fees ALDERMAN i eee STACKS eee PS me 3515 me .U274 ; ae FS eee 1927aa University of Virginia Library PS;3515;.U274;F5;1927A iui b& INQ Oe OY4L AX ms ERSTE Mel Tel RL SEYUniversity of Virginia bibraries fin. Wen 4833 ee d tac 2 Et oi &ALKALINE PAPER PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPY UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIAFINE CLOTHES TO THE JEWAlso by LANGSTON HUGHES THE WEARY BLUES “Dim racial memories of Africa, the sharp self-conscious revolt against the scheme of things today—the delirious ‘escape’ from life provided by Harlem, by music, by synco- pation and blues, by dancing, by raw drink and wild love—all these elements are woven through his poems. . . . He has the fine qual- ities of force, passion, directness, and sensitive perception.” The IndependentFINE CLOTHES TO THE JEW BY LANGSTON HUGHES OK ALFRED:-A-KNOPE NEW YORK lag se Enel ya nile 3h i> ogoCOPYRIGHT 1927, BY ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC. MANUFAOTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERIOATO CARL VAN VECHTENPoetry, Vanity Fair, Opportumty, The New Republic, The Measure, The Crisis, The New Masses, The Buccaneer, The Messenger, Books, of the New York Herald Tribune, Fire, The Lincoln News, Palms, and The Modern Quarterly have first published some of these poems. The author thanks them for permission to reprint.A Note on Blues BLUES Hey! Hard Luck Misery Suicide Bad Man Gypsy Man Po’ Boy Blues Homesick Blues RAILROAD AVENUE Railroad Avenue Brass Spitoons Ruby Brown The New Cabaret Girl Closing Time Prize Fighter Crap Game Ballad of Gin Mary Death of Do Dirty Elevator Boy Porter Sport- Saturday Night CONTENTSGOR ye! HALLELUIAH! Judgment Day Prayer Meeting Feet o’ Jesus Prayer Shout Fire Moan Angels Wings Sinner BEALE STREET LOVE 2 Beale Street Love Cora Workin’ Man Bad Luck Card Baby Evil Woman A Ruined Gal Minnie Sings Her Blues Dressed Up Black Gal FROM THE GEORGIA ROADS Sun Song Magnolia Flowers Mulatto Red Silk Stockings Jazz Band in a Parisian Cabaret Song For a Dark Girl Mammy Laughers AND BLUES Lament Over Love Gal’s Cry For a Dying Lover IO 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 4 “ 53 60Young Gal’s Blues Midwinter Blues Listen Here Blues Hard Daddy Bound No’th Blues Ma Man Hey! Hey!A NOTE ON BLUES The first eight and the last nine poems in this book are written after the manner of the NegroVfolk-songs known as Blues. The Blues, unlike the Spirituals, have a strict poetic pattern: one long line repeated and a third line to rhyme with the first two. Sometimes the second line in repetition is slightly changed and sometimes, but very seldom, it is omitted. The mood of the Blues is almost always despondency, but when they are sung people laugh.HE We! Sun’s a settin’; This is whatI’m gonna sing. Sun’s a settin’, This is what I’m gonna sing: I feels de blues a comin’, Wonder what de blues’ll bring?HARD LUCK When hard luck overtakes you Nothin’ for you to do. When hard luck overtakes you Nothin’ for you to do. Gather up yo’ fine clothes An’ sell ’em to de Jew. Jew takes yo’ fine clothes, Gives you a dollar an’ a half. Jew takes yo’ fine clothes, Gives you a dollar an’ a half. Go to de bootleg’s, Git some gin to make you laugh. If I was a mule I’d Git me a waggon to haul. If I was a mule I’d Git a waggon to haul. I’m so low-down I Ain’t even got a stall.MISERY Play de blues for me. Play de blues for me. No other music "LI ease ma misery. Sing a soothin’ song. Said a soothin’ song, Cause de man I love’s done Done me wrong. Can’t you understand, O, understand A good woman’s cryin’ For a no-good man? Black gal like me, Black gal like me ’S got to hear a blues For her misery.SUICIDE Ma sweet good man has Packed his trunk and left. Ma sweet good man has Packed his trunk and left. Nobody to love me: I’m gonna kill ma self. I’m gonna buy me a knife with A blade ten inches long. Gonna buy a knife with A blade ten inches long. Shall I carve ma self or That man that done me wrong? ’Lieve I'll jump in de river Eighty-nine feet deep. ’Lieve I’ll jump in de river Eighty-nine feet deep. Cause de river’s quiet An’ a po’, po’ gal can sleep.BAD MAN I’m a bad, bad man Cause everbody tells me so. I’m a bad, bad man. Everbody tells me so. I takes ma meanness and ma licker Everwhere I go. I beats ma wife an’ I beats ma side gal too. Beats ma wife an’ Beats ma side gal too. Don’t know why I do it but It keeps me from feelin’ blue. I’m so bad I Don’t even want to be good. So bad, bad, bad I Don’t even want to be good. I’m goin’ to de devil an’ I wouldn’t go to heaben if I could.GYPSY MAN Ma man’s a gypsy Cause he never does come home. Ma man’s a gypsy,— He never does come home. I’m gonna be a gypsy woman Fer I can’t stay here alone. Once I was in Memphis, I mean Tennessee. Once I was in Memphis, Said Tennessee. But I had to leave cause Nobody there was good to me. I met a yellow papa, He took ma last thin dime. Met a yellow papa, He took ma last thin dime. I give it to him cause I loved him But I’ll have mo’ sense next time. Love, Oh, love is Such a strange disease. Love, Oh, love is Such a strange disease. When it hurts yo’ heart you Sho can’t find no ease.FO BiOnYer Bin Users When I was home de Sunshine seemed like gold. When I was home de Sunshine seemed like gold. Since I come up North de Whole damn world’s turned cold. I was a good boy, Never done no wrong. Yes, I was a good boy, Never done no wrong, But this world is weary An’ de road is hard an’ long. I fell in love with A gal I thought was kind. Fell in love with A gal I thought was kind. She made me lose ma money An’ almost lose ma mind, Weary, weary, Weary early in de morn. Weary, weary, Early, early in de morn, I’s so weary I wish I’d never been born.HOMESICK BLUES De railroad bridge’s A sad song in de air. De railroad bridge’s A sad song in de air. Ever time de trains pass I wants to go somewhere. I went down to de station. Ma heart was in ma mouth. Went down to de station. Heart was in ma mouth. Lookin’ for a box car To roll me to de South. Homesick blues, Lawd, ’S a terrible thing to have. Homesick blues is A terrible thing to have. To keep from cryin’ I opens ma mouth an’ laughs.RAILROAD AVENUERAILROAD AVENUE Dusk dark On Railroad Avenue. Lights in the fish joints, Lights in the pool rooms. A box-car some train Has forgotten In the middle of the Block. A player piano, A victrola. 942 Was the number. A boy Lounging on a corner. A passing girl With purple powdered skin. Laughter Suddenly Like a taut drum. { Laughter Suddenly Neither truth nor lie. Laughter Hardening the dusk dark evening. Laughter Shaking the lights in the fish joints, Rolling white balls in the pool rooms, And leaving untouched the box-car Some train has forgotten. 27BRASS SPITOONS Clean the spitoons, boy. Detroit, Chicago, Atlantic City, Palm Beach. Clean the spitoons. The steam in hotel kitchens, And the smoke in hotel lobbies, And the slime in hotel spitoons: Part of my life. Hey, boy! A nickel, A dime, A dollar, Two dollars a day. Hey, boy! A nickel, A dime, A dollar, Two dollars Buys shoes for the baby. House rent to pay. Gin on Saturday, Church on Sunday. My God! Babies and gin and church and women and Sunday all mixed up with dimes and dollars and clean spitoons and house rent to pay. 28Hey, boy! A bright bowl of brass is beautiful to the Lord. Bright polished brass like the cymbals Of King David’s dancers, Like the wine cups of Solomon. Hey, boy! A clean spitoon on the altar of the Lord. A clean bright spitoon all newly polished,— At least I can offer that. Com’ mere, boy!RUBY BROWN She was young and beautiful And golden like the sunshine That warmed her body. And because she was colored Mayville had no place to offer her, Nor fuel for the clean flame of joy That tried to burn within her soul. One day, Sitting on old Mrs. Latham’s back porch Polishing the silver, She asked herself two questions And they ran something like this: What can a colored girl do On the money from a white woman’s kitchen? And ain’t there any joy in this town? Now the streets down by the river Know more about this pretty Ruby Brown, And the sinister shuttered houses of the bottoms Hold a yellow girl Seeking an answer to her questions. The good church folk do not mention Her name any more. But the white men, Habitués of the high shuttered houses, Pay more money to her now Than they ever did before, When she worked in their kitchens. 30THE NEW CABARET GIRL That little yaller gal Wid blue-green eyes: If her daddy ain’t white Would be a surprise. She don’t drink gin An’ she don’t like corn, I asked her one night Where she was born. An’ she say, Honey, I don’t know Where I come from Or where I go. That crazy little yaller gal Wid blue-green eyes: If her daddy ain’t ’fay Would be a surprise. An’ there she sets a cryin’ In de cabaret A lookin’ all sad When she ought to play. My God, I says, You can’t live that way! Babe, you can’t Live that way! 31CLOSING TIME Starter! Her face is pale In the doorway light. Her lips blood red And her skin blue white. Taxi! I’m tired. Deepa... River. - O, God, please! The river and the moon hold memories. Cornets play. Dancers whirl. Death, be kind What was the cover charge, kid? To a little drowned girl.PRIZE EIGER Only dumb guys fight. If I wasn’t dumb I wouldn’t be fightin’. I could make six dollars a day On the docks And I’d save more than I do now. Only dumb guys fight.CRAP GAME Lemme roll ’em, boy. I got ma tail curled! If a seven don’t come ’Leven ain’t far away. An’ if I craps, Dark baby, Trouble Don’t last all de time. Hit ’em, bones!Carried me to de court, Judge was settin’ there. Looked all around me, Didn’t have a friend nowhere. Judge Pierce he says, Mary. Old Judge says, Mary Jane, Ever time I mounts this bench I sees yo’ face again. O, Lawd! O, Lawd! ©; Lawd 552 Lawdee! Seems like bad licker, Judge, won’t let me be. Old Judge says you’s a drunkard. Fact is you worries me. Gwine give you eighteen months So licker’ll let you be. Eighteen months in jail! O, eighteen months locked in! Won’t be so bad in jail But ll miss ma gin. O, please sir, Judge, have mercy! Have mercy, please, on me! BALLAD OF GIN MARY Old hard-faced Judge says eighteen months Till licker’ll let you be. 35DEACIH On DO DIRTY: A ROUNDER’S SONG O, you can’t find a buddy Any old time ’L| help you out When you ain’t got a dime. He was a friend o’ mine. They called him Do Dirty Cause he was black An’ had cut his gal An’ shot a man in de back. Ma friend o’ mine. 3ut when I was hungry, Had nothin’ to eat, He bought me corn bread An’ a stew o’ meat. Good friend o’ mine. An’ when de cops got me An’ put me in jail If Dirty had de money He’d go ma bail. O, friend o’ mine. That night he got kilt I was standin’ in de street. 36RS SS i oS PSA i Se LT Se AAA Mw Somebody comes by An’ says yo’ boy is gettin’ beat. Ma friend o’ mine. : But when I got there An’ seen de ambulance A guy was sayin’ He ain’t got a chance. Best friend o’ mine. An’ de ones that kilt him,— Damn their souls,— I’m gonna fill °em up full 0’ Bullet holes. Ma friend o’ mine,Pet VALOR BOY I got a job now Runnin’ an elevator In the Dennison Hotel in Jersey. Job ain’t no good though. No money around. Jobs are just chances Like evert!} Maybe a little luck now, Maybe not. Maybe a good job sometimes: ing else. Step out o’ the barrel, boy. Two new suits an’ A woman to sleep with. Maybe no luck for a long time. Only the elevators Goin’ up an’ down, Up an’ down, Or somebody elses’ shoes To shine, Or greasy pots in a dirty kitchen. I been runnin’ this Elevator too long. Guess I'll quit now.PORTER I must say Yes, sir, To you all the time. Yes, sir! Yes, sir! All my days Climbing up a great big mountain Of yes, sirs! Rich old white man Owns the world. Gimme yo’ shoes To shine. Yes, sir!Life For him Must be The shivering of A great drum Beaten with swift sticks Then at the closing hour The lights go out And there is no music at all And _ death becomes An empty cabaret And eternity an unblown saxophone And yesterday A glass of gin Drunk long Ago.SATURDAY NIGHT Play it once. O, play some more. Charlie is a gambler An’ Sadie is a whore. A glass o’ whiskey An’ a glass o’ gin: | Strut, Mr. Charlie, Till de dawn comes in. Pawn yo’ gold watch An’ diamond ring. Git a quart o’ licker, Let’s shake dat thing! Skee-de-dad! De-dad! Doo-doo-doo! Won’t be nothin’ left When de worms git through An’ you’s a long time Dead When you is Dead, too. So beat dat drum, boy! Shout dat song: Shake ’em up an’ shake ’em up All night long. Hey! Hey! Holes) bum! Do, it, Mr. Charlie, Till de red dawn come. 4IGLORY! HALLELUIAH!JUDGMENT DAY They put ma body in de ground, Ma soul went flyin’ o’ de town. Lord Jesus! Went flyin’ to de stars an’ moon A shoutin’ God, I’s comin’ soon. O Jesus! Lord in heaben, Crown on His head, Says don’t be ’fraid Cause you ain’t dead. Kind Jesus! An’ now I’m settin’ clean an’ bright In de sweet 0’ ma Lord’s sight,— Clean an’ bright, Clean an’ bright.PRAYER MEETING Glory! Halleluiah! De dawn’s a-comin’! Glory! Halleluiah! De dawn’s a-comin’! A black old woman croons In the amen-corner of the Ebecanezer Baptist Church. A black old woman croons,— De dawn’s a-comin’!PEE Owg | Suis At de feet 0” Jesus, Sorrow like a sea. Lordy, let yo’ mercy Come driftin’ down on me. At de feet o’ Jesus, At yo’ feet I stand. O, ma little Jesus, Please reach out yo’ hand.PRAYER { ask you this: Which way to go? I ask you this: Which sin to bear? Which crown to put Upon my hair? I do not know, Lord God, I do not know.SHOUT Listen to yo’ prophets, Little Jesus! Listen to yo’ saints!Fire, Fire, Lord! Fire gonna burn ma soul! I ain’t been good, I ain’t been clean,— I been stinkin’, low-down, mean. Fire, Fire, Lord! Fire gonna burn ma soul! Tell me, brother, Do you believe If you wanta go to heaben Got to moan an’ grieve? Fire, Fire, Lord! Fire gonna burn ma soul! I been stealin’, Been tellin’ lies, Had more women Than Pharaoh had wives. Fire, ‘i Fire, Lord! Fire gonna burn ma soul! I means Fire, Lord! Fire gonna burn ma soul! 50MOAN I’m deep in trouble, Nobody to understand, Lord, Lord! Deep in trouble, Nobody to understand, O, Lord! Gonna pray to ma Jesus, Ask him to gimme His hand. Ma Lord! I’m moanin’, moanin’, Nobody cares just why. No, Lord! Moanin’, moanin’, Feels like I could die. O, Lord! Sho, there must be peace, Ma Jesus, Somewhere in yo’ sky. Yes, Lord!ANGELS WINGS De angels wings is white as snow, O, white as snow, White as snow. De angels wings is white as snow, But I drug ma wings In de dirty mire. O, I drug ma wings All through de fire. But de angels wings is white as snow, White asSINNER Have mercy, Lord! Po’ an’ black An’ humble an’ lonesome An’ a sinner in yo’ sight. Have mercy, Lord!BEALE STREET LOVEBEALE STREET LOVE Love Is a brown man’s fist With hard knuckles Crushing the lips, Blackening the eyes,— Hit me again, Says Clorinda.CORA I broke ma heart this mornin’. Ain’t got no heart no mo’. Next time a man comes near me Gonna shut an’ lock ma door Cause they treats me mean,— The ones I loves. They always treats me mean.WORKIN’ MAN I works all day Wid a pick an’ a shovel. Comes home at night,— It ain’t nothin’ but a hovel. I calls for ma woman When I opens de door. She’s out in de street,— Ain’t nothin’ but a ’hore. I does her good An’ I treats her fine, But she don’t gimme lovin’ Cause she ain’t de right kind. I’m a hard workin’ man An’ I sho pays double Cause I tries to be good An’ gits nothin’ but trouble.BAD LUGK CARD Cause you don’t love me Is awful, awful hard. Gypsy done showed me Ma bad luck card. There ain’t no good left In this world for me. Gypsy done tole me,— Unlucky as can be. I don’t know what Po’ weary me can do. Gypsy says Id kill ma self If I was you.Albert! Hey, Albert! Don’t you play in dat road. You see dem trucks A goin’ by. One run ovah you An’ you die. Albert, don’t you play in dat road.EVIL WOMAN I ain’t gonna mistreat ma Good gal any more. I’m just gonna kill her Next time she makes me sore. I treats her kind but She don’t do me right. She fights an’ quarrels most Ever night. I can’t have no woman’s Got such low-down ways, Cause a blue-gummed woman Ain’t de style now days. I brought her from de South An’ she’s goin’ on back Else T’ll use her head For a carpet tack.A RUINED GAL Standin’ by de lonesome riverside After de boat’s done gone, Po’ weary me Won’t be nobody’s bride Cause I is long gone wrong. Standin’ by de weary riverside When de boat comes in, Po’ lonesome me Won’t meet nobody Cause I ain’t got no friend. By de edge o’ de weary riverside Night-time’s comin’ down. Ain’t nothin’ for a ruined gal But jump overboard an’ drown. O, de lonesome riverside, O, de wicked water. Damn ma black old mammy’s soul For ever havin’ a daughter.MINNIE SINGS HER BLUES Cabaret, cabaret! That’s where ma man an’ me go. Cabaret, cabaret! That’s where we go,— Leaves de snow outside An’ our troubles at de door. Jazz band, jazz band! Ma man an’ me dance. When I cuddles up to him No other gal’s got a chance. Baby, O, Baby, I’m midnight mad. If ma daddy didn’t love me It sho would be sad. If he didn’t love me : I’d go away An’ dig me a grave this very day. Blues . . . blues! Blue, blue, blues! I’d sho have them blues.DRESSED UP I had ma clothes cleaned Just like new. I put ’em on but I still feels blue. I bought a new hat, Sho is fine, But I wish I had back that Old gal o’ mine. I got new shoes,— They don’t hurt ma feet, But I ain’t got nobody For to call me sweet.BLACK GAL ’s always been a workin’ girl. I treated Albert fine. Ain’t cut him wid no razor, Ain’t never been unkind. Yet it seems like always Men takes all they can from me Then they goes an’ finds a yaller gal An’ lets me be. I dressed up Albert Johnson. I bought him suits o’ clothes, An’ soon as he got out de barrel Then out ma door he goes. Yet I ain’t never been no bad one. Can’t help it cause I’m black. I hates them rinney yaller gals An’ I wants ma Albert back. Ma little, short, sweet, brownskin boy,— Oh, God, I wants him back!TEES TRE IER SO ee BITSY Rr Pe cide Kea ae FROM THE GEORGIA ROADSSUN SONG Sun and softness, Sun and the beaten hardness of the earth, Sun and the song of all the sun-stars Gathered together,— Dark ones of Africa, I bring you my songs To sing on the Georgia roads.MAGNOLIA FLOWERS The quiet fading out of life In a corner full of ugliness. I went lookin’ for magnolia flowers But I didn’t find ’em. I went lookin’ for magnolia flowers in the dusk And there was only this corner Full of ugliness. *Scuse me, I didn’t mean to stump ma toe on you, lady. There ought to be magnolias Somewhere in this dusk. *Scuse me, I didn’t mean to stump ma toe on you.MULATTO I am your son, white man! Georgia dusk And the turpentine woods. One of the pillars of the temple fell. You are my son! Like hell! The moon over the turpentine woods. The Southern night Full of stars, Great big yellow stars. Juicy bodies Of nigger wenches Blue black Against black fences. O, you little bastard boy, What’s a body but a toy? The scent of pine wood stings the soft night air. What’s the body of your mother? Silver moonlight everywhere. What’s the body of your mother? Sharp pine scent in the evening air. A nigger night, A nigger joy, A little yellow Bastard boy. Naw, you ain’t my brother. Niggers ain’t my brother. 71Not ever. Niggers ain’t my brother. The Southern night is full of stars, Great big yellow stars. O, sweet as earth, Dusk dark bodies Give sweet birth To little yellow bastard boys. Git on back there in the night, You ain’t white. The bright stars scatter everywhere. Pine wood scent in the evening air. A nigger night, A nigger joy. I am your son, white man! A little yellow Bastard boy.RED SILK STOCKINGS Put on yo’ red silk stockings, Black gal. Go out an’ let de white boys Look at yo’ legs. Ain’t nothin’ to do for you, nohow, Round this town,— You’s too pretty. Put on yo’ red silk stockings, gal, An’ tomorrow’s chile’ll Be a high yaller. Go out an’ let de white boys Look at yo’ legs.JAZZ BAND IN A PARISIAN CABARET Play that thing, Jazz band! Play it for the lords and ladies, For the dukes and counts, For the whores and gigolos, For the American millionaires, And the school teachers Out for a spree. Play it, Jazz band! You know that tune That laughs and cries at the same time. You know it. May I? Mais oui. Mien Gott! Parece una rumba. Play it, jazz band! You’ve got seven languages to speak in And then some, Even if you do come from Georgia. Can I go home wid yuh, sweetie? Sure.SONG FOR A DARK GIRL Way Down South in Dixie (Break the heart of me) They hung my black young lover To a cross roads tree. Way Down South in Dixie (Bruised body high in air) I asked the white Lord Jesus What was the use of prayer. Way Down South in Dixie (Break the heart of me) Love is a naked shadow On a gnarled and naked tree.MAMMY I’m waiting for ma mammy,— She is Death. Say it very softly. Say it very slowly if you choose. I’m waiting for ma mammy,— Death.LAUGHERS Dream singers, Story tellers, Dancers, Loud laughers in the hands of Fate— My people. Dish-washers, Elevator-boys, Ladies’ maids, Crap-shooters, Cooks, Waiters, Jazzers, Nurses of babies, Loaders of ships, Rounders, Number writers, Comedians in vaudeville And band-men in circuses— Dream-singers all,— My people. Story-tellers all,— My people. Dancers— God! What dancers! Singers— God! What singers! Singers and dancers. Danceis and laughers. 77Laughers? Yes, laughers ... laughers . . . laughers— Loud-mouthed laughers in the hands Of Fate.AND BLUES“LAMENT OVER LOVE I hope ma chile’ll Never love a man. I say I hope ma chile’ll Never love a man. Cause love can hurt you Mo’n anything else can. I’m goin’ down to de river An’ I ain’t goin’ there to swim. Goin’ down to de river, Ain’t goin’ there to swim. Ma true love’s left me, an’ I’m goin’ there to think about him. Love is like whiskey, Love is like red, red wine. Love is like whiskey, O, like sweet red wine. If you wants to be happy You got to love all de time. I’m goin’ up in a tower Tall as a tree is tall. Say up in a tower Tall as a tree is tall. Gonna think about ma man an’ Let ma fool-self fall.GATS GRY FOR A DYING LOVER Heard de ow! a hootin’, Knowed somebody’s *bout to die. Heard de owl a hootin’, Knowed somebody’s bout to die. Put ma head un’neath de kiver, Started in to moan an’ cry. Hound dawg’s barkin’ Means he’s gonna leave this world. Hound dawg’s barkin’ Means he’s gonna leave this world. O, Lawd have mercy On a po’ black girl. Black an’ ugly But he sho do treat me kind. I’m black an’ ugly But he sho do treat me kind. High-in-heaben Jesus, Please don’t take this man o’ mine.YOUNG GAL’S BLUES I’m gonna walk to de graveyard "Hind ma friend Miss Cora Lee. Gonna walk to de graveyard ’Hind ma dear friend Cora Lee Cause when I’m dead some Body’ll have to walk behind me. I’m goin’ to de po’ house To see ma old Aunt Clew. Goin’ to de po’ house To see ma old Aunt Clew. When I’m old an’ ugly I'll want to see somebody, too. De po’ house is lonely An’ de grave is cold. O, de po’ house is lonely, De graveyard grave is cold. But I’d rather be dead than To be ugly an’ old. When love is gone what Can a young gal do? When love is gone, O, What can a young gal do? Keep on a-lovin’ me, daddy, Cause I don’t want to be blue.MIDWINTER BLUES In de middle of de winter, Snow all over de ground. In de middle of de winter, Snow all over de ground,— ’Twas de night befo’ Christmas Ma good man turned me down. Don’ know’s I’d mind his goin’ But he left me when de coal was low. Don’ know’s I’d mind his goin’ But he left when de coal was low. Now, if a man loves a woman That ain’t no time to go. He told me that he loved me But he must a been tellin’ a lie. He told me that he loved me. He must a been tellin’ a lie. But he’s the only man ['ll Love till de day I die. I’m gonna buy me a rose bud An’ plant it at ma back door. Gonna buy me a rose bud And plant it at ma back door, a So when I’m dead they Won’t need no flowers from de store. 84Sweet girls, sweet girls, Listen here to me. All you sweet girls, Listen here to me: Gin an’ whiskey Kin make you lose yo” ’ginity. ‘I used to be a good chile, Lawd, in Sunday School. Used to be a good chile,— Always in Sunday School, LISTEN HERE BLUES Till these licker-headed rounders Made me everbody’s fool. Good girls, good girls, Listen here to me. Oh, you good girls, Better listen to me: Don’t you fool wid no men cause . They’ll bring you misery.HARD DADDY I went to ma daddy, Says Daddy I have got de blues. Went to ma daddy, Says Daddy I have got de blues. Ma daddy says Honey Can’t you bring no better news? I cried on his shoulder but He turned his back on me. Cried on his shoulder but He turned his back on me. He said a woman’s cryin’s Never gonna bother me. I wish I had wings to Fly like de eagle flies. Wish I had wings to Fly like de eagle flies. I’d fly on ma man an’ I’d scratch out both his eyes.BOUND NO’TH BLUES Goin’ down de road, Lawd, Goin’ down de road. Down de road, Lawd, Way, way down de road. Got to find somebody To help me carry dis load. Road’s in front o’ me, Nothin’ to do but walk. Road’s in front o’ me, Walk ... and walk... and walk. I'd like to meet a good friend To come along an’ talk. Hates to be lonely, Lawd, I hates to be sad. Says I hates to be lonely, Hates to be lonely an’ sad, But ever friend you finds seems Like they try to do you bad. Road, road, road, O! Road, road .. . road . .:. road, road! Road, road, road, O! On de No’thern road. These Mississippi towns ain’t Fit fer a hoppin’ toad.MA MAN When ma man looks at me He knocks me off ma feet. When ma man looks at me He knocks n.e off ma feet. He’s got those ’lectric-shockin’ eyes an’ De way he shocks me sho Is sweet. He kin play a banjo. Lordy, he kin plunk, plunk, plunk. He kin play a banjo. I mean plunk, plunk . . . plunk, plunk. I I I He plays good when he’s sober An’ better, better, better when he’s drunk. Eagle-rockin’, Daddy, eagle-rock with me. Eagle rockin’, Come an’ eagle-rock with me. Honey baby, Eagle-rockish as I kin be!Eye Ee nya Sun’s a risin’, This is gonna be ma song. Sun’s a risin’, This is gonna be ma song. I could be blue but I been blue all night long.A NOTE ON THE TYPE IN WHICH THIS BOOK IS SET The type in which this book has been set (on the Linotype) is based on the design of Caslon. It is generally conceded that William Caslon (1692-1766) brought the old-style letter to its highest perfection and while certain modifications have been introduced to meet changing printing conditions, the basic design of the Caslon letters has never been improved. The type selected for this book is a modern adaptation rather than an exact copy of the original Caslon. The principal difference to be noted is a slight short- ening of the ascending and descending letters to ac- commodate a larger face on a given body-size. SET UP, ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY THE VAIL-BALLOU PRESS, INC., BINGHAMTON, Ni Yi. PAPER MANUFACTURED IN SCOTLAND AND FURNISHED BY W. F. ETHERINGTON & CO., NEW YORK : BOUND BY H. WOLFF ESTATE, NEW YORK.TURN TO LIBR ARY ———— PI EASI RI ALDERMANAX O0e O44 bbS