544. Noah's Ark

544
Noah's Ark

The editors are uncertain whether to entitle this song 'Noah's  Ark' or 'Gideon's Band,' the two motifs are so mixed. Cf. White
ANFS 90 and 100; A. E. W'ier, Songs of the Sunny South (New  York, 1929). p. 161; Rodeheaver. Si.vty-Tzvo Southern Spirituals  (Winona Lake, Ind., 1946), No. 41.

A. 'Gideon's Band.' Contributed by E. T. Fletcher, without date or address,
but with this notation: "These two ballads ['Ballad (if the Waterfall'
and "(jideon's Band'] are given by E. T. Fletcher; one was learned from
the Negroes, the other from a showman."

1 Do you belong to Gideon's band,
Do you belong to (jideon's Band?
Here's my heart and here's my hand.
Do you belong to Gideon's Band?

2 God told Noah there was going to come a flood,
Gold told Noah there was going to come a flood.
Better git a place to git out of the water and mud.

 

Chorus:

Old Noah did build an ark.
Old Noah did build an ark.
Out of hickory sticks and poplar bark.

B

From an anon^'mous copy, without date or address.

1 God told Noah, told Noah
There was going to come a flood.
Better git a place to git out of water and mud.

Clwnts:

Do you belong to Gideon's 1 >and ?
Here's my heart and here's my hand.
Do you belong to Gideon's Band?

2 Old Noah did build an ark
Out of hickory sticks and poplar bark.