“Keep in de Middle Ob de Road”
Author: William S. Hays (1837-1907)
Earliest date: 1878 (broadside, LOCSheet sm1878 11057)
Found in: Canada(Mar)
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"
Notes
Smith/Hatt: 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
Broadsides
- LOCSheet, sm1878 11057, "Keep in de Middle ob de Road," Geo. D. Newhall & Co. (Cincinnati), 1878 (tune)
References
- Smith/Hatt, p. 32, "Walking in de Middle of de Road" (1 text)
- Roud #9413
- BI, SmHa032
The Traditional Ballad Index is copyright ©2008
by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.
The Digital Tradition is copyright The Mudcat Cafe.