Written & Composed by Stephen C. Foster Dere was an old Nigga, dey call'd him uncle Ned-- He's dead long ago, long ago! He had no wool on de top ob his head-- De place whar de wool ought to grow. Den lay down de shubble and de hoe, Hang up de fiddle and de bow: No more hard work for poor Old Ned-- He's gone whar de good Niggas go, No more hard work for poor Old Ned-- He's gone whar de good Niggas go. His fingers were long like de cane in de brake, He had no eyes for to see; He had no teeth for to eat de corn cake, So he had to let de corn cake be. Den lay down de shubble and de hoe, Hang up de fiddle and de bow: No more hard work for poor Old Ned-- He's gone whar de good Niggas go, No more hard work for poor Old Ned-- He's gone whar de good Niggas go. When Old Ned die Massa take it mighty hard, De tears run down like de rain; Old Missus turn pale and she gets berry sad, Cayse she nebber see Old Ned again. Den lay down de shubble and de hoe, Hang up de fiddle and de bow: No more hard work for poor Old Ned-- He's gone whar de good Niggas go, No more hard work for poor Old Ned-- He's gone whar de good Niggas go. |
Original sheet music cover, Music of the Great Southern Sable Harmonists. Special Collections, Univ. of Virginia ARTISTS: Japher's "Original" SANDY RIVER MINSTRELS BANJO: Mark Meadows; PENNYWHISTLE: Stephanie Meadows. RECORDED at Landmark Recording Studio 1082 Rosslyn Road Chesapeake, Ohio (740 867-5594) Steve Hoffman, Production Engineer © Copyright 1998 by Japher's "Original" SANDY RIVER MINSTRELS, All rights reserved. Digitized by Nathan Piazza at the Digital Media Center, Clemons Library, Univ. of Virginia |