Hit’s a mighty long ways up de mountain side,
En dey ain’t no place fer dem sinners fer ter
hide,
En dey ain’t no place whar sin kin abide,
W’en de Lord shill come in de mornin’!
Look up en look aroun’,
Fling yo’ burden on de groun’,
Hit’s a gittin’ mighty close on ter mornin’!
Smoove away sin’s frown—
Retch up en git de crown,
W’at de Lord will fetch in de mornin’!
De han’ er ridem’shun, hit’s hilt
out ter you—
Lord! ‘member dem sinners in de mornin’!
Hit’s a mighty pashent han’, but de days
is but few,
W’en Satun, he’ll come a demandin’
un his due,
En de stiff-neck sinners ‘ll be smotin’
all fru-
Oh, you better git ready for de mornin’!
Look up en set yo’ face
To’ds de green hills of grace
‘Fo’ de sun rises up in de mornin’—
Oh, you better change yo’ base,
Hits yo’ soul’s las’ race
For de glory dat’s a comin’ in de mornin’!
De farmer gits ready w’en de lan’s all
plowed
For ter sow dem seeds in de mornin’
De sperrit may be puny en de flesh may be proud,
But you better cut loose fum de scoffin’ crowd,
En jine dose Christuns w’at’s a cryin’
out loud
Fer de Lord fer ter come in de mornin’!
Shout loud en shout long,
Let de eckoes ans’er strong,
W’en de sun rises up in de mornin’!
Oh, you allers will be wrong
Twel you choose ter belong
Ter de Marster w’at’s a comin’ in
de mornin’!
In the days of slavery, the religious services held by the negroes who accompanied their owners to the camp-meetings were marvels of earnestness and devotion.
III. CORN-SHUCKING SONG
Oh, de fus’ news you know de day’ll
be a breakin’—
(Hey O! Hi O! Up’n down de Bango!
1)
An’ de fier be a burnin’ en’ de
ash-cake a bakin’,
(Hey O! Hi O! Up’n down de Bango!)
An’ de ho’n ‘ll be a hollerin’
en de boss ’ll be a wakin’—
(Hey O! Hi O! Up’n down de Bango!)
Better git up, nigger, en give yo’se’f
a shakin’—
(Hi O, Miss Sindy Ann!)
Oh, honey! w’en you see dem ripe stars a fallin’—
(Hey O! Hi O! Up’n down de Bango!)
Oh, honey! w’en you year de rain-crow a callin’—
(Hey O! Hi O! Up’n down de Bango!)
Oh, honey! w’en you year dat red calf a bawlin’—
(Hey O! Hi O! Up’n down de Bango!)
Den de day time’s a creepin’ en a crawlin’—
(Hi O, Miss Sindy Ann!)
For de los’ ell en yard 2 is a huntin’
for de mornin’,
(Hi O! git long! go ’way!)
En she’ll ketch up wid dus ‘fo’
we ever git dis corn in—
(Oh, go ’way, Sindy Ann!)
Oh, honey! w’en you year dat tin horn a tootin’
(Hey O! Hi O! Up’n down de Bango!)
Oh, honey, w’en you year de squinch owl a hootin’—
(Hey O! Hi O! Up’n down de Bango!)
Oh, honey! w’en you year dem little pigs a rootin’—
(Hey O! Hi O! Up’n down de Bango!)
Right den she’s a comin’ a skippin’
en a scootin’—
(Hi O, Miss Sindy Ann!)