Slave Songs of the United States

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A. Simpson & Company, 1867 - African Americans - 115 pages

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Page xiii - ... twisted about their heads and with short skirts — boys with tattered shirts and men's trousers, young girls barefooted, all stand up in the middle of the floor, and when the ' sperichil ' is struck up, begin first walking and bу-and-by shuftling round, one after the other, in a ring.
Page xiv - ... motion, which agitates the entire shouter, and soon brings out streams of perspiration. Sometimes they dance silently, sometimes as they shuffle they sing the chorus of the spiritual, and sometimes the song itself is also sung by the dancers. But more frequently a band, composed of some of the best singers and of tired shouters, stand at the side of the room to "base" the others, singing the body of the song and clapping their hands together or on the knees.
Page x - Guide on de army," which was at once accepted, and became universal. "We'll guide on de army, and be marching along," is now the established version on the Sea Islands.
Page v - ... too high), or hitting some other note that chords, so as to produce the effect of a marvellous complication and variety, and yet with the most perfect time, and rarely with any discord.
Page v - There is no singing in pwts* as we understand it, and yet no two appear to be singing the same thing — the leading singer starts the words of each verse, often improvising, and the others, who "base...
Page vi - It is difficult to express the entire character of these negro ballads by mere musical notes and signs. The odd turns made in the throat, and the curious rhythmic effect produced by single voices chiming in at different irregular intervals, seem almost as impossible to place on score as the singing of birds or the tones of an Л£оliaп harp.
Page 20 - Never, it seems to me, since man first lived and suffered, was his infinite longing for peace uttered more plaintively than in that line.
Page xvii - Den I made a sing, just puttin' a word, and den anudder word." Then he began singing, and the men, after listening a moment, joined in the chorus as if it were an old acquaintance, though they evidently had never heard it before. I saw how easily a new "sing
Page xiv - ... the others, singing the body of the song and clapping their hands together or on the knees. Song and dance are alike extremely energetic, and often, when the shout lasts into the middle of the night, the monotonous thud, thud of the feet prevents sleep within half a mile of the praise-house.
Page 48 - When de Lord will call us home. The suspicion in this case was unfounded, but they had another song to which the Rebellion had actually given rise. This was composed by nobody knew whom, — though it was the most recent, doubtless, of all these "spirituals," — and had been sung in secret to avoid detection. It is certainly plaintive enough. The peck of corn and pint of salt were slavery's rations. XXXV. MANY THOUSAND GO No more peck o' corn for me, No more, no more,— No more peck o' corn for...

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