A–B

Adam’s awake, in Cool Burgess’ “In the Morning by the Bright Light” Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1880 or later]), p. 5; HTC, songsters

Notes: “Sung by Pettit and White in the interior of Cuba.” Lyrics:

If I had de sings of de Jypsum Jews,

Adam’s awake in me to-day –

I’d use that language dat de angels use,

Adam’s awake in me to-day –

Den I’d frow by my sister, for she didn’t use me right

Adam’s awake in me to-day –

Come down to my house to-morrow night,

Adam’s awake in me to-day.

Chorus:

Adam’s awake in me, Adam’s awake in me,

Adam’s awake in me to-day –

Adam’s awake in me, Adam’s awake in me,

Adam’s awake in me to-day

I’ll argue wid de fader, I’ll chatter wid de son,

Adam’s awake in me to-day –

I’ll tell you ’bout de world dat I come from,

Adam’s awake in me to-day –

Den turn dem hoe cakes round and round,

Adam’s awake in me to-day –

Make dat coffee good and strong,

Adam’s awake in me to-day.

Ahrem, J. (white) Jubilee Singers medley schottische (Cincinnati: John Church, 1884) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1884.02061

Notes: Arrangement of traditional spirituals. This apparently is a piano medley of the jubilee songs Church had published in 1880–(1882): Turn back Pharaoh’s army; Roll, Jordan, roll; I’m a rolling; Swing low, sweet chariot; Ride up in a chariot, or, Sooner in the morning; and What kind of shoes are you going to wear? Roll, Jordan, roll is used as an introduction and bridge between the tunes. (In m. 3, the harmonization of the flatted 7th with a V chord in second inversion is odd, as is the dotted schottische melody in m. 5 – it trivializes this weighty song.) Modulations are abrupt. This is very easy piano music for the parlor, with the score identifying each song. Ahrem may have been a music teacher; he edited and arranged Youthful treasures, a collection of easy teaching pieces for the piano (1884) and wrote a song and refrain titled Eyes of blue, peek-a-boo (1883), both published by John Church. See also Frederick Carnes. For more on parlor arrangements of spirituals see Sandra Jean Graham, “Reframing Negro Spirituals in the Late Nineteenth Century,” in John Koegel (ed.), Music, American Made: Essays in Honor of John Graziano (Sterling Heights, MI: Harmonie Park Press, 2011).

Ain’t I glad to get out of the wilderness

Notes: This well-known (camp meeting?) hymn/song was likely the basis of many contrafacta (see, e.g., H.T. Bryant, Balm of Gilead). The burlesque jubilee group Olympia Quartette sang a contrafactum called Hard-shell Baptist, found in Olympia Quartette Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1881]), p. 9, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection. Lyrics:

1^st tenor: I’ve got a sister in de wilderness

All: De wilderness, de wilderness.

2^nd tenor: I’ve got a brother in de wilderness,

All: Working for de Lord.

Baritone: I’ve got a cousin in de wilderness, de wilderness, de wilderness

Basso: I’ve got an uncle on the Bowery, working against de Lord.

Chorus

Hard shell Baptist git out de wilderness (repeat 2x)

Hard shell Baptist git out de wilderness, Wait for de Lord.

Verse 2 begins “Didn’t my Lord deliver Brother Daniel” and verse 3 begins “But my Lord he didn’t like Pharaoh.”

Anthologies for “Hard-shell Baptist”: Williams & Sully’s Dandy Colored Coons Songster (New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d.), LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection

Recordings: Ain’t I glad… is part of Balm of Gilead as recorded by Harry C. Browne, Early Minstrel Songs Recorded 1916–1923 (British Archive of Country Music, BACM CD D 076).

Almeron, S. W. (white) Sing when de sun gone down (New York: Willis Woodward & Co., 1883) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1883.13772b

Notes: Jubilee song and chorus. Dedicated to “De Lime Kiln Club.” A fairly convincing commercial spiritual without heavy stereotyping, although this is definitely a minstrel song. The LC has two other songs by him, both parlor love songs.

The Lime Kiln Club was a fictional creation of the journalist and humorist Charles B. Lewis (b. Liverpool, OH, 15 Feb. 1842; d. Brooklyn Aug 1924). During his 22 years at the Detroit Free Press, Lewis created a number of comical characters under the pen name M. Quad; he later continued as a syndicated writer when he moved to Brooklyn. Brother Gardner and his “negro associates of the Lime Kiln Club” were, like Gardner’s other creations, so convincing that his readers thought they really existed – a conceit that Gardner encouraged. Several songs were written about the Lime Kiln Club in 1883 and 1884, two by the black composer Fred Lyons. Editor Frank H. Alford of the Middletown, Conn., Daily Herald was once cited for contempt when he compared a judge’s court to the Lime Kiln Club; this seems to have been a common insult to connote mayhem and ridicule. Lewis published three books on the Club in 1882, 1883, and 1894; in addition Thomas Worth illustrated “De Lime Kiln Club, A Temperance Racket,” published by Currier & Ives in 1889.

References: “Aldermen in a dilemma,” New York Times, 9 Sept. 1884; “A publisher in contempt,” New York Times, 29 July 1886; “The Donahoe’s wrath appeased,” New York Times, 1 Aug 1886; “Primrose & West’s Festival,” New York Times, 10 Mar. 1896; “M. Quad, at 70, still our most prolific humorist,” New York Times, 11 Feb. 1912; “Charles B. Lewis dies at 82, famous humorist,” New York Times, 23 Aug. 1924.

Angelo, H. Jonah and the whale (n.p.: W. F. Shaw, 1885) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1885.09774

Notes: Cover: “The Great Jubilee Song & Chorus.” I include this because it professes to be a jubilee song, but it is more like a ballad with chorus; it tells the story of a parson named Jonah who boards a ship to go preach to sinners. When a storm comes upon them they blame him. There are no musical elements of the spiritual in the song, and the words are more in the British music hall tradition of the hapless fellow whom luck continually betrays.

Andrews, F. C. Paddle for de golden shore (New York: Harms, T. B., 1883) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1883.24701

Notes: Words by C. Clare. Allegretto. Gapped melody in G-major with internal refrain; the monotony of the verse typical of this genre is relieved by a 2-mm bridge. Form: A[ab]A[ab']B[cd]A[ab'], for total of 16 mm. SATB chorus sounds like a gospel hymn. Words index spirituals.

Anthologies: Full score in Thatcher, Primrose and West’s Minstrel Songs; A Collection of Old and New Jubilee and Minstrel songs (New-York: T. B. Harms, 1887), p. 6, UIUC Special Collections

Archer, Charles (white). Glory hallelugerum, in Queen and West’s Popular Songster (New York: A. J. Fisher, 1878), pp. 30–31; HTC, songsters

Notes: “Written by Charles Archer, for Worden & Mack.” I don’t believe this was ever published as sheet music. Lyrics:

Whar de little children singing ’round de rull,

Sing gwine away to Glory Hallelugerum,

Whar de jolly time when de nigger he sot free,

Come and gone to Glory Hallelugerum.

Whar de massa gone dat used to run de place,

Jess de same to Glory Hallelugerum.

Whar de darkey go dat doesn’t wash his face,

Why, he doesn’t go to Glory Hallelugerum.

Chorus:

Don’t you hear the angels sing,

Don’t you hear the music ring,

Jest like banjos on de wing,

Hallelugerum.

Don’t you hear de joyful sound –

Angel Gabriel he’s been ’round,

Blowing his horn ’round and round,

Glory Hallelugerum.

We’re gwine up – oh! ever so high,

All of us singing Hallelugerum.

Gwine to have a picnic up in de sky,

All along wid Glory Hallelugerum.

Den harness all de horses, hitch ’em to de post,

An’ listen to ’em singing Hallelugerum.

Of all the blessed things dis nigger likes de most,

Is to sit and sing de Glory Hallelugerum.

Chorus:

Glory! glory!

Don’t you hear de darkey’s song,

Singing all de day so long,

Sometimes right and sometimes wrong,

Hallelugerum.

Don’t you hear de !oyful [sic] sound,

Angel Gabriel has gone ’round,

Tooting his horn in de burning ground,

Sinners, gwine along,

Some say it’s right, and some say it’s wrong,

For to go and sing de Glory Hallelugerum,

But whar is de odds so long as it’s a song,

To raise de shout for Glory Hallelugerum.

Rattle up de bones, de banjo and de horn,

And join me in de chorus – Hallelugerum.

Den we’ll have a dance ’way out among de corn,

All of us singing Hallelugerum.

Chorus:

Glory! glory!

Don’t you hear de children cry,

Little baby angels swimming in de sky,

Deir mudders gone out and so dey cry,

Hallelugerum.

Den sinners hear de joyful sound,

Angel Gabriel has been ’round,

Blowing his horn on de old camp ground,

Glory Hallelugerum.

Baker, Charley (white), see Frank Dumont, De gospel raft

Baker, Fred T. (white). Great creation how-de git ’em in (W. F. Shaw, 1886) http://jhir.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/28801

Notes: Words by W.H.W. Semple. Dedicated to Harry C. Stephens. A “Noah’s ark” song, the conceit being how all the animals fit on the ship. The only link African American folksong is the use of dialect.

Belasco, F., see Rosenfeld, M. H

Bell, Josh. Gwine home in de chariot in de morning (Boston: W. A. Evans, 1883) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1883.19185

Notes: An “Ethiopian song.” Pentatonic flavor, flatted seventh, internal refrain.

Benedict, Charles (white). I'll be dar. Detroit: Whittemore & Stephens, 1875 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1875.01416

Notes: Dedicated “to the profession”; a “plantation song.” Minor key, internal refrain. The refrain seems to borrow from the refrain to the spiritual “The General Roll” (as performed by the Fisk Jubilee Singers), which begins “I’ll be there…”

Bennett, Frank (white). The old ark’s a moving, in Harry Clarke’s “The Cats on Our Back Fence” Songster (New York: A. J. Fisher, Publisher, 1879), p. 32; HTC, songsters

Notes: The credit line reads “Camp meeting song, by Mr. Frank Bennett,” so it is not clear whether Bennett composed or performed this song, or both. It seems to be a contrafactum of the spiritual De ole ark a-moverin’ along, as printed in the 1874 anthology of Hampton Institute spirituals (pp. 249–50; the page is incorrect in the index), which shares its melody with another spiritual, Babylon’s fallin’. Both songs have the same structure (judging from lyrics only), and Bennett’s lyrics fit with the Hampton tune:

Away down South, where I was born,

The old ark’s a moving, a moving along;

Among the sugar cane and corn,

The old ark’s a moving, a moving along;

Then old massa promised me,

The old ark’s a moving, a moving along;

That when he died he’s set me free,

Oh, the old ark’s a moving, a moving along;

Chorus.

Then the old ark’s a moving, a moving along;

Then the old ark’s a moving, a moving along;

The old ark’s a moving, a moving along;

When I die I want to rise high,

The old ark’s a moving, a moving along;

Way up yonder in the sky,

The old ark’s a moving, a moving along;

And sister Sal and my aunt Sue,

The old ark’s a moving, a moving along;

Said they’d surely be there, too,

The old ark’s a moving, a moving along.

Recordings: Examples of the spiritual on which this parody is based include The old ark’s a’moving by A. A. Gray & Seven-Foot Dilly [John Dilleshaw], rec. 1930, Down in the Basement: Joe Bussard’s Treasure Trove of Vintage 78s 1926–1937 (Raleigh, NC: Old Hat Enterprises CD-1004); The old ark’s a-moverin’ by the Virginia Female Jubilee Singers, rec. 1921, The Earliest Negro Vocal Groups, vol. 4 (1921–1924) (Vienna: Document Records DOCD-5531).

Bentley, Charles. Put on your gospel wings (New York: T.B. Harms & Co., 1882) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.award/rpbaasm.1197

Notes: One of the overarching themes of commercial spirituals is the emphasis on personal hygiene and fashion in preparation for entry into heaven; this song falls squarely in that category. The verse form is A[abab]B[cd]A'[a'b] for a total of 16 mm, where b is the internal refrain. Bb major.

Bjoerkman, G. A. Han’ me de golden crown (Chicago: S. Brainard’s Sons, 1890) http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.100004730

Notes: Words by Emile Pickhardt. Arr. by J. B. Herbert. G major. The verse sets secular scenes (end of work day, hunting possum) with interjections of the internal refrain “han’ me de golden crown.” The chorus lyrics are formulas from spirituals. Two measures have fills that connect phrases.

Bland, James (black). De angels am a coming (New York: Hitchcock's Music Store, 1880) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1880.17290

Notes: “To Mannie Friend” (Bland’s youthful sweetheart and lifelong close friend). Has internal refrain (2 mm. that completes 8-mm. phrase) and some iconic text, but does not really resemble a spiritual. In Bland’s ca. 1880 songster (see Anthologies below), it is called a jubilee end song, and “permission to publish must be obtained from the author, Mr. Jas. A. Bland.”

Anthologies (lyrics only): James Bland’s “Golden Wedding” Songster (New York: N. Y. Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1880]), p. 8, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Birch and Backus’ Songs of the San Francisco Minstrels, no. 20, ed. Frank Dumont (New York: De Witt Publishing House, 1881), p. 87, HTC, songsters; Olympia Quartette Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1881]), p. 43, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Sheehan and Coyne’s “The Family Next Door” Songster (New York: A. J. Fisher, 1881), p. 60 (HTC) – in which this is one of 3 songs that are not Irish; Katie Cooper’s “Cindy Jane” Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1881]), p. 44, HTC, songsters; J. H. Haverly’s New Mastodons Minstrel Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1883]), p. 32, HTC, songsters

Gabriel's band (New York: S. T. Gordon & Sons, 1881) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1881.09426

Notes: Song and chorus. Superficial textual imagery relating to spirituals, no folk characteristics.

In the morning by the bright light (Boston: John F. Perry, 1879) http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/hasm.a6651/pg.1/

Notes: Cover: “The immensely popular end song . . . As performed by Harrigan & Hart. As sung by Lotta and Ed. Marble in Musette and Zip.” Title page: “To my Friend, Billy McClellan” (black minstrel with Swift’s Plantation Minstrels and the Black Diamonds). One of the hit songs of 1879 (Music for the Nation, “Greatest Hits, 1870–85: Variety Music Cavalcade,” Library of Congress, http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/smhtml/smhome.html, accessed 20 June 2008).

The song mixes the imagery associated with going to heaven with plans for going to a camp meeting, which sounds as though it will be more of a social than religious event. The song uses an internal refrain, repetition (with most of the verse taking place on only two reiterated pitches) and a verse form of ABAB. Bland performed this song with Haverly’s Georgia Minstrels. It was also arranged as a quickstep for piano (1880): http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1880.03315

Songsheet versions: http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/songsheets.bsvg301171/pg.1/ and http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/songsheets.bsvg401583/pg.1/.

Anthologies (lyrics only): Haverly’s Genuine Colored Minstrels’ Songster (New York: New-York Popular Publishing Co., 1879), p. 4, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; James Bland’s “Golden Wedding” Songster (New York: N. Y. Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1880]), p. 21, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Mme. Rentz’s Songster (New York: De Witt, 1880), p. 32 – with a copyright date of 1879 and attribution to Bland, HTC, songsters; Nat Austin’s Great London Circus Comic and Sentimental Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1880 or later]), p. 26 HTC, songsters (also an 1879 copyright line); Cool Burgess’ “In the Morning by the Bright Light” Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1880 or later]), p. 3, HTC, songsters; Bonnie Runnell’s “Der Brave Hussars” Songster (New York: A. J. Fisher, 1881), p. 9 – sung by Billy Emerson, HTC, songsters; The “Commercial Drummer” Songster (New York: A. J. Fisher, 1881), p. 32 – sung by Billy Emerson, HTC, songsters; James Bland and Mannie Friend’s “In the Evening by the Moonlight” Songster (New York: A. J. fisher, 1881), p. 8, HTC, songsters; The Four in Hand Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1882 or later]), p. 27, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; The Horseshoe Four Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1882 or later]), p. 38, HTC, songsters; Evans, Bryant & Hoey’s “Book Agent” Songster (Pittsburgh: American Publishing Co., n.d. [1883 or later]), p. 18, HTC, songsters; J. H. Haverly’s New Mastodons Minstrel Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1883]), p. 8, HTC, songsters; J. H. Haverly’s Genuine Unique Refined Minstrel Songster, Casket of Gems, no. 12 (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1883]), p. 8, HTC, songsters Thatcher, Primrose & West Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing, n.d. [1883 or later]), p. 39, HTC, songsters; Nick Roberts-Gardner 2-Ring Circus Songster (printed by Merchant’s Gargling Oil Co., Lockport, NY, n.d.), p. 25, HTC, songsters; Wehman Bros.’ Good Old-Time Songs, no. 2 (New York: Wehman Bros, 1910), p. 21, HTC, songsters

Keep dem golden gates wide open! (New York: Hitchcock's Music Store, 1880) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1880.14962

Notes: “To New York’s Favorites, the San Francisco Minstrels.” Spiritual imagery of climbing to heaven, but no internal refrains or musical folk elements.

Anthologies (lyrics only): James Bland’s “Golden Wedding” Songster (New York: N. Y. Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1880]), p. 11, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Birch and Backus’ Songs of the San Francisco Minstrels, no. 20, ed. Frank Dumont (New York: De Witt Publishing House, 1881), p. 107, HTC, songsters; The “Commercial Drummer” Songster (New York: A. J. Fisher, 1881), pp. 50–51 – sung by James Bland, HTC, songsters; James Bland and Mannie Friend’s “In the Evening by the Moonlight” Songster (New York: A. J. fisher, 1881), pp. 6–7 – sung by James Bland, HTC, songsters; The Four Eccentrics’ Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1881 or later]), p. 35, HTC, songsters; The Four in Hand Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1882 or later]), p. 32, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Harrigan and Hart’s “McSorley’s Inflation” Songster (New York: Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1882]), p. 41, HTC, songsters; J. H. Haverly’s New Mastodons Minstrel Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1883]), p. 46, HTC, songsters; Mack Vincent’s Banjo Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1884 or later]), p. 58, HTC, songsters

Recordings: Under title Keep those golden gates wide open, Harry C. Browne, recorded New York, Jan. 1920, reissued on Early Minntrel Songs Recorded 1916–1923

Listen to the silver trumpets (Boston: White, Smith & Co., 1880)

Notes: Per Bland’s 1880 songster (see below), “sung by him with immense success at Niblo’s Garden and during the run of Haverly’s Colored Minstrels.”

Anthologies: Lyrics only in James Bland’s “Golden Wedding” Songster (New York: N. Y. Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1880]), p. 19, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Olympia Quartette Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1881]), p. 51, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; full score in Plantation Songs and Jubilee Hymns (Boston: White, Smith & Co., 1881), p. 55, LC, Music Division

Oh, dem golden slippers (Boston: John F. Perry & Co., 1879) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1879.01966

Notes: One of Bland’s most popular songs, and a hit song in 1879 (Music for the Nation, “Greatest Hits, 1870–85: Variety Music Cavalcade,” Library of Congress, http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/smhtml/smpop.html (accessed 26 Aug. 2010).

It remained popular through the first half of the 20th century. Pentatonic flavor, superficial textual imagery relating to spirituals. W. H. Jarvis arranged this as a polka: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1881.04985 (1881), introducing the “popular end song” Rise, my brothers, rise (see under Fred Lyons). I can’t prove a direct relation to a specific spiritual, but the Hampton Institute Singers sang “Walk dem-a Golden Streets” on a program; Brooklyn Eagle, 23 Feb 1875 – the words printed in the program were “I wish I had a been dar / To sing an’ shout with de Israelites. / I wish I had a been dar, / To walk dem-a golden streets.”

The Salvation Army used Bland’s tune but wrote their own words; the chorus went “Oh! my loving saviour! oh, my loving Saviour! / Sinner won’t you come with me? We’ll walk those golden streets” (repeat); Salvation Soldier’s Song Book (New York: Army Headquarters, 1880).

In 1905 the Philadelphia Mummers Parade played it for the first time and then adopted it as its unofficial anthem.

Pettit and White performed what was certainly a contrafactum of Bland’s song, called The golden slippers with music bya “Harry Bland.” The words fit perfectly with Bland’s tune: “Oh I look way over yonder, and, ah, who do I see /There’s a great, a big, a nigger wench, a looking right at me, / And she’s got them golden slippers, and she’s got them in her hand, / And she says she’s going to wear them / Before she reach that Canaan’s land.” The chorus is the same as Bland’s, with the last line “And I wear them till I die.” Verse 2: “Some people go to church, for to sing and to pray, / But none of them, got the Christian way, / Some people go to church, for to sing and to talk, / And none of them, / Got the Christian walk.” (see Pettit and White’s songster below for source).

Wm. E. Hines wrote and performed an answer song called Ruby Slippers, which is more similar to a traditional spiritual, with an internal refrain (that would work with Bland’s original tune). As far as I know it was first published in 1880, in Bland’s own songster (see below, contrafacta). Lyrics:

Oh! my ruby slippers am laid away, / I’m gwine home to glory;

They’re polished up as bright as day, / I’m gwine home to glory.

And de buckles shine like diamond stars, / I’m gwine home to glory;

We’re sailing to de planet, mars, / I’m gwine home to glory.

Chorus:

Oh! dem ruby slippers, / Ah! dem ruby slippers,

Ruby slippers we must wear, / Because dey look so neat, cuy-hey!

Oh! dem ruby slippers, / Ah! dem ruby slippers,

Ruby slippers I’m gwine to wear / Upon my wedding day.

My seal-skin cap is on the bed, / I’m gwine home to glory;

Oh, put it sister on my head, / I’m . . .

My watch and chain stick in my vest, / I’m . . .

I’ll take it ’long wid all de rest, / I’m . . .

Chorus

Brethren, brethren, pack your grip, / I’m . . .

And tell de landlord, let her rip, / I’m . . .

And when we reach de other side, / I’m . . .

You’ll every one salute the bride, / I’m . . .

Anthologies of Bland’s song (lyrics only): Haverly’s Genuine Colored Minstrels’ Songster (New York: New-York Popular Publishing Co., 1879), p. 3, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Barlow, Wilson, Primrose & West’s New Minstrel Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1880]), p. 18, HTC, songsters; James Bland’s “Golden Wedding” Songster (New York: N. Y. Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1880]), p. 20, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Mme. Rentz’s Songster (New York: De Witt, 1880), p. 45, HTC, songsters; James Bland and Mannie Friend’s “In the Evening by the Moonlight” Songster (New York: A. J. Fisher, 1881), p. 9, HTC, songsters; Bobby Newcomb’s “Pretty as a Butterfly” Songster (Pittsburgh: American Publishing Co., 1881), p. 45, HTC, songsters; Olympia Quartette Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1881]), p. 58, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Sheehan and Coyne’s “The Family Next Door” Songster (New York: A. J. Fisher, 1881), p. 53, as sung by Billy Emerson (HTC, songsters) – in which this is one of 3 songs that are not Irish; The Four in Hand Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1882 or later]), p. 38, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Mack Vincent’s Banjo Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1884 or later]), p. 59, HTC, songsters; Miss Clara Moore’s “Shamrocks, Thistle and Stars” Songster (Pittsburgh: American Publishing Co., n.d.), p. 19, HTC, songsters; Nick Roberts-Gardner 2-Ring Circus Songster (printed by Merchant’s Gargling Oil Co., Lockport, NY, n.d.), p. 8, HTC, songsters;

Anthologies of contrafacta: James Bland’s “Golden Wedding” Songster (New York: N. Y. Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1880]), p. 55, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Pettit and White’s “Fanny Lucinda” Songster (New York: A. J. Fisher, 1880), p. 17, HTC, songsters; 3 Comets’ Songster, Casket of Gems series no. 157 (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1888 or later]), p. 37, HTC, songsters

Oh! My brother (Boston: John F. Perry, 1880) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1880.02362

Notes: “To Edward Bowen” (possibly Edwin Bowen, bones player with Haverly’s Genuine Troupe of Blacks). “Immensely popular end song.” This seems to try and capitalize on the success of Oh, Dem golden slippers. Textual allusions to spirituals, melodic repetition, but no strong resemblance.

Anthologies (lyrics only): James Bland’s “Golden Wedding” Songster (New York: N. Y. Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1880]), p. 13, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection

Tell all de children good bye (Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, 1881) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1881.01307

Notes: “To my friend Johnny Matthews, Esq.” “Comic end song.” By Bland, “of Haverly’s Genuine Colored Minstrels, and sung by him with immense success.” Internal refrain; verse has a flatted seventh, but the flat-seventh effect is not as strong in the refrain, which also uses a flatted sixth melodically, creating a descending stepwise melody. I debated whether to include this as a commercial spiritual; the musical resemblance is faint and there’s no textual imagery relating to spirituals. Orchestral parts are located at: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1881.01317.

Anthologies (lyrics only): The Carncross’ Songster (Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, 1881), HTC, songsters; Callender’s Original Colored Minstrel Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1882]), p. 9 – sung by Ed. Bowen, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection

Tell ’em I'll be there (New York: S. T. Gordon & Son, 1881) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1881.09425

Notes: Commercial spirituals usually resemble traditional spirituals in the chorus. In this song the verse is more similar (internal refrain); the chorus is a schottische. Superficial textual allusions to spirituals.

Way up yonder (Boston: John F. Perry, 1880) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1880.17429

Notes: “End song.” Has two internal refrains (question and answer), textual allusions to spirituals, but not similar to a spiritual musically.

Bonbright, Stephen S. (white). Niggas get on de boat (Cincinnati: Geo. D. Newhall, 1884) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1884.21444

Notes: “Written for and sung by the Original San Francisco Quartete.” Bonbright was w idely published poet from Cincinnati; he wrote only two dialect songs among the 40 deposited with the LC, and this is the only commercial spiritual. Boat to heaven: The lyrics index spirituals, the musical style does not.

Bornstein, A. The golden robe (Chicago: National Music Co., 1892) http://www.loc.gov/rr/perform/ihas/lcp-home.html (search by title)

Notes: Words by Horace Cone. Cover: Ethiopian song. Respectfully dedicated to Mrs. Fay Cone. Allegretto moderato. G major. Simple melody with internal refrain. Verse has 24 mm.; although there is immediate repetition of melodic phrases, the composer introduces new material to make an extended verse form. Lyrics express hurry to get to heaven but state no explicit reason. No dialect and no specific references to black life.

Boss is gone away (Haverly’s American United Mastodon Minstrels Libretto Song book, ca. 1881; HTC, minstrel playbills)

Notes: Sung by Tom Sadler (no composer given or located). First line: “Dere’s a good time comin’ for de niggers yet / [internal refrain] Evr’y day’s goin’ to be a holiday.” The songster contains no music, but the structure is that of a folk spiritual, and the lyrics index spirituals, although heaven is portrayed not as a release from torment but a holiday.

Braham, Dave (white). Dip me in the golden sea (New York: Wm. A. Pond, 1881) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1881.20479

Notes: Words by Ed. Harrigan. “Jubilee song and chorus.” Sung in Harrigan & Hart’s play The Major. Pentatonic. Compare the musical style to Coming home from meeting, from the play Tribulations: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1884.06843. This schottische style, which portrays white characters coming home from a Sunday religious meeting, is in marked contrast to the style Braham uses to characterize the religious aspects of blacks.

Anthologies (lyrics only): Harrigan and Hart’s “Squatter Soverignty” Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1881]), p. 12, HTC, songsters; Tony Pastor & M. B. Leavitt’s United Combination Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing, n.d. [ca. 1882]), p. 27, HTC, songsters; Hi Henry’s Premium Operatic Minstrel Songster (New York: Popular Publishing, n.d. [ca. 1883]), p. 14, HTC, songsters; J. H. Haverly’s New Mastodons Minstrel Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1883], p. 26, HTC, songsters; Nick Roberts-Gardner 2-Ring Circus Songster (printed by Merchant’s Gargling Oil Co., Lockport, NY, n.d., p. 3; The Night Owls Burlesque Songster, Casket of Gems no. 118 (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d.), p. 24, HTC, songsters

The golden choir (New York: Wm. A. Pond, 1883) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1883.04389

Notes: Words by Ed Harrigan. Cover: “As sung in Ed. Harrigan’s new play, The Muddy Day.” Title page: Dedicated to Mrs. Edward Harrigan. Much more musically sophisticated than most commercial spirituals, as one would expect from Braham. Captures flavor of gospel hymn without using explicit musical devices from spiritual (although switches from major to minor and back; pentatonic flavor in parts). Braham also wrote a quadrille of this song for orchestra: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1883.13357.

Anthologies (lyrics only): Murphy and Mack’s New Comedy Four Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1883 or later]), p. 46, HTC, songsters; Thatcher, Primrose & West Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing, n.d. [1883 or later]), p. 28, HTC, songsters; Hi Henry’s Premium Operatic Minstrel Songster (New York: Popular Publishing, n.d. [ca. 1883]), p. 13, HTC, songsters; Barney Fagan’s “Dashing Drum Major” Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1883 or later]), p. 50, HTC, songsters; “Tidings of Comfort and Joy” Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1884]), p. 42, HTC, songsters; The Mohawk Minstrel Song Book (London: Francis Bros. & Day, n.d.), p. 2, HTC, songsters; Moore & Burgess Minstrels’ Songs (St. James Hall, London; Moore & Burgess, n.d.), p. 16, HTC, songsters

On de rainbow road (New York: Wm. A. Pond & Co., 1891) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.award/rpbaasm.0110

Notes: Cover: “As sung in Edward Harrigan’s New Play. Entitled ‘Last of the Hogans.’ Words by Edward Harrigan. Allegro moderato. C-minor verse, chorus in relative major. Verse: A[ab]A'[a'b']AB[cb'']. Chorus is a march.

Braham, John (white). Oh! Dat watermelon, see Luke Schoolcraft

Bray, Walter (white; d. 1891). Carry the news! We are all surrounded (Philadelphia: R. Wittig, 1870). http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1870.03978

Notes: “As sung by Simmons & Slocum’s Minstrels.” There were many songs that used internal refrains and quasi-religious content before the jubilee phenomenon erupted; this is one of them. It presents a gapped melody in an extremely repetitive verse form (which Sam Lucas would later adopt): a 4-mm phrase of ab (call and internal refrain response) stated 4 times for a double verse of 16 mm. The lyrics mix secular and imagery from spirituals in a nonsensical way (the intention was comedy). An indication of the song’s popularity is the fact that in 1871 Lee & Walker (Philadelphia) published a solo piano version of this song (without words), attributed to E. Mack, in its series “Sunbeams: A Collection of pieces arranged in a simple style,” available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1871.07162, and yet another version in its series “Ballads without Words” for easy piano, arranged by J. J. Haman, at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1871.05914. (The latter is not a ballad in form or style but rather a lively dance elaboration of the original melody.)

Anthologies (lyrics only): Under the title Carry the news to Mary, in Cool Burgess’ “In the Morning by the Bright Light” Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1880 or later]), p. 18, HTC, songsters, and Olympia Quartette Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1881]), p. 28, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Minstrel Songs Old and New (Boston: Oliver Ditson, 1883)

Bray, Will H. (white). Good Lord'll help me on my way (New York: S.T. Gordon & Son, 1883) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.award/rpbaasm.0135

Notes: Cover: “The greatest Negro song of the day. Dedicated to Frank Cushman, Baltimore, Md.” Title page: Arranged by Jesse Williams. Moderato. F major. Theme: Sailing to heaven. Internal refrain, prosodic syncopation. Verse form: A[ab]A[ab']B[cd]A[ab] for total of 16 mm. The piano accompaniment has more imagination than most songs in this genre. Bray was an actor; he appeared in, for example, Charles Hoyt’s farce The Texas Steer (“Notes of the Stage,” New York Times, 7 Jan. 1894).

Sinners, put on de golden uniform (New York: S. T. Gordon & Son, 1885) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1885.12438

Notes: Dedicated to Bob Slavin, of McNish, Johnson & Slavin’s Refined Minstrels. Orchestral score at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1885.17056. Prosodic syncopation, internal refrain, verse in minor, chorus in major. This is a larger form than usual: the verse is AAAA (4 mm. each of ab) followed by an 8-mm “refrain) that begins in relative major but returns to minor, followed by a 16-mm chorus (BBCD) that begins with a gapped scale melody in relative major and ends with the internal refrain (b) from the verse. Will Bray’s only other dialect song among the 13 songs deposited with the LC is We'll meet in de light of de moon, which uses internal refrains but is completely secular:

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1883.22018

Anthologies (lyrics only): Sheffer & Blakely’s “New Coon Done Gone” Songster (New York: N.Y. Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1886 or later]), p. 40; HTC, songsters

Bryant, H. T. (arr.) Balm of Gilead (Boston: Oliver Ditson; originally published 1861)

Notes: Callender’s Georgia Minstrels Songster (see below) has a credit line saying that the song was published by Ditson (though I have not located a copy). The earliest songster version I found was 1877. This is a different version from W. S. Milton’s arrangement of the same title; it could conceivably be sung to the same tune but has more verses, plus a chorus that doesn’t seem to fit with Milton’s song. One verse uses “Ain’t I glad to get out the wilderness” (the tune to which fits for every verse but the first and the chorus). Lyrics:

Chorus:

Oh, we ain’t going home any more, [3x]

Down t’ the Peach-blow Farm.

Balm of Gilead, [3x] Down t’ the Peach-blow Farm.

Massa loved his good old Jamaica,

His good old Jamaica, his good old Jamaica,

Massa loved his good old Jamaica,

Down in Alabama.

Hip! hip! hurrah! Ah, ah! [2x] Oh, my lamb. Chorus.

Ain’t I glad to get out the wilderness,

Get out the wilderness, get out the wilderness,

Ain’t I glad to get out the wilderness,

Oh, my lamb!

Hip! hip! hurrah! Ah, ah! [2x] Oh, my lamb. Chorus.

My old horse he came from Jerusalem,

He came from Jerusalem, he came from Jerusalem,

He kick so high they put him the museum,

Down in Alabama.

Hip! hip! hurrah! Ah, ah! [2x] Oh, my lamb. Chorus.

Bryants’ Minstrels sang a song titled Down in Alabam that is certainly related to Balm of Gilead. It uses the tune Out of the wilderness throughout (judging from the lyrics); I found it in James Bland’s “Golden Wedding” Songster (New York: N. Y. Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1880]), p. 33, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection. The verse about the horse occurs in both songs. Lyrics:

My old massa he’s got de dropsy, um, [repeat underlined phrase 2x more]

He am shure to die, ’kase he’s got no doctor un, / Down in Alabam.

Chorus: Ain’t I glad I got out of de wilderness [etc.] and left old Alabam!

Was an old blind horse come from Jerusalem,

He kick so high dey put him in de museum, / Down in Alabam.

Chorus.

Dis am a holiday, we hab assembled, um,

To sing and dance for de ladies and gembleum, / Down in Alabam.

Chorus.

Fare you well to de wild-goose nation,

I neber will leab de old plantation, / Down in Alabam.

Anthologies of “Balm of Gilead” (lyrics only): The Luke Schoolcraft Shine On Songster (A.J. Fisher, New York, 1873), p. 5, HTC, songsters – this matches in refrain only, not verse; [Harris and Carroll’s Song and Sketch Book (New York: Clinton T. De Witt, Publisher, 1877), p. 33, HTC, songsters; Callender’s Georgia Minstrels Songster (San Francisco: printed at the office of Francis & Valentine, 1878), p. 5 – “as sung by Bob Mack,” HTC, songsters; Haverly’s Genuine Colored Minstrels’ Songster (New York: New-York Popular Publishing Co., 1879), p. 13, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; William Carroll’s “Idle Hour” Songster (New York: De Witt, 1880), p. 15, HTC, songsters; Olympia Quartette Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1881]), p. 21 – as sung by James Grace, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; J. H. Haverly’s New Mastodons Minstrel Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1883], p. 10 – sung by James Grace of Haverly’s Georgia Minstrels, HTC, songsters; J. H. Haverly’s Genuine Unique Refined Minstrel Songster, Casket of Gems, no. 12 (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1883], p. 10 – sung by James Grace of Haverly’s Georgia Minstrels, HTC, songsters; Minstrel Songs Old and New (Boston: Oliver Ditson, 1883), 109

Recordings of “Balm of Gilead”: Harry C. Browne sings exactly Bryant’s version with two additional verses; verse 4 is “My gal’s gone but I’ll get another one…,” and v. 5 is “I went to a ball and my heels kept a rackin’.” Harry C. Browne, recorded New York, Oct. 1916, reissued on Early Minntrel Songs Recorded 1916–1923 (British Archive of Country Music, CD D076).

Brigham, Gus (white). De golden chariot (Chicago: National Music Co., 1884) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1884.11699

Notes: “The best Negro song ever published.” “Dedicated to my friend, S. P. Cantwell, Bass, Alpine Quartette.” (Written for male quartet.) G-major, no tempo marking. The typical of imagery of sailing to heaven is set to a schottische in the verse; the chorus, however, has basing parts resembling gospel hymns and has “concert effects” (e.g., the chorus is forte first time and pianissimo when repeated). The piano accompaniment portrays bells with octave leaps on the appropriate word in the verse. This is Brigham’s only commercial spiritual among his 6 songs deposited with LC. (Ned Straight wrote a similarly titled The golden chariot; see below.)

Hear dem silver chimes (Chicago: S. Brainard's Sons Co., 1893) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.award/rpbaasm.1200

Notes: Cover: “The latest original Negro melody.” Allegro. C-major. A bell song, which uses a perfect fifth in setting the words “ding dong” in the verse. I include this because the lyrics index spirituals and it relates to a class of bell songs, but the musical style is not closely related to the commercial spiritual. In the 1890s Brigham was employed as a traveler for the Yanes Piano House (Tim Gracyk and Frank W. Hoffmann, Popular American Recording Pioneers, 1895–1925 [Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, 2000], 162).

Bristow, Frank L. (white). Ain’t I glad! (Cincinnati: Geo. D. Newhall, 1880) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1880.06472

Notes: “To my friend, Frank Dunnie, Cincinnati, O.” Secular song with occasional religious imagery; the title recalls the phrase “I’m so glad,” which is familiar in spirituals. The chorus features a call and response between voice sections and has a modal flavor resembling folk song. Of Bristow’s 20 songs deposited with the LC, only 2 are commercial spirituals.

Keep move-a-lin along (Cincinnati: Geo. D. Newhall, 1885) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1885.01478

Notes: Words by Will S. Hays (see also Hays). “Comic song and chorus,” and “Companion to Keep in de middle ob de road” (see William Shakespeare Hays). Dedicated to Wm. R. Buford, Covington, KY. The title possibly plays on “Keep a-Inching Along,” which the Fisk Jubilee Singers had introduced to great acclaim; it also resembles Pete Devonear’s song of the same year, Keep a movin. Verse in F major, double verse of 8 + 8 with internal refrains; chorus modulates to relative minor, with soprano singing solo first time and SATB homophony second time. Rhythm (running eight notes) and melody lack folk characteristics.

Leave your burden at de bottom ob de hill (n.p.: American Press Assn., 1885) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1885.04277

Notes: “Roland Reed’s great song published through The American Press Association by especial permission of Newhall & Evans’ Music Co., 171 West Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.” A nonsensical mix of (mostly) secular and sacred images; prosodic syncopation.

Browne, Louis Murray. We’re all here, or Do thy self no harm (Cincinnati: Geo. D. Newhall, 1880) http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1880.19350

Notes: Moderato. G major. This song pairs verses about the prodigal son (Gospel of Luke) with Paul’s words from Acts 16:18 (“Do thyself no harm: for we are all here!); it does not use dialect, but it does employ an internal refrain and the form familiar to commercial spirituals (verse is AA' AA', 16 mm.). The musical style suggests a concert rather than minstrel or variety performance style: the harmonies of the accompaniment have chromatic movement, there are fermatas, tempo changes, and carefully considered dynamic markings. Godman’s Louisiana Jubilee Singers sang a concert spiritual in which the internal refrain was “do thyself no harm” 0

.0.). This song is the only title of Browne’s on deposit at the LC.

Buckle on de gospel sword, in Gorton’s Original New Orleans Minstrel Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1880 or later]), p. 48, HTC, songsters

Notes: “Sung by Fields and Hanson.” I don’t believe this was ever published as sheet music, and I can find no information on the composer.

I see de land of Canaan afar, / So buckle on your gospel sword;

I’se gwine for to ride in de gospel car, / Den a-join in de army of the Lord;

De road am long, de road am rough – / So buckle on your gospel sword;

If you believe in de lamb it’s smooth enough, / Den a-join in de army of the Lord.

Chorus:

Glory, glory, buckle on your gospel sword,

Glory, glory, join in de army of the Lord. [Repeat.]

He saved the ark and all the cattle, / So buckle on your gospel sword;

And he’ll save you, too, if you go in de battle, / Den a-join in de army of the Lord.

Oh sinner, sinner! what will you do? / Buckle on de gospel sword;

On de judgment day what will you do / If you don’t join in de army of the Lord?

Chorus

Children, children, join our band, / And buckle on your gospel sword,

For we are bound for a happy land – / Den a-join in de army of the Lord.

No more trouble, no more pain, / If you buckle on de gospel sword.

Oh, if I ask you once again, / Will you join in de army of the Lord?

Anthologies (lyrics only): The Four Eccentrics’ Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1881 or later]), p. 13 – sung by Fields & Hanson, HTC, songsters; Olympia Quartette Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [ca. 1881]), p. 19, LC, Music Division, Dumont Collection; Chas. H. Duprez & Benedict’s Famous Minstrels Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1882 or later]), p. 48 – sung by Fields & Hanson, HTC, songsters; J. H. Haverly’s New Mastodons Minstrel Songster (New York: New York Popular Publishing Co., n.d. [1883], p. 15, HTC, songsters