Follow the Drinking Gourd

DESCRIPTION: A guide to slaves fleeing to freedom. Various landmarks are described, and the listeners are reminded, "For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom." Above all, they are reminded to "follow the drinking gourd."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1928 (Texas Folklore Society)
KEYWORDS: slave freedom
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (8 citations):
Lomax/Lomax-AmericanBalladsAndFolkSongs, pp. 227-228, "Foller de Drinkin' Gou'd" (1 text, 1 tune)
Warner-FolkSongsAndBalladsOfTheEasternSeaboard, pp. 55-56, "The Drinking Gourd" (1 text)
Silber-SongsOfTheCivilWar, pp. 278-280, "Follow the Drinking Gourd" (1 text, 1 tune, being essentially The Weavers version)
Arnett-IHearAmericaSinging, p. 62, "Follow the Drinkin' Gourd" (1 text, 1 tune)
Greenway-AmericanFolksongsOfProtest, pp. 99-100, "The Drinking Gourd" (1 text, 1 tune)
Salt-BuckeyeHeritage-OhiosHistory, pp. 80-81, "Follow the Drinking Gourd" (1 text, 1 tune)
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, p. 310, "Follow the Drinking Gourd" (notes only)
DT, FOLGOURD
Roud #15532
RECORDINGS:
Pete Seeger, "Follow the Drinking Gourd" (on PeteSeeger46)
NOTES [20 words]: The "Drinking Gourd" is, of course, the Big Dipper, pointing north to the Ohio River, New England, Canada, and freedom. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.3
File: Arn062

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