“Linktem Blue (Reeling Song)”

Description

"All along, all along, All along, all along, All along, all along, Linktem blue." "Linktem blue is a very fine song, All along, all along, All along, all along, All along, all along, Linktem blue." Reportedly used to count knots while weaving yarn

Supplemental text

Linktem Blue (Reeling Song)
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

Reeling Song

From Helen Hartness Flanders & George Brown, Vermont Folk-Songs
& Ballads, p. 34. From "Mr. Cheney" of Dorset, Vermont.

All along, all along,
All along, all along,
All along, all along,
  Linktem blue.

Linktem blue is a very fine song
All along, all along,
All along, all along,
All along, all along,
  Linktem blue.

          *** B ***

From Dorothy Scarborough, On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs,
p. 19. From a former slave called "Uncle Israel," who thought
it had African influence.

All along, all along, all along,
Linked in blue.
I bet any man a pint of brandy
All of me marks will be thirty-two.

Recordings

• Margaret MacArthur, "Linktem Blue" (on MMacArthur01)

References

1. Flanders/Brown, p. 34, "Reeling Song" (1 text)
2. Scarborough-NegroFS, p. 19, (no title) (1 text)
3. ST FlBr034 (Full)
4. BI, FlBr034