“Ain't No More Cane on this Brazos”

Description

The singer remarks, "There ain't no more cane on this Brazos, oh-oh-oh; They done ground it all down to molasses, oh-oh-oh." He describes the dreadful conditions faced by the prisoners and wishes he could escape such horrors

Notes

The amount of common material in this song and "Go Down, Old Hannah" makes it certain they have cross-fertilized. They may be descendants of a common ancestor. But the stanzaic forms are different, so I list them separately. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "Go Down, Old Hannah"
• cf. "Oughta Come on the River"

Recordings

• Mose "Clear Rock" Platt, "Ain' No More Cane on the Brazos" (AFS 2643 B1, 1939)

References

1. Scott-BoA, pp. 305-306, "No More Cane on this Brazos" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Lomax-FSUSA 92, "Ain't No Mo' Cane on dis Brazis" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Lomax-ABFS, pp. 58-59, "Ain' No Mo' Cane on de Brazos" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. Arnett, p. 144, "No More Cane on This Brazos" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. Courlander-NFM, pp. 132-133, (no title) (1 text, heavily modified to produce a blues feel)
6. Darling-NAS, pp. 326-327, "No More Can on this Brazos" (1 text)
7. Silber-FSWB, p. 65, "Ain't No More Can On This Brazos" (1 text)
8. DT, CANEBRAZ*
9. Roud #10063
10. BI, LxA058