Minstrelsy and Dance

Jim Crow (left) and Zip Coon (right)

Dan Emmett, “Old Dan Tucker” (ca. 1843)

Performed by Pete Seeger (b. 1919) self-accompanied on banjo

Now Old Dan Tucker's a fine old man,Washed his face in a frying pan,Combed his hair with a wagon wheel,Died with a toothache in his heel.

CHORUSGet out the way old Dan Tucker,You’re too late to get your supper (repeat)

Now old Dan Tucker’s come to town,Riding a billygoat, leading a hound,The hound dog bark and the billygoat jump,Throwed Dan Tucker on top of a stump. CHORUS

Now old Dan Tucker, he got drunk,He fell in the fire and he kicked up a chunk,Red hot coal got in his shoe,Oh my Lawdy how the ashes flew. CHORUS

Now old Dan Tucker’s come to town,Swinging the ladies round and round,First to the right and then to the leftAnd then to the gal that he loved best. CHORUS, CHORUS

[excerpt ends here; additional verses below]

Ol' Dan Tucker clumb a tree,His Lord and Master for to see,The limb it broke and Dan got a fall,Never got to see his Lord at all.

Dan Tucker begun in early lifeTo play the banjo and the fife;He'd play the boys and gals to sleepAnd then into some bunk he'd creep.

Stephen Foster (1826-64)

• Born in Lawrenceville, PA• Songwriter:

– “Old Black Joe”– “Beautiful Dreamer”

– “Oh! Susanna”– “My Old Kentucky

Home” – “De Camptown Races”– “Old Folks at Home”

Stephen Foster, “De Camptown Races” (1850)

Stephen Foster, Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair (1854)

Instrumental prelude (flute; mandolin and fiddle enter later)

(A) I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair, Borne, like a vapor, on the summer air; (A) I see her tripping where the bright streams play, Happy as the daisies that dance on her way. (B) Many were the wild notes her merry voice would pour. Many were the blithe birds that warbled them o'er: (A) I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair, Floating, like a vapor, on the soft summer air.

(A) I long for Jeanie with the day dawn smile, Radiant in gladness, warm with winning guile; (A) I hear her melodies, like joys gone by, Sighing round my heart o'er the fond hopes that die: (B) Sighing like the night wind and sobbing like the rain, Wailing for the lost one that comes not again: (A) I long for Jeanie, and my heart bows low, Never more to find her where the bright waters flow.

Flute and fiddle interlude - replaces 2 lines of A in stanza 3

(A) I sigh for Jeanie, but her light form strayed Far from the fond hearts round her native glad; (A) Her smiles have vanished and her sweet songs flown, Flitting like the dreams that have cheered us and gone. (B) Now the nodding wild flowers may wither on the shore While her gentle fingers will cull them not more: (A) Oh! I sigh for Jeanie with the light brown hair, Floating like a vapor, on the soft summer air.

Stephen Foster, “Old Folks at Home” (1851)

African-American Spiritual“Deep River”

Deep River,My home is over Jordan.Deep River Lord.I want to cross over into campground.

Deep River.My home is over Jordan.Deep River, Lord,I want to cross over into campground

Oh, don't you want to go,To the gospel feast.That promised land,Where all, is peace.Oh, deep River.

Stephen Foster“Old Folks at Home” (1851)

Way down upond de Swanee ribber, far, far away, Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber, dere's wha de old folks stay.All up and down de whole creation, sadly I roam, Still longing for de old plantation, and for de old folks at home.

CHORUSAll de world am sad and dreary, ebry where I roam, Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary, far from de old folks at home.

All round de little farm I wandered, xhen I was young, Den many happy days I squandered, many de songs I sung. When I was playing wid my brudder, happy was IOh! take me to my kind old mudder, eere let me live and die. CHORUS

One little hut among de bushes, one dat I love, Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes, no matter where I rove When will I see de bees a humming, all round de comb? When will I hear de banjo tumming, down in my good old home? CHORUS