Caroling Dusk/Odyssey of Big Boy

by Sterling Allen Brown

ODYSSEY OF BIG BOY

Lemme be wid Casey Jones, Lemme be wid Stagolee,Lemme be wid such like men When Death takes hol’ on me,  When Death takes hol’ on me. . . .

Done skinned as a boy in Kentucky hills,  Druv steel dere as a man,Done stripped tobacco in Virginia fiels’ Alongst de River Dan,  Alongst de River Dan;

Done mined de coal in West Virginia Liked dat job jes’ fine Till a load o’ slate curved roun’ my head Won’t work in no mo’ mine,  Won’t work in no mo’ mine;

Done shocked de corn in Marylan, In Georgia done cut cane,Done planted rice in South Caline, But won’t do dat again  Do dat no mo’ again.

Been roustabout in Memphis, Dockhand in Baltimore,Done smashed up freight on Norfolk wharves A fust class stevedore,  A fust class stevedore. . . .

Done slung hash yonder in de North On de ole Fall River LineDone busted suds in li’l New Yawk Which ain’t no work o’ mine—  Lawd, ain’t no work o’ mine;

Done worked and loafed on such like jobs Seen what dey is to seeDone had my time with a pint on my hip An’ a sweet gal on my knee  Sweet mommer on my knee:

Had stovepipe blonde in Macon Yaller gal in Marylan In Richmond had a choklit brown Called me huh monkey man—  Huh big fool monkey man

Had two fair browns in Arkansaw And three in TennesseeHad Creole gal in New Orleans Sho Gawd did two time me—  Lawd two time, fo’ time me—

But best gal what I evah had Done put it over demA gal in Southwest Washington At Four’n half and M—  Four’n half and M. . . .

Done took my livin’ as it came Done grabbed my joy, done risked my lifeTrain done caught me on de trestle Man done caught me wid his wife  His doggone purty wife. . . .

I done had my women, I done had my funCain’t do much complainin’ When my jag is done,  Lawd, Lawd, my jag is done.

An’ all dat Big Boy axes When time comes fo’ to go Lemme be wid John Henry, steel drivin’ man Lemme be wid ole Jazzbo;  Lemme be wid ole Jazzbo. . . .