Its a long John: Traditional African-American Work Songs

Spirituals and work songs, rooted in both the slavery era and the West African societies from which most African-American slaves were originally taken, provided cultural sustenance to African Americans in the midst of intense racial oppression. They first came to be valued by northern white audiences in the late-19th century. Later, folklorists began collecting (and eventually recording) traditional southern music. John and Alan Lomax recorded southern musicians (African-American, white, and Mexican-American) for the Library of Congress. They recorded Long John, a work song, sung by a man identified as Lightning and a group of his fellow black convicts at Darrington State Prison Farm in Texas in 1934. Black prisoners working in gangs to break rocks and clear swamps relied on the repeated rhythms and chants of work songs (originating in the forced gang labor of slavery) to set the pace for their collective labor. Long John mixed religious and secular concerns, including the notion of successful escape from bondage, a deeply felt desire of both slaves and prisoners. Listen to Audio: Long John All lines are repeated. LEADER: l. Its a long John, Hes a long gone, Like a turkey through the corn, Through the long corn. 2. Well, my John said, In the ten chap ten, "If a man die, He will live again." Well, they crucified Jesus And they nailed him to the cross; Sister Mary cried, My child is lost! Chorus: Well, long John, Hes long gone, Hes long gone. Mister John, John, Old Big-eye John, Oh, John, John, Its a long John. 3. Says-uh: "Come on, gal, And-uh shut that do'," Says, "The dogs is comin' And Ive got to go." Chorus: Its a long John, Hes long gone, Its a long John, Hes a long gone. 4. "Well-a two, three minutes, Let me catch my win'; In-a two, three minutes, Im gone again." Chorus: Hes long John, Hes long gone, Hes long gone, Hes long gone. 5. Well, my John said Just before he did,

"Well, Im goin' home, See Mary Lid." Chorus: Hes John, John, Old John, John, With his long clothes on, Just a-skippin' through the corn. 6. Well, my John said On the fourth day, Well, to "tell my rider That Im on my way." Chorus: Hes long gone, Hes long gone, Hes long gone, Its a long John. 7. "Gonna call this summer, Aint gon call no mo, If I call next summer, Be in Baltimore." Hes long gone. Source: Afro-American Spirituals, Work Songs, and Ballads, ed. Alan Lomax (Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress Archive of Folk Song, AFS L3). Sung by Lightning and a group of Afro-American convicts at Darrington State Prison Farm, Sandy Point, Texas, 1934. Recorded by John A. and Alan Lomax. See Also:"Run Old Jeremiah": Echoes of the Ring Shout