Oh, Susanna

Don't you cry for me... huh, that's all i remember of that song. It is a song right? Sort of like uh that Evita song, don't cry for me argentina... something something. I know a little bit about Evita but only bcs of that Simpsons episode where Lisa bcms the liason btw the students and the teachers. Oh alright, and that movie with Antonio Banderes. But that Susanna guy, hold on, let's investigate.

Oh, I come from Alabama with my banjo On my knee And I'm going to Louisiana, my true love For to see. Well, it rained all night the day I left The weather it was dry The sun so hot, I froze to death Susanna, don't you cry Oh, Susanna! Oh, don't you cry for me For I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee I had a dream the other night When everything was stil I thought I saw Susanna a-coming down the hill A buckwheat cake was in her mouth A tear was in her eye Says I, I'm coming from the South Susanna, don't you cry Oh, Susanna! Oh, don't you cry for me For I'm going to Louisiana with my banjo On my knee

SO THEN i did some more investigating and it turns out the original lyrics, which i found on a boyscout website, and then on some even more random website that actually had the history, are these: Apparenlty the song was written by some guy named Stephen Foster who was only a teenager at the time and he wrote it for his friends- which may explain the buckwheat cake in the girl's mouth and maybe why he's going to kill a black guy- but i can't be sure. This reference is subtly edited out of the above lyrics. It was written in 1848, and he only got $100 for it and didn't copyright it- died in poverty when he was 38... the song also became an anthem for gold rush miners... who improvised the song... ah, good times. who knew really. who knew. again an example of childhood songs gone awry- like singing about the history of london burning or the plague... nursery rhymes beware.

I came from Alabama wid my banjo on my knee,
I’m g’wan to Louisiana my true love for to see,
It rain’d all night the day I left, the weather it was dry,
The sun so hot I frose to death; Susanna, dont you cry.

Oh! Susanna, Oh! dont you cry for me,
I’ve come from Alabama, wid my banjo on my knee.

I jumped aboard de telegraph, and trabbelled down de ribber,
De Lectrie fluid magnified, and killed five hundred Nigger
De bullgine bust, de horse run off, I realy thought I’d die;
I shut my eyes to hold my breath, Susanna, dont you cry.

Oh! Susanna, Oh! dont you cry for me,
I’ve come from Alabama, wid my banjo on my knee.

I had a dream de odder night when ebery ting was still;
I thought I saw Susanna, a coming down de hill.
The buckwheat cake war in her mouth, the tear was in her eye,
Says I’m coming from de South, Susanna, dont you cry.

Oh! Susanna, Oh! dont you cry for me,
I’ve come from Alabama, wid my banjo on my knee.

I scon 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.

Oh! Susanna, Oh! dont you cry for me,
I’ve come from Alabama, wid my banjo on my knee.