Keep in de Middle Ob de Road

DESCRIPTION: "I hear the angels calling .... the road is rough and it's hard to walk.... Keep in de middle ob de road, den, chil'ren.... Don't you look to de right, Don't you look to de left, But keep in de middle ob de road"
AUTHOR: William S. Hays (1837-1907)
EARLIEST DATE: 1878 (broadside, LOCSheet sm1878 11057)
KEYWORDS: religious worksong nonballad
FOUND IN: Canada(Mar)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Smith/Hatt/Fowke-SeaSongsBalladFromNineteenthCenturyNovaScotia, p. 32, "Walking in de Middle of de Road" (1 text)
Rodeheaver-SociabilitySongs, p. 58, "Keep in de Middle ob de Road" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #9413
BROADSIDES:
LOCSheet, sm1878 11057, "Keep in de Middle ob de Road," Geo. D. Newhall & Co. (Cincinnati), 1878 (tune)
NOTES [48 words]: Smith/Hatt/Fowke-SeaSongsBalladFromNineteenthCenturyNovaScotia: The fragment is part of the chorus and part of a verse. "'Heard this song sung by darkies at Philadelphia, digging pitch ... from the Brigintine Hamelin.' ... It is hardly a shanty but still a work song heard on ships." - BS
Last updated in version 6.3
File: SmHa032

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