Singers and Storytellers Page: 39
v, 298 p. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this book.
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THE SINGER OR THE SONG
Me no ask no harse 'n bridle
Me don wan no house an' lan
Day oh, Day oh
Deh de light an' me wan'a go home
Six han's, seven han's, eight han's-bunch
Day oh, Day oh
Deh de light an' me wan'a go home
Deh de light an' me wan'a go home
Me no ask no silver pitcher
Me no ask no crown wi' jewel
Day oh, Day oh
Me back jus' bruk
Wi' pure exhaust'n
Deh de light an' me wan'a go home
Deh de light an' me wan'a go home.
Six han's, seven han's, eight han's-bunch.
They are very tired; the night is over; with the coming of day
they should go home to food and rest, but the impelling refrain
made of the never-ending and compulsive words of the tallyman
drives them on: six han's, seven han's, eight han's-bunch. The
rhythm is slow, monotonous, regular-far removed from calypso
as the folksong itself is far removed from the art song. Ballad
critics and theorists have tried repeatedly to see in such songs
as this just naive or undeveloped examples of song in general.
It has never occurred to them that such a song might be an
example of absolute art of its kind, and that only with difficulty
can you make it grow into something else.2
If it is true that a different kind of art exists between
folksong and song of record, just what is the difference and
what form should a critical theory take? I can do little more
than suggest some of the answers to these questions, for the
subject needs extensive discussion and illustration. Let us
recognize in the beginning that tradition endows all types of
folk culture with common qualities; language, tale, song, drama,
all would show this close kinship. An analysis of this common39
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Singers and Storytellers (Book)
Collection of popular folklore of Texas, including personal anecdotes about storytellers and singers, as well as folk songs, myths, and ghost stories. The index begins on page 295.
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Boatright, Mody C. Singers and Storytellers, book, 1961; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc67655/m1/45/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Press.