Massa's in De Cold Ground
Massa's in De Cold Ground (1852) is a song by Stephen Foster.
Abolitionist Joshua McCarter Simpson rewrote the lyrics and retitled the song "To the White People of America".
The song was included in the book 55 Songs and Choruses for Community Singing, published in 1917. According to the book, it is one of the most graceful of Stephen C. Foster's melodies. It also has a simple harmonic structure, characteristic of Foster's compositions. The lyrics voice the love of servants for their kind master.
The song has been used by many musicians and groups including as Massa's in the Cold, Cold Ground. A rendition sung by Marguerite Dunlap was recorded on Victor Records.[1]
Al Jolson recorded the song. Bewley's Chuck Wagon Gang recorded the song in 1936. Golden Gate Quartet recorded a rendition of it in 1937. A piano roll was made for it by Charles Grobe with Colorized Music. Frederick J. Bacon was recorded playing the song on a banjo (instrumental). The Haydn Quartet sung the song on a Gramophone recording #4253Y.
Farewell My Lilly Dear and My Brother Gum by Stephen Foster are also from the perspective of field hands.
Lyrics
VERSE 1[2]
- 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.
VERSE 2
- 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
VERSE 3
- 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
See also
- List of songs written by Stephen Foster
- Coon song
- Minstrel show
- Blackface
References
Further reading
- Emerson, Ken. 1997. Doo-dah! Stephen Foster and the rise of American popular culture. Simon & Schuster.
- Stephen Foster Song Book [Música Impresa]: original sheet music of 40 songs. 1974. Courier Dover Publications.
External links
- The Music of Stephen Collins Foster Archived 2013-09-20 at the Wayback Machine
- v
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- Minstrel songs
- Angelina Baker (1850)
- Camptown Races (1850)
- The Glendy Burk (1860)
- My Old Kentucky Home (1853)
- Oh! Susanna (1848)
- Ring, Ring de Banjo (1851)
- Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) (1851)
- Massa's in De Cold Ground (1852)
- Parlor songs
- Ah! May the Red Rose Live Alway
- Open Thy Lattice Love
- Beautiful Dreamer (1864)
- Hard Times Come Again No More (1854)
- Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair (1854)
- Old Black Joe (1853)
- Willie Has Gone to War (1862)
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