Robinson, Adgie Lee
Description
Collected by Adgie Lee Robinson Mary Celestia Parler; Newport, Ark. Transcribed by April 13, 1955 Neil Byer Reel 210, Item 8 The Boss Lady And The Colored Lady Well, this here's a kind of song. This here was in slavery time. The boss lady, she'd get up every morning, and when she'd get up, she'd go in and she'd powder her face. She'd comb her hair, and when she'd begin to comb her hair, she'd take the comb and go: Nearer, my God, to Thee (singing drawn out with gesture of combing long hair) Colored woman said, "Well, I can do that, too." She got the comb, and she went in the bathroom and got the looking-glass, and she powder her face, and she got the the comb, and she say: Nea— She say, "No, that won't do it." She got to combing, and she say, "I can sing, too." Little David, play on your harp, Little David, play on your harp (sung rapidly, with gestures of combing short hair) ...her hair wasn't long enough for her to sing, "Nearer, my God, to Thee." Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation.
Text
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Parler, Mary CelestiaByer, Neil
1955 04 13
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From Collection
Ozark Folksong CollectionRecord Contributed By
University of ArkansasKeywords
- African American Musicians
- African Americans
- Beauty
- Feminine Beauty (Aesthetics)
- Humor
- Slaver
- Slavery
- Tales
- Wit And Humor