Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume XIV, South Carolina Narratives, Part 4

by United States. Work Projects Administration

WAY DOWN IN DE LONESOME VALLEY

I. De mockin birds a singin so sweetly,
So sweetly, so sweetly.
De mockin birds a singin so sweetly,
So sweetly, so sweetly.
Way down in de lonesome valley.
II. Dey tell you one thing en dey mean another,
Mean another, mean another.
Dey tell you one thing en dey mean another,
Mean another, mean another.
Way down in de lonesome valley.
III. Some say, what make de young girls so deceivin?
So deceivin, so deceivin?
Some say, what make de young girls so deceivin?
So deceivin, so deceivin?
Way down in de lonesome valley.

"Dat go way back dere. De peoples didn' have nothin more den a mouth organ to make music wid in dem times."

Source: Hector Smith, age 79, ex-slave., Wahee section of Marion Co., S.C.
Personal interview, July 1937.

Code No.
Project, 1885-(1)
Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis
Place, Marion, S.C.
Date, July 14, 1937

No. Words____8______
Reduced from_____words
Rewritten by
________________________