An Introduction to America’s Music

CHAPTER 6 | BLACK, WHITES, AND THE MINSTREL STAGE 139

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

Listen & Refl ect

1. Recall the English visitor’s description (earlier in this chapter) of a minstrel performance
   for an audience of white boatmen in Buffalo. How might that audience have received this
   song?


2. What does the song tell us about a boatman’s lifestyle?


3. How does race fi gure into the picture?

timing section text comments

1:33 chorus High row, de boatmen row... Harmonized.

1:40 verse 3 When de boatman blows his horn,

Look out, man, your hog is gone;

He cotch my sheep, he cotch my

shoat,

Den put ’em in bag and tote ’em to

boat.

Den dance, de boatmen dance!...

Like verse 1.

1:56 chorus High row, de boatmen row... Harmonized.

2:03 verse 4 De boatman is a thrifty man

Dars none can do as de boatman

can;

I neber see a pretty girl in my life

But dat she was a boatman’s wife.

Den dance, de boatmen dance!...

Like verse 2.

2:19 instrumental

interlude

An instrumental rendition of the chorus

and verse, as in the introduction, now with

prominent bones.

2:41 chorus High row, de boatmen row... Harmonized.

2:48 verse 5 When you go to de boatmen’s ball,

Dance wid my wife or don’t dance

at all;

Sky-blue jacket an’ tarpaulin hat,

Look out, boys, for de nine tail cat.

Den dance, de boatmen dance!...

Like verse 1.

3:04 chorus High row, de boatmen row... Harmonized.

3:11 instrumental

coda

The performance concludes with one

last repeat of the verse melody, played

instrumentally.

CD 1.17

172028_06_132-161_r3_ko.indd 139 23/01/13 8:19 PM