587. I Got de Key of de Kingdom

586. I Got de Key of de Kingdom

This song resembles T Got a Key to the Kingdom' (from Alabama) in Mary Allen Grissom's The Negro Sings a Neiv Heaven
(Chapel Hill, 1930), pp. 98-99.

From Julian P. Boyd, as collected from Elsie Rawls. a pupil of the school at Alliance, Pamlico county; undated, but c. 1927-28. "Negro fragment."

1 Preacher, I got de key of de kingdom.
De world can't do me no harm,

De world jus' can't do me no harm.

Watch your secret keeper,

Always bringin' you news,

Tell a lie upon you

And keep you all confuse'.

2 Some people borrows money,
Promise to pay,

When dey see you comin'

Dey turn de oder way.

Oh, I got de key of de kingdom.

Dis world can't do me no harm,

Dis world jus' can't do me no harm.

3 When you think you got a friend,
You had better watch your way,
For you can never tell;

You may get fooled some day.

Oh, I got de key to de kingdom,

De world can't do me no harm,

Dis ol' world jus' can't do me no harm.