“Don't You Weep After Me”

Description

"When I'm dead and buried don't you weep after me (x3).... I don't want you to weep after me." Unrelated verses about death: "On the good ship of Zion"; "King Peter is my Captain"; "Bright angels are the sailors"; "When I do cross over"

Supplemental text

Don't You Weep After Me
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

(no title)

From Dorothy Scarborough, On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs,
p. 9. Based on Scarborough's own memories of songs sung by
Black servants.

When I'm dead an' buried,
  Don't you grieve after me;
When I'm dead an' buried,
  Don't you grieve after me;
When I'm dead an' buried,
  Don't you grieve after me;
When I'm dead an' buried,
  Don't you grieve after me;
For I don't want you to grieve after me.

Notes

Both the Randolph fragment and Brown's "A" text and "B" fragment are linked to "Jacob's Ladder." It is not clear whether this link is original or coincidental. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "Jacob's Ladder" (floating lyrics)
• cf. "Don't You Grieve After Me (I)" (floating lyrics)
• cf. "Oh, They Put John on the Island" (floating lyrics)

Recordings

• Pete Seeger, "Don't You Weep after Me" (on PeteSeeger26)

References

1. Randolph 262, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text, 1 tune -- a fragment so short that it can only tentatively be classified with this piece; see also "Jacob's Ladder")
2. BrownIII 527, "Don't You Grieve After Me" (2 texts plus a fragment)
3. Scarborough-NegroFS, p. 9, (no title) (1 fragment)
4. Silber-FSWB, p. 350, "Don't You Weep After Me" (1 text)
5. ST R262 (Full)
6. Roud #2286
7. BI, R262