Twelve Slave Songs from the Civil War

 by Minnie Apolis 
 
The music of the Civil War era was rich in melody, history and lyrics that evoke another era. There were songs for Northerners, songs for Rebs, songs for slaves, and some songs that transcended the tastes of any one group. Let us look at some of the songs that the slaves knew and sang during this era. 
 
1) First on the list has to be Follow The Drinking Gourd.
Obviously this song is meant to teach slaves how to find their way North and meet up with someone with the underground railroad by following the Big Dipper (drinking gourd) as it pointed to the North Star. But it also refers to a peg-legged former sailor who supposedly taught them this song and marked out the trail along the river with his peg leg, or in some versions, by painting the outline of a foot and a circle on the tree trunks along the way. This story, according to the John Lomax book American Ballads & Folk Songs, can be found in the records of the Anti-Slavery Society. The directions say to follow the Tombigbee till it ends, then walk over a hill to the Tennessee River and follow it till that one joins the Ohio. They were to cross the frozen Ohio on foot in winter.

Follow the drinking gourd, follow the drinking gourd,
For the old man is awaiting for to take you to freedom,
If you follow the drinking gourd.
The riverbank will make a very good road, the dead trees show you the way,
Left foot, peg foot, traveling on, Follow the drinking gourd.
The river ends between two hills, Follow the drinking gourd,
There's another river on the other side, Follow the drinking gourd.
Where the great big river meets the little river, Follow the drinking gourd,
The old man is awaiting for to take you to freedom,
If you follow the drinking gourd. 
 
2) Lincoln and Liberty was a song made popular in the 1860 election by a performing family named the Hutchinsons who happened to be very pro-abolition. The melody was taken from an older tune called "Rosin the Bow" and was borrowed yet again for "Love Me, I'm a Liberal." Even though blacks did not yet have citizenship or the right to vote, I include this song because it was a tribute to Abraham Lincoln.

Hurrah for the choice of the nation, Our chieftain so brave and so true,
We'll go for the great reformation, for Lincoln and liberty, too.
We'll go for the son of Kentucky, The hero of hoosierdom through,
The pride of the suckers so lucky, For Lincoln and liberty, too.
The up with the banner so glorious, The star-spangled red, white and blue,
We'll fight till our banner's victorious, For Lincoln and liberty, too.
Come all you true friends of the nation, Attend to humanity's call,
Come aid in the slaves' liberation, And roll on the liberty ball.
And roll on the liberty ball, And roll on the liberty ball,
Come aid in the slaves' liberation, And roll on the liberty ball.We'll finish the temple of freedom, And make it capacious within,
That all who seek shelter may find it, Whatever the hue of their skin.
Success to the old-fashioned doctrine, That men are created all free,
And down with the power of the despot, Whatever his stronghold may be. 
 
3) Give Us a Flag was written by an anonymous soldier of the all black Massachusetts 54th Regiment, Company A. They were cut down unmercifully in cannon fire in the attempt by the 54th to take Fort Wagner, on Morris Island near Charleston, South Carolina. The courage of the regiment on this date, July 18, 1863 is captured in the excellent film Glory starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman.

Oh Fremont he told them when the war it first begun,
How to save the Union and the way it should be done,
But old Kentucky swore so hard and Abe he had his fears,
Till every hope was lost but the colored volunteers.
Oh give us a flag, all free without a slave,
We'll fight to defend it as out fathers did so brave,
The gallant Comp'ny A will make the rebels dance,
And we'll stand by the Union if we only have a chance.
Old Jeff says he'll hang us if we dare to meet him armed,
A very big thing, but we are not at all alarmed,
For he first has got to catch us before the way is clear,
That is "what's the matter" with the colored volunteer.
So rally, boys, rally, let us never mind the past.
We had a hard road to travel, but our day is coming at last,
For God is for the right, and we have no need to fear,
The Union must be saved by the colored volunteer. 
 
4) Yellow Rose of Texas was originally sung by a slave singing about his girl. The song then entered the collection of songs performed in minstrel shows, where a white preformer smeared burnt cork on his face and adopted the mannerisms and speech of a black person. This was done totally un-selfconsciously, similar to the way that Bill Dana adopted a Hispanic accent to play his comic character, Jose Jimenez. At any rate, soldiers later adopted it and then added another verse at the end; the Texas Brigade was led to defeat under Confederate General Hood in Nashville in 1864. The retreating troops, led by General "Uncle Joe" Johnston, taunted Hood for his loss. So it a song known by Southerners, and by Northerners, too, who chanced to hear it at a minstrel show.

There's a yellow rose in Texas, That I am going to see,
No other soldier knows her, No soldier only me.
She cried so when I left her, It like to broke my heart,
And if I ever find her, We never more will part.
She's the sweetest rose of color, This soldier ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, They sparkle like the dew,
You can talk about your dearest Mae and sing of Rosalee,
But the Yellow Rose of Texas is the only one for me.
Now I'm going southward, For my heart is full of woe,
I'm going back to Georgia, To find my Uncle Joe,
You may talk about your Beauregard, Sing of General Lee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee.

5) Run Mourner Run refers to slaves as mourners. Their only way out of slavery was either death or running away. Each line is repeated four times.

If I had two wings, Bright angels above --
I would fly away to the kingdom, Bright angels above --
You gotta escape for your life, Bright angels above --
CHORUS: Oh run, run, mourner run, Bright angels above (four times).

6) Johnny Roach was written by the prolific Dan Emmett, who penned several songs for minstrel shows. It is sung from the point of view of an escaped slave who pines for his home in the South. Maybe it seems impossible for us now to imagine a slave longing to return to the plantation, but the tug of home on one's heart is strong no matter how great the hardship one actually suffered.

To Canada old John was bound
All by de railroad underground;
He's got no clothes—he's got no "tin"
He wishes he was back agin.
Gib me de place called "Dixie's Land,"
Wid hoe and shubble in my hand;
Whar fiddles ring an' banjos play,
I'll dance all night an' work all day.

7) Wade in the Water was originally a gospel song with masked instructions on how to run away. Escapees were instructed to wade in the water to try to evade the bloodhounds tracking them. Lyrics here are from the gospel version, not the later soul version. It has the typical call-and-response structure.

Wade in the water (children), Wade in the water
Wade in the water, God's gonna trouble the water
If you don't believe I've been redeemed
God's gonna trouble the water.
I want you to follow him on down to Jordan stream
(I said) My God's gonna trouble the water.
You know chilly water is dark and cold
(I know my) God's gonna trouble the water.
You know it chills my body but not my soul
(I said my) God's gonna trouble the water.
(Come on let's) wade in the water, Wade in the water (children)
Wade in the water, God's gonna trouble the water.
Now if you should get there before I do
(I know) God's gonna trouble the water.
Tell all my friends that I'm comin' too
(I know) God's gonna trouble the water.
Sometimes I'm up lord and sometimes I'm down
(You know my) God's gonna trouble the water.
Sometimes I'm level to the ground
God's gonna trouble the water,
(I Know) God's gonna trouble the water.
Wade in the water (children)Wade out in the water (children)
God's gonna trouble the water.

8) Swing Low, Sweet Chariot is a gospel song that masked references to the Underground Railroad. (Another one os The Gospel Train.) The specific place referred to in this song is Ripley, a station of the Underground Railroad where runaways were welcomed. The town is on top of a hill by the Ohio River, which the slaves had to cross. Crossing is not easy in winter, over the ice, and just about impossible in summer given the powerful current. So slaves had to wait for help making the crossing, and meanwhile they might be picked up by bounty hunters or law enforcement. So the song says "I looked over Jordan and what did I see, A band of angels coming after me."

[Chorus] Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home
I looked over Jordan and what did I see, Coming for to carry me home
A band of angels coming after me, Coming for to carry me home
Sometimes I'm up and sometimes I'm down, Coming for to carry me home
But still my soul feels heavenly bound, Coming for to carry me home
The brightest day that I can say, Coming for to carry me home
When Jesus washed my sins away, Coming for to carry me home.
If I get there before you do, Coming for to carry me home
I'll cut a hole and pull you through, Coming for to carry me home
If you get there before I do, Coming for to carry me home
Tell all my friends I'm coming too, Coming for to carry me home.

9) John Brown's Body, also known as Battle Hymn of the Republic, is really two songs that both used the melody of an old Methodist hymn. The abolitionist John Brown who tried to instigate a slave revolt at Harper's Ferry and failed, still provided a rallying cry for Northern troops. In November of 1861, Julia Ward Howe wrote the new lyrics that begin "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord". Eventually this version was printed as sheet music by a Boston printer. One hundred years later, Judy Garland sang Howe's version on her TV show after JFK was assassinated. Below are the lyrics to the John Brown version.

John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
But his soul goes marching on.
CHORUS: Glory, glory, hallelujah, Glory, glory, hallelujah,
Glory, glory, hallelujah, His soul goes marching on.
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
His soul goes marching on.
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
His soul goes marching on.
John Brown died that the slaves might be free,John Brown died that the slaves might be free,
John Brown died that the slaves might be free,
His soul goes marching on.
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
His soul goes marching on.

10) Slavery Chain Done Broke at Last is a spiritual song that dates to around 1865 and commemmorates the end of slavery. The former slave thanks God for hearing his prayers for freedom, and pledges to praise God till he dies.

Slavery chain done broke at last, broke at last, broke at last,
Slavery chain done broke at last, Going to praise God till I die
Way down in-a dat valley, Praying on my knees
Told God about my troubles, And to help me ef-a He please
I did tell him how I suffer, In de dungeon and de chain,
And de days were with head bowed down, And my broken flesh and pain.
I did know my Jesus heard me, 'Cause de spirit spoke to me
And said, 'Rise my child, your chillun, And you shall be free.
'I done 'p'int one mighty captain, For to marshall all my hosts
And to bring my bleeding ones to me, And not one shall be lost.'
Slavery chain done broke at last, broke at last, broke at last,
Slavery chain done broke at last, Going to praise God till I die.

11) No More Auction Block For Me --
I neglected to include this song in my first version of this article, even though it is included in the soundtrack release from the PBS documentary The Civil War by Ken Burns. You might also be able to dig up an older rendition of the song by the magnificent Paul Robeson, who recorded many spirituals, folk songs, and work songs in addition to classical material. This song is in a traditional call-and-response form, with the congregation or chorus repeating No more, no more, or, Oh yes, oh yes, my Lord.

No more auction block for me, No more, no more,
No more auction block for me, Many thousand gone,
No more auction block for me, No more, no more,
No more auction block, whiplash for me, Many thousand gone.
And oh the one thing, that we did wrong, No more no more,
Staying in the wilderness, A day too long, No more, no more.
An oh the one thing that we did right, Oh yes oh yes,
Was the day that we began to fight, Oh yes, oh yes, my Lord.
And it's no more auction block for me, No more, no more, no more,
Auction block for me, Many many thousand gone.

12) Oh Freedom
Oh Freedom was a rather militant spiritual song that expressed the desire of the black Union soldiers to die as free men.

Oh freedom, Oh freedom, Oh freedom over me.And before I'll be a slave, I'll be buried in my grave,
And go home to my Lord and be free.

RELATED ARTICLES:
Civil War Songs for Rebs:
http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/21/2339893-civil-war-songs-for-rebs
Ten Union Songs From the Civil War
http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/22/2343772-ten-union-songs-from-the-civil-war