Hangman- Hoevey (LA) pre1925 Scarborough C
[From: On The Trail Of Negro Folk-Songs by Dorothy Scarborough, 1925 her notes follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
I found another version which differs somewhat in minor details from Mr. Swain's, but like his has the central character a man instead of a woman. This was given to me by Mrs. Esther Finlay Hoevey, of New Orleans, through the courtesy of Miss Richardson, of Sophy Newcomb College. This was remembered from the singing of an old Negro woman, who had in her youth been put up on the slave block in Mobile and sold down the river. In this, as in Mr. Swain's version, the condemned is a man and True Love a woman.
"Hangman, hangman, slack the rope,
Slack the rope a while;
For I think I see my father coming,
Coming for many a mile.
"Oh, my father, have you paid my fine,
Brought your gold along?
Or have you come here to-night for to see me hung,
Hung on the gallows tree?"
"No, my son, I have not paid your fine,
I've brought no gold along,
But I 've just come to see you hung,
Hung on the gallows tree."
Hangman, hangman, slack the rope,
Slack the rope a while;
For I think I see my mother coming,
Coming for many a mile.
"Oh, my mother, have you paid my fine,
Brought your gold along?
Or have you come here to-night for to see me hung,
Hung on the gallows tree? "
The mother refuses also, and after that the sister and brother. Then the hangman is implored to slack the rope, for True Love is coming.
" True Love, True Love, have you paid my fine,
Brought your gold along?
Or have you come here to-night for to see me hung,
Hung on the gallows tree?"
"True Love, True Love, I have paid your fine,
I've brought my gold along,
I've come here to-night for to set you free,
Free from the gallows tree."