Ring de Banjo

[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]

a new Ethiopian (minstrel show) melody, 1851
words and music by Stephen C. Foster

From the Stephen Foster Song Book: “This song is distinguished by a brief guest appearance of the celebrated Susanna, who is cast as the slave’s lover. It is a splendid minstrel piece that tells of life on another of Foster’s mythical plantations. But despite its conventional minstrel show cliches about the happy lives of the slaves, the piece has distinct subversive elements. Verses three through five relate a curious story: a slave is freed and journeys to Kentucky but apparently runs out of money and returns to the plantation; subsequently “massa” dies unexpectedly during a banjo recital and the slave runs away, promising to return someday for his lover. The story serves as a gentle suggestion – and it is perhaps unique in Foster’s works – that life was not all roses and sunshine ‘way down south.”

The sheet music:

Ring-de-Banjo – Sheet MusicDownload

Accompaniment by Werner Tomaschewski:

Ring-de-Banjo – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. De time is nebber dreary
    If de darkey nebber groans
    De ladies nebber weary
    Wid de rattle ob de bones
    Den come again Susanna
    By de gaslight ob de moon
    We’ll tum de old piano
    When de banjo’s out ob tune

Chorus
Ring, ring de banjo
I like dat good old song
Come again my true lub
Oh! wha you been so long

  1. Oh! nebber count de bubbles
    While der’s water in de spring
    De darkey hab no troubles
    While he’s got dis song to sing
    De beauties of creation
    Will nebber lose der charm
    While I roam de old plantation
    Wid my true lub on my arm
  2. Once I was so lucky
    My massa set me free
    I went to old Kentucky
    To see what I could see
    I could not go no farder
    I turn to massa’s door
    I lub him all the harder
    I’ll go away no more
  3. Early in de morning
    Ob a lubly summer day
    My massa send me warning
    He’d like to hear me play
    On de banjo tapping
    I come wid dulcem strain
    Massa fall a-napping
    He’ll nebber wake again
  4. My lub, I’ll hab to leabe you
    While de ribber’s running high
    But I nebber can deceibe you
    So don’t you wipe your eye
    I’s guine to make some money
    But I’ll come anodder day
    I’ll come again my honey
    If I hab to work my way

Sung here by Fred Feild: