An Introduction to America’s Music

138 PART 1 | FROM COLONIZATION THROUGH THE CIVIL WAR

timing section text comments

0:00 instrumental

introduction

After the fi ddle plays a conventional 2-bar

introduction, called “potatoes,” the banjo

and fi ddle play a complete chorus and

verse, with rhythmic accompaniment from

tambourine and bones.

0:25 chorus High row, de boatmen row,

Floatin’ down de ribber, de Ohio!

High row, de boatmen row,

Floatin’ down de ribber, de Ohio!

The ensemble sings in informal harmony.

0:32 verse 1 De boatmen dance, de boatmen

sing,

De boatmen up to eb’rything.

And when de boatmen gets on

shore,

He spends his cash and he work for

more.

Den dance, de boatmen dance!

O dance, de boatmen dance.

Dance all night till broad daylight

An go home wid de gals in de

morning.

A soloist sings the fi rst quatrain of the

verse alone, then the other voices join in

unison for the second quatrain.

0:48 chorus High row, de boatmen row... The chorus returns in vocal harmony.

0:55 verse 2 I went on board de odder day

To see what de boatmen had to say;

An dar I let my passion loose

An’ dey cram me in de calaboose.

Den dance, de boatmen dance!...

1:10 instrumental

interlude

An instrumental rendition of the chorus

and verse, as in the introduction.

date: 1843

performers: Vincent Tufo, fi ddle; Percy

Danforth, bones; Matthew Heumann,

tambourine; Robert Winans, banjo; David

Van Veersbilck, Peter DiSante, Brian Mark,

Roger Smith, singers

genre: minstrel song

meter: duple

form: verse and chorus

Listening Guide 6.1 “De Boatmen’s Dance” DAN EMMETT

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

• driving rhythm


• heterogeneous sound of minstrel band


• alternation of solo and unison voices on
  verse and harmonizing voices on chorus


• lyrics in imitation of Negro dialect

CD 1.17

172028_06_132-161_r3_ko.indd 138 23/01/13 8:19 PM