“Poor Lucy Anna”

Description

hanty, Negro origin. "Oh the mounten's so high, an' de ribber's so wide, Poor Lucy Anna! De mounten's so high and de ribber's so wide, Ise just gwine ober de mountains." Sung in a slow 3/4 tempo.

Notes

Bullen stated that this was so mournful a song that "one suspects it of being the lament of some just sold slaves sent from one state to another without reference to any human ties they may have possessed. This chantey was very seldom used except where negroes formed a considerable portion of the crew." - SL

Cross references

  • cf. "Susiana" (similar wording in some verses)

References

  1. Hugill, pp. 378-379, "Poor Lucy Anna" (1 text, 1 tune) [AbEd, p. 287]
  2. Roud #9127
  3. BI, Hugi378

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1914 (Bullen, _Songs of Sea Labor_)
Keywords: shanty worksong
Found in: West Indies