O, praise an' tanks! De Lord he come
To set de people free;
An' massa tink it day ob doom,
An' we ob jubilee.
De Lord dat heap de Red Sea waves
He jus' as 'trong as den;
He say de word: we las' night slaves;
To-day, de Lord's freemen.
De yam will grow, de cotton blow,
We'll hab de rice an' corn:
O nebber you fear, if nebber you hear
De driver blow his horn!
Ole massa on he trabbels gone;
He leaf de land behind;
De Lord's breff blow him furder on,
Like corn-shuck in de wind.
We own de hoe, we own de plough,
We own de hands dat hold;
We sell de pig, we sell de cow,
But nebber chile be sold.
De yam will grow, de cotton blow,
We'll hab de rice an' corn:
O nebber you fear, if nebber you hear
De driver blow his horn!
We pray de Lord: he gib us signs
Dat some day we be free;
De norf-wind tell it to de pines,
De wild-duck to de sea;
We tink it when de church-bell ring,
We dream it in de dream;
De rice-bird mean it when he sing,
De eagle when he scream.
De yam will grow, de cotton blow,
We'll hab de rice an' corn:
O nebber you fear, if nebber you hear
De driver blow his horn!
We know de promise nebber fail,
An' nebber lie de word;
So like de 'postles in de jail,
We waited for de Lord:
An' now he open ebery door
An' trow away de key;
He tink we lub him so before,
We lub him better free.
De yam will grow, de cotton blow,
He'll gib de rice an' corn:
O nebber you fear, if nebber you hear
De driver blow his horn!
So sing our dusky gondoliers;
And with a secret pain,
And smiles that seem akin to tears,
We hear the wild refrain.
We dare not share the negro's trust,
Nor yet his hope deny;
We only know that God is just,
And every wrong shall die.
Rude seems the song; each swarthy face
Flame-lighted, ruder still:
We start to think that hapless race
Must shape our good or ill;
That laws of changeless justice bind
Oppressor with oppressed;
And, close as sin and suffering joined,
We march to Fate abreast.
Sing on, poor hearts! your chant shall be
Our sign of blight or bloom,—
The Vala-song of Liberty,
Or death-rune of our doom!
poem by Anonymous Americas

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Related quotes
Song Of The Negro Boatman
Oh, praise an' tanks! De Lord he come
To set de people free;
An' massa tink it day ob doom,
An' we ob jubilee.
De Lord dat heap de Red Sea waves
He jus' as 'trong as den;
He say de word: we las' night slaves;
To-day, de Lord's freemen.
De yam will grow, de cotton blow,
We'll hab de rice an' corn;
Oh nebber you fear, if nebber you hear
De driver blow his horn!
Ole massa on he trabbels gone;
He leaf de land behind:
De Lord's breff blow him furder on,
Like corn-shuck in de wind.
We own de hoe, we own de plough,
We own de hands dat hold;
We sell de pig, we sell de cow,
But nebber chile be sold.
De yam will grow, de cotton blow,
We'll hab de rice an' corn;
Oh nebber you fear, if nebber you hear
De driver blow his horn!
We pray de Lord: he gib us signs
Dat some clay we be free;
De norf-wind tell it to de pines,
De wild-duck to de sea;
We tink it when de church-bell ring,
We dream it in de dream;
De rice-bird mean it when he sing,
De eagle when he scream.
De yam will grow, de cotton blow,
We'll hab de rice an' corn:
Oh nebber you fear, if nebber you hear
De driver blow his horn!
We know de promise nebber fail,
An' nebber lie de word;
So like de 'postles in de jail,
We waited for de Lord
An' now he open ebery door,
An' trow away de key;
He tink we lub him so before,
We lub him better free.
De yam will grow, de cotton blow,
He'll gib de rice an' corn;
Oh nebber you fear, if nebber you hear
De driver blow his horn!
So sing our dusky gondoliers;
And with a secret pain,
And smiles that seem akin to tears,
We hear the wild refrain.
We dare not share the negro's trust,
Nor yet his hope deny;
We only know that God is just,
And every wrong shall die.
Rude seems the song; each swarthy face,
Flame-lighted, ruder still:
We start to think that hapless race
Must shape our good or ill;
That laws of changeless justice bind
Oppressor with oppressed;
And, close as sin and suffering joined,
We march to Fate abreast.
Sing on, poor hearts! your chant shall be
Our sign of blight or bloom,
The Vala-song of Liberty,
Or death-rune of our doom!
poem by John Greenleaf Whittier

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Ring Ring The Banjo
De time is nebber dreary if de darkey nebber groans;
De ladies nebber weary wid de rattle of de bones:
Den come again Susanna by de gaslight ob de moon;
We'll tum de old Piano when de banjo's out ob tune.
Chorus:
Ring, ring de banjo! I like dat good old song,
Come again my true lub, Oh! wha you been so long?
poem by Stephen C. Foster

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Massa’s in de Cold Ground
ROUND de meadows am a-ringing
De darkeys’ mournful song,
While de mocking-bird am singing,
Happy as de day am long.
Where de ivy am a-creeping,
O’er de grassy mound,
Dere old massa am a-sleeping,
Sleeping in de cold, cold ground.
Chorus:
Down in de corn-field
Hear dat mournful sound:
All de darkeys am a-weeping,—
Massa’s in de cold, cold ground.
When de autumn leaves were falling,
When de days were cold,
’T was hard to hear old massa calling,
Cayse he was so weak and old.
Now de orange tree am blooming
On de sandy shore,
Now de summer days am coming,—
Massa nebber calls no more. (Chorus)
Massa make de darkeys love him,
Cayse he was so kind;
Now dey sadly weep above him,
Mourning cayse he leave dem behind.
I cannot work before to-morrow,
Cayse de tear-drop flow;
I try to drive away my sorrow,
Pickin’ on de old banjo. (Chorus)
poem by Stephen C. Foster

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Used-Up Joe
I'm de only one left ob de Colony niggers;
How things do meander away!
When dey count my yeahs dey break down on de figgers,--
Fer things will meander away.
I was heah when Columbus discubbered Ohio;
I'm dyin' wid hunger today.
Lock me up in a pantry day's filled wid mince-pie--
Oh! how things would meander away.
Brudder Gabriel, blow! I am ready to go;
I am tired ob dis long delay.
You've de wicked to warn; better look for yer horn,--
Fer things will meander away.
I's as poor as de turkey dat Job was its owner;
How things do meander away!
I'm as sick as de whale when he landed up Jonar,--
Fer things will meander away.
I'm in debt for my day before yesterday's dinner,
An' can't find de cash fer to pay:
In dat Savin's Band game some one else was de winner,--
Fer things will meander away.
I'm a gnarly ole tree, wid a hurricane fightin';
How things do meander away!
All de limbs are torn off, an' de leabes gone akittin',--
Fer things will meander away.
Send me home for repairs when de hurricane ceases;
Remember de words dat I say!
Tie me up in a bag, an' don't stop for de pieces,--
Fer things will meander away.
Had my right eye knocked out by a word dat I hollered;
How things do meander away!
Called a white man a fool, an' an axerdent follered,--
Fer things will meander away.
Den a railroad collusion run ober some cattle,
An' one ob my limbs went astray;
An' anudder I left on de cornfield ob battle,--
Fer things will meander away.
Nitro-glycerum cans are not safe to unsodder;
How things do meander away!
An' wid circular saws 'tisn't wise fer to bodder,--
Fer things will meander away.
Dis ere top-lock was lifted by red Injun debils;
'Twas den de black wool become gray;
An' my last wooder leg was shot off by de rebels,--
For things will meander away.
Nicodemus, my son-in-law, long ago started;
How things do meander away!
An' dey say, from de gum-tree his bones hab departed,--
Fer things will meander away.
He will nebber come back, let me tell ye--no, nebber!
To pick up his burden of clay:
Gib a mud-turtle wings an' a free pass forebber,--
Ob course he'll meander away.
poem by Henry Clay Work

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You nebber see kicking' cow widout kickin'calf.
Blow Me A Kiss
Take one in the leg [Think about your baby]
Take one in the side [Think about your girl]
Take one in the head [Think about your mother]
Take one in the heart [It's the end of the world]
So blow me a kiss cuz I'm black
Blow me a kiss cuz I'm gay
Blow me a kiss cuz I'm shakin'
Say goodnight then blow me away
Blow me away
Blow me away
Tell me what you're thinkin' tell me why
Blow me a kiss then blow me away
Take one in the face [Think about your life]
Take one in the eye [Think about your soul]
Take one in the mouth [Think about your savior]
Take one in the thigh [Are you ready to go]
So blow me a kiss cuz I'm lonely
Blow me a kiss cuz I'm afraid
Blow me a kiss cuz you don't know me
Say goodnight then blow me away
Blow me away
Blow me away
Tell me what you're thinkin' tell me why
I'm in my room I'm Dr. Doom
Cuz I'm not me I'm someone else
Why should you die don't ask me why
You know it you know it you know it
Blow me away
I turn the page I am the rage
I'm coming from a darker place
A much darker place
So blow me away
Blow me away
Yeah blow me away
Tell me what you're thinkin' tell me why
Blow me a kiss then blow me away
Yeah blow me away
C'mon and blow me away
Tell me what you're thinkin' tell me why
Blow me a kiss then blow me away
song performed by by Alice Cooper from Brutal Planet

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Blow, Bugle, Blow
THE splendour falls on castle walls
And snowy summits old in story:
The long light shakes across the lakes,
And the wild cataract leaps in glory.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying,
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying, dying.
O hark, O hear! how thin and clear,
And thinner, clearer, farther going!
O sweet and far from cliff and scar
The horns of Elfland faintly blowing!
Blow, let us hear the purple glens replying:
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying, dying.
O love, they die in yon rich sky,
They faint on hill or field or river:
Our echoes roll from soul to soul,
And grow for ever and for ever.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying,
And answer, echoes, answer, dying, dying, dying.
poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson

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The Splendor Falls
The splendor falls on castle walls
And snowy summits old in story:
The long light shakes across the lakes
And the wild cataract leaps in glory.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying,
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes dying, dying, dying.
O hark, O hear! how thin and clear,
And thinner, clearer, farther going!
O sweet and far from cliff and scar
The horns of Elfland faintly blowing!
Blow, let us hear the purple glens replying,
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes dying, dying, dying.
O love they die in yon rich sky,
They faint on hill or field, or river:
Our echoes roll from soul to soul,
And grow forever and forever.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying,
And answer, echoes, answer, dying, dying, dying.
poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson

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In My Time Of Dying
Written by: r. johnson (jones/page/bonham/plant)
In my time of dying, want nobody to mourn
All I want for you to do is take my body home
Well, well, well, so I can die easy (x2)
Jesus, gonna make up my dyin bed.
Meet me, jesus, meet me. meet me in the middle of the air
If my wings should fail me, lord. please meet me with another pair
Well, well, well, so I can die easy (x2)
Jesus, gonna make up.. somebody, somebody...
Jesus gonna make up... jesus gonna make you my dyin bed
Oh, saint peter, at the gates of heaven... wont you let me in
I never did no harm. I never did no wrong
Oh, gabriel, let me blow your horn. let me blow your horn
Oh, I never did, did no harm.
Ive only been this young once. I never thought Id do anybody no wrong
No, not once.
Oh, I did somebody some good. somebody some good...
Oh, did somebody some good. I must have did somebody some good...
And I see them in the streets
And I see them in the field
And I hear them shouting under my feet
And I know its got to be real
Oh, lord, deliver me
All the wrong Ive done
You can deliver me, lord
I only wanted to have some fun.
Hear the angels marchin, hear the marchin, hear them marchin,
Hear them marchin, the marchin
Oh my jesus... (repeat)
Oh, dont you make it my dyin, dyin, dyin...
song performed by by Black Crowes

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Broadway Song
Like to thank all you people for showing up tonight
Sorry about the weather
Let's have a big hand for my long time accompianist
Manfred Gooseberry
Hey Goose
Take a bow, relax
Be comfortable
Have a cocktail on the Poo Poo Lounge
And let us entertain you
I'd like to sing you a Broadway song
I hope that you'll all sing along
A little dancing and some sentiment to put your mind at ease
I'd like to play you something low and sexy
look at our dancers they're so young and pretty, hi Olga
And when we start to groove you can hear the saxophones blow
Ah, show business is just a wonderful thing
All I want is to get down on my knees and sing for you
And let the saxophones blow
blow baby blow
I'd like to sing you a Broadway song
I hope that you'll all sing along
A little dancing and some sentiment to put your mind at ease
I wanna bring a tear to your eye, oh
good old Poe don't he make you cry
Ain't it great the way he writes about the mysteries of life
Ah, show business is just a wonderful thing
All I want is to get down on my knees and sing for you
And let the saxophones blow
Blow baby blow
Ah, show business is just a wonderful thing
All I want is to get down on my knees and sing for you
And let the saxophones blow
blow baby blow baby blow baby blow
Go Goose go
song performed by by Lou Reed

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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In My Time Of Dying
(bonham/jones/page/plant)
In my time of dying, want nobody to mourn
All I want for you to do is take my body home
Well, well, well, so I can die easy (x2)
Jesus, gonna make up my dyin bed.
Meet me, jesus, meet me. meet me in the middle of the air
If my wings should fail me, lord. please meet me with another pair
Well, well, well, so I can die easy (x2)
Jesus, gonna make up.. somebody, somebody...
Jesus gonna make up... jesus gonna make you my dyin bed
Oh, saint peter, at the gates of heaven... wont you let me in
I never did no harm. I never did no wrong
Oh, gabriel, let me blow your horn. let me blow your horn
Oh, I never did, did no harm.
Ive only been this young once. I never thought Id do anybody no wrong
No, not once.
Oh, I did somebody some good. somebody some good...
Oh, did somebody some good. I must have did somebody some good...
And I see them in the streets
And I see them in the field
And I hear them shouting under my feet
And I know its got to be real
Oh, lord, deliver me
All the wrong Ive done
You can deliver me, lord
I only wanted to have some fun.
Hear the angels marchin, hear the marchin, hear them marchin,
Hear them marchin, the marchin
Oh my jesus... (repeat)
Oh, dont you make it my dyin, dyin, dyin...
(studio chatter: thats gonna be the one, isnt it?
Come have a listen, then.
Oh yes, thank you.)
song performed by by Led Zeppelin

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Blow By Blow
Written by dave mason, john cesario, and mark holden.
Its always something
Or it aint nothing at all
Its feast or famine
Too hot or out in the cold
So here we stand
Alone together
Our backs against the wall
If my heart wasnt in it
I wouldnt be here at all
Blow by blow
Well its blow by blow
And here we go again
(here we go again)
Well its blow by blow
Coming off the ropes
And fighting for the hope in us all
Are you in my corner
Or playing both sides of the wall
So make a stand
Its now or never
Cause life is much too short
And if your heart isnt in it
You shouldnt be here at all
Blow by blow
Well its blow by blow
And here we go again
(here we go again)
Well its blow by blow
Blow by blow
Well its blow by blow
Im back on my feet again
(Im back on my feet again)
Well its blow by blow
I can almost see through the tears
And Ive got my pride
The dreams that Ive hidden for years
Just wont be denied
So here we stand
Alone together
Our backs against the wall
If my heart wasnt in it
I wouldnt be here at all
Blow by blow
Well its blow by blow
And here we go again
(here we go again)
Well its blow by blow
Blow by blow
Well its blow by blow
Im back on my feet again
(Im back on my feet again)
Well its blow by blow
song performed by by Fleetwood Mac

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lonely Wind
When I'm needin' a friend I can talk to the wind
God I sure am glad that I found him
Sometimes he seems to be the only one beside me
Who can feel the Lord's breath all around him
Winter's cold frozen ice or a bright autumn day
On a warm summer night you can hear him say
Cry for me, sigh for me, sad breezes flow
Stay for me, play for me, the song my friends will know
My lonely wind must blow
Mighty friend that is mine, can you give me a sign?
He'll leave nothing but only to hear him
I've seen the tall trees bend low when his mighty winds blow
And that's all the more reason I fear him
Hear him call for the earth lonely I can feel his great pain
But on the eve of this day
I'll join in his refrain
When I'm needing a friend I'll remember the wind
And my life here with the breezes of sorrow
I'll be leaving him soon 'cause I've got to make room
For the lonely that will find him tomorrow
On a black stormy night in your bosom I'll cling
And I'll know I've found love and the last song we'll sing
song performed by by Kansas

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sing You Children
(words & music by nelson - burch)
Oh jonah he was desperate in the belly of the whale
Well jonah had a plan, he knew he couldnt fail
He raised his head on high
And looking for the sky
And he sang his song so pretty
The whale told him goodbye
You got to sing you children sing
Sing you children sing
I only know one thing, hey! hey! hey!
Sing you children sing, everybody
Sing you children sing
Sing your troubles away
Well moses said good lord
Open up these waters for me
So I can get your chidren
Across the salty sea
Well the lord parted the waters
And singing hand in hand
Moses and the children
Walked over to the promised land
You got to sing you children sing
Sing you children sing
I only know one thing, hey! hey! hey!
Sing you children sing, everybody
Sing you children sing
Sing your troubles away
Oh joshua had a plan
At the walls of jericho
Hed march around those walls
And on his horn hed blow
That horn would play a tune
And sing a happy song
When joshua got through
Those walls came tumbling down
You got to sing you children sing
Sing you children sing
I only know one thing, hey! hey! hey!
Sing you children sing, everybody
Sing you children sing
Sing your troubles away
You got to sing your troubles away
Sing your troubles away
Sing your troubles away
Sing your troubles away
Sing your troubles away
song performed by by Elvis Presley

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Ive Been Working On The Railroad
This song was first released on the all aboard! album. it is the only album it has been released on.
Ive been working on the railroad
All the live long day
Ive been working on the railroad
Just to pass the time away
Cant you hear the whistle blowing
Rise up so early in the morn
Cant you hear the whistle blowing
Dinah, blow your horn
Dinah wont you blow
Dinah wont you blow
Dinah, wont you blow your horn
Dinah, wont you blow,
Dinah, wont you blow,
Dinah, wont you blow your horn
Someones in the kitchen with dinah
Someones in the kitchen I know
Someones in the kitchen with dinah
Strumming on the old banjo
Fee fie fiddle eell o
Fee fie fiddle eell o
Fee fie fiddle eell o
Strumming on the old banjo
Traditional
song performed by by John Denver

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Hymn, Sung At Christmas By The Scholars Of St. Helena’s Island, S.C.
OH, none in all the world before
Were ever glad as we!
We're free on Carolina's shore,
We're all at home and free.
Thou Friend and Helper of the poor,
Who suffered for our sake,
To open every prison door,
And every yoke to break!
Bend low Thy pitying face and mild,
And help us sing and pray;
The hand that blessed the little child,
Upon our foreheads lay.
We hear no more the driver's horn,
No more the whip we fear,
This holy day that saw Thee born
Was never half so dear.
The very oaks are greener clad,
The waters brighter smile;
Oh, never shone a day so glad
On sweet St. Helen's Isle.
We praise Thee in our songs to-day,
To Thee in prayer we call,
Make swift the feet and straight the way
Of freedom unto all.
Come once again, O blessed Lord!
Come walking on the sea!
And let the mainlands hear the word
That sets the islands free!
poem by John Greenleaf Whittier

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Blow Away
May your troubles blow away,
so far away, with the whistling wind,
never to pass this way, ever again;
your feet on your own path
follow it faithfully, don't ever look back.
May your troubles blow away.
a smile on your face
knowing you go at your own pace.
May your troubles blow away.
even if friends who care are very few
you do what you've got to do.
May your troubles blow away.
stay forever true
to what it is your heart says to you.
May your troubles blow away.
don't lose hope
just keep going, and cut the binding ropes.
May your troubles blow away.
when everyone says you're different, and should change
you remember, you've got your own soul, your own name.
May your troubles blow away.
if you ever feel all alone
look way ahead, in the dark see there, the glowing lights of home.
May your troubles blow away.
keep singing the song God gave your soul
you know, somehow, you'll get where it is you've got to go.
May your troubles blow away,
so far away, with the whistling wind,
never to pass this way, ever again.
poem by Smoky Hoss

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