From the production “Mamba’s Daughters”, 1939.
Words by Du Bose Heyward.
Music by Jerome Kern.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. Well, my man told me when dey took me away
Dat he would come to see me ev’ry Chrismus day
Now Chrismus is over an’ dey’s lockin’ de gate
Oh, Mister jailer, please wait, tain’t late
No use waitin’ , watchin’, hopin
For a man who forgets you an’ ain’t willin’ to wait
There’s too many women for a man to wait
Burthen
Mornin’, is you still bornin’ de clean young day?
River, is you still talkin’ where my chillun play?
Stars, is you still shimin’ when evenin’ falls
While my heart’s pinin deep in dese lonesome walls?
Lonesome walls, lonesome walls
Deep in dese lonesome walls
Mornin’, is you still bornin’ de clean young day?
River, is you still talkin’ where my chillun play?
Stars, is you still shimin’ when evenin’ falls
While my heart’s pinin deep in dese lonesome walls?
Lonesome walls, lonesome walls
Deep in dese lonesome walls
2. One of these mornin’s, if I’m livin’ dat long
I’m goin’ to rise up singing’ such a goodbye song
Dat walls will fly open to de sky an’ de sea
Oh, Mister Captain, “Can’t be I’m free!
Den I’ll travel, always singin’
To my home where tomorrow is a-waitin’ for me
There’s still a tomorrow waitin’ there for me