| "Oh! Susanna" | |
Original sheet music |
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| Music by | Stephen Foster |
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| Lyrics by | Stephen Foster |
| Published | Cincinnati: W. E. Peters & Co. (1848) |
| Language | English |
| Form | Strophic with chorus |
"Oh! Susanna" is a minstrel song by Stephen Foster (1826-1864). It was published by W. C. Peters & Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1848.[1] The song was introduced by a local quintette at a concert in Andrews' Eagle Ice Cream Saloon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1847. Foster was said to have written the song for his men's social club.[2] The name Susannah may refer to Foster's deceased sister Charlotte, whose middle name was Susannah.[3]. Glenn Weiser suggests the song was influenced by an existing work, "Rose of Alabama" (1846), with which it shares some similarities in lyrical theme and musical structure.[4]
The first two phrases of the melody are based on the major pentatonic scale[5]
Contents |
1.
I come from Alabama with my Banjo on my knee--
I’se gwine to Lou’siana my true lub for to see.
It rain’d all night de day I left, de wedder it was dry;
The sun so hot I froze to def -- Susanna, dont you cry.
Chorus:
Oh! Susanna, do not cry for me;
I come from Alabama, wid my Banjo on my knee.
2.
I jump’d aboard the telegraph and trabbeled down de ribber,
De lectrie fluid magnified, and kill’d five hundred Nigga.
De bullgine bust, de hoss ran off, I really thought I’d die;
I shut my eyes to hold my bref -- Susanna, dont you cry.
Chorus:
3.
I had a dream de udder night, when ebry ting was still;
I thought I saw Susanna dear, a coming down de hill.
De buckweat cake was in her mouf, de tear was in her eye,
I says, I’se coming from de souf, -- Susanna, dont you cry.
Chorus:
An unauthorized fourth verse was added:
4.
I soon will be in New Orleans, and den I’ll look all round,
And when I find Susanna, I' fall upon the ground.
But if I do not find her, dis darkie 'I surely die,
And when I'm dead and buried, Susanna, dont you cry.
Chorus:
In 1963, the Big 3 recorded a new arrangement of the song as "The Banjo Song". The Dutch band, Shocking Blue, in turn, adopted the new arrangement with completely different lyrics for their 1969 hit "Venus".
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