"Oh Mo'nah!" will be forever identified with Nat Gonella, who recorded the song a few times, beginning December 1931 in London, with the Roy Fox band.
But the song was credited to Ted Weems and Joe "Country" Washburn, who recorded their version 3 months earlier in Chicago.
In turn Weems and Washburn based their song on a black spiritual "Poor Mourner" or "You Shall Be Free", some verses of which were published in the "Negro Singers' Own Book" as early as 1846.
In 1911 Howard W. Odum published "You Shall Be Free" in Vol. 24, No. 94 of "The Journal Of American Folklore", as song No. 86 in "Negro Folk-Song and Folk-Poetry" series
He stated that it 'was originally adapted from a religious song, "Mourner, You Shall Be Free". The song was widespread.
In 1915 E.C. Perrow published "Oh Mourner" in Vol. 28, No. 108 of "The Journal Of American Folklore", as song No. 1 in "Songs And Rhymes From The South", part VII "Songs of the Plantation"
I. OH, MOURNER! (2) (From Mississippi; negroes; MS. of F. R. Rubel; 1909.)
Some folks say that a nigro (sic) won't steal;
I caught two in my corn feild (sic).One had a shovel and the other had a hoe;
If that ain't stealing, I don't know.
Oh, Moana, you shall be free, (twice)When the good Lord sets you free.
Some folks say that a nigro won't rouse;
I caught two in my smoke house.
One had a middling, and the other had a ham;
If that ain't stealing, I'll don't know.
I went to a chicken coop on my knees;
I thought I heard a chicken sneeze.(3)
Way down yonder on Punkin Creek
Where those nigros grow leben feet,
Heels stick out so far behind
Chickens roost there most all the time.
I had a wife and I fed her on grease;
Every time I knocked her down she hollowed "police!"
Ain't no use in me workin' so hard;
I got a gal in the white folks yard.
She fetch me meat and she fetch me lard.
Ain't a bit of use in me workin' so hard.(4)
(2) This song shows the tendency of a large number of distinct songs to drift together into
one.
(3) This stanza is in the college song Polly Wolly Doodle
(4) Compare another version from Mississippi:
I got a gal in de white folk's ya'd,
She brings me chicgn en she brings me la'd
She steals me ham an' she steals me meat
She thinks I'm wukkin', but I'm walkin', de street.
In E.C. Perrow's notes, this is typewritten beneath the long version of "Oh, Mourner!": "THIS BALLAD WAS GOTTEN FROM A NIGRO NAMED RASMUS MOORE February 24 1909."
In 1925 the song was published in "On The Trail Of Negro Folk-Songs" by Dorothy Scarborough.
It appereared under different titles:
As "Ole Marse John"
As "Po' Mournah!"
As "Great Big Nigger Sittin' On A Log".
As "Fragment From Pore Mournah"
As "There Was An Old Nigger, His Name Was Dr. Peck"
As "Po' Mona".
As "Ain't No Use O' My Workin' So Hard"
In 1928 the songcluster is extensively discussed in Newman I. White's book "American Negro Folk-Songs" on pages 134 -140
In 1926 Sigmund Spaeth published a version in "Read 'Em and Weep" under the title "Mona (You Shall Be Free)" and commented that it 'represents the more sophisticated development of Negro folk music, with only a suggestion of the spiritual in the background'.
And in 1934 it was published as "When De Good Lord Sets You Free" in John and Alan Lomax's "American Ballads and Folk Songs" (pages 254-258)
The first recording seems to be by an anonymous quartet.
Unfortunately I haven't heard a sample yet.
(o) Anonymous Male Quartet (pre June 1896) (as "Poor Mourner")
Released on Berliner Disc # 854
(c) Standard Quartette (1896) (as "Poor Mourner")
Released on Columbia Cylinder # 9017
Listen here:
(c) Cousins and DeMoss (1898) (as "Poor Mourner")
Samuel William Cousins and Ed DeMoss
Samuel Williams Collins, born 1875 in Boston, MA
Released on Berliner Disc # 3010
Listen here:
(c) Dinwiddie Colored Quartet (1902) (as "Poor Mourner")
Recorded October 29, 1902
Released on Victor Monarch Disc # 1715
Listen here:
(c) Pete Hampton (1904) (as "Poor Mourner")
Recorded February/March 1904 in London, England
Released on Odeon 2438
(c) Fisk Jubilee Quartet (1911) (as "Po' Mo'ner Got a Home At Last")
Recorded February 10, 1911 in Camden, New Jersey
Released on Victor 16843
(c) Land Norris (1924) (as "You Ought To Be Arrested And Put In Jail")
Recorded August 26, 1924
Released on Okeh 40374
Listen here:
(c) Uncle Dave Macon (1926) (as "Shout Mourner You Shall Be Free")
Recorded September 8, 1926 in New York
Released on Vocalion 15445 and Vocalion 5007
Now folks, talk about your gentle in-folks
I'm going to give you the genteel
Banjo instrumental
Hot dog!
I saw Sal when she went out, I saw Sal pick out her route
Seen her lock the door, and I seen her hide the key
She's a mighty sharp nigger, but she can't fool me
Chorus:
Shout mourner, you shall be free
Shout mourner, you shall be free
When the good Lord sets you free
Did you have a song, baby, did you have a song
Oh, Miss Doe said you treated me mean
I'm a-tired of livin' on your pork and beans
You [she] may be warm, but I don't know
She ain't so warm 'til she melts the snow
Did you have a song, baby, did you have a song
Chorus
[Oh my little honey what happened in the lot
Keep out running in the buzzard trot]
The big mule throwed so the little mule kicks
That big nigger throwed the little in a ditch
Did you have a song, baby, did you have a song
Chorus
Me and my partner and two or three more
Hanging around Sam LaFevre's door
Buying whiskey and buying gin
Just a-getting right to go again
Gotta have a song, baby, gotta have a song
Listen here
Though the proper title of the song is "You Shall Be Free", in 1927 Frank Stokes (a Memphis blacksmith and noted songster) and Dan Sane, recorded the song as just "You Shall".
Perhaps the record company didn't like the original title, or some of the verses.
One stanza was collected frequently: "Some Folks Say That A Nigger Won't Steal...But I Caught Twenty In My Cornfield....".
Frank Stokes cut out the offensive term and shifted the target; he sang: "Some Folks Say That A Preacher Won't Steal...I Caught About Eleven In A Watermelon Field...."
They've been altered, but some of Stokes' verses can be traced back at least to 1846 and the publication of "The Negro Singers Own Book". This was a songster, in the original use of the term: a collection of song lyrics, intended for the use of minstrel show entertainers. They sold for a dime apiece and thousands of these pocket-sized books were printed.
This early recording from Frank Stokes and Dan Sane (as the Beale Street Sheiks) was probably the inspiration for Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly to record "We Shall Be Free", also with the Priest verses.
And in 1962 Bob Dylan got the inspiration from Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly's "We Shall Be Free" to record his "I Shall Be Free", released on his "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" LP. (SEE FURTHER ON IN THIS TOPIC)
Well here's Frank Stokes' version with the Priest verses
(c) Beale Street Sheiks (1927) (as "You Shall")
Frank Stokes (v/g) and Dan Sane (g)
Recorded August 1927 in Chicago
Released on Paramount 12518
Now, it's our Father who art in Heaven
The preacher owes me ten dollars, he paid me seven
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
If I hadn't took the seven, Lord, I wouldn't have got none
Had to fight about it
What he owed me
My money, yeah
Ah, well, some folks said that a preacher wouldn't steal
I caught about eleven in the watermelon field
Just a-cuttin' and a-slicin' got to tearing up the vine
They's eatin' and talkin' most all the time
They was hungry
Leave the rind, brother, you shall
Save my vines
Don't rob me, yeah
My melons, yeah
Ah, well, you see that preacher layin' behind the log
A hand on the trigger got his eye on the hog
The hog said "Mmm", the gun said "Biff"
Jumped on the hog with all his grip
He had pork chops, you shall
Had backbone
Had spare ribs, you shall
Now, when the good Lord set me free
Now, when I first moved to Memphis, Tennessee
I was crazy about the preachers as I could be
I went out on my front porch a-walking about
Invite the preacher over to my house
He washed his face, he combed his head
Next thing he wanna do was slip in my bed
I caught him by the head, man, kicked him out the door
Don't 'low my preacher at my house no more
I don't like 'em
They'll rob you
Steal your daughter
Take your wife from you, yeah
Eat your chicken
Spend your money, you shall
They'll rob you
Plantation, you shall
Pray, mourner, in the morning, you shall
Feel the spirit
Help me tell it, you shall
Now, when the good Lord set me free
Listen here:
(c) Carlonina Tar Heels (1927) (as "When the good Lord sets you free")
Recorded August 15, 1927 in Charlotte, New Carolina
Released on Victor 20931
Listen here
(c) Lions Quartet (1927) (as "Moanin' Lady")
Recorded September 27, 1927 in Seattle, Washington
Released on Columbia 1167-D
(c) Jules Allen (1928) (as "Po' Mourner")
Recorded April 21, 1928 in El Paso, Texas
Released on Victor 23834
Jules Allen sang the racist version of this black spiritual
(c) Bill and Belle Reed (1928) (as "You Shall Be Free")
Recorded October 17, 1928 in Johnson City, Tennessee
Released on Columbia 15336-D
Bill and Belle also sang the racist version of this black spiritual
Listen here: BILL & BELLE REED - YOU SHALL BE FREE :
(c) Four Dusty Travelers (1929) (as "Po' Mourner")
Recorded October 15, 1929
Released on Columbia 14477-D
Listen here:
(c) World Famous Williams Jubilee Singers (1930) (as "Po-Mona")
Recorded September 6, 1930 in Chicago
Released on Brunswick 7191
(c) Cotton Pickers Quartet (1931) (as "Pore Mourner")
Recorded January 26, 1931 in New York City
Released on Okeh 8868
With new lyrics in 1931 by Ted Weems and Country Wasburn the song was released on the B-side of the Ted Weems 78 "I Love To Hear A Military Band", which was a small US hit.
But the next year the song became very succesfull in the UK through many cover-versions.
(c) Ted Weems and his Orchestra (1931) (as "Oh! Mo'nah")
Vocals by Country Washburn.
Recorded September 24, 1931 in Chicago
Released on Victor 22822
Listen here: Oh Mo'nah - Ted Weems and His Orchestra.mp3
(c) Eddie Grossbart (1932) (as "Oh Mo-nah")
Vocals: Eddie Grossbart
Recorded December 16, 1931 in London
Released on Edison Bell Winner 5442
Listen here:
(c) The Masqueraders (=Savoy Hotel Orpheans) (1932) (as "Oh Mo'nah")
Vocals: Eddie Collis
Recorded December 22, 1931 in London
Released on Columbia CB-401
Listen here:
Next came the first of many versions on which Nat Gonella handled the vocals.
It became pretty much his theme song.
Rcorded under the Roy Fox and his Band moniker, but at the time Fox fell ill with pleurisy and his doctors sent him to Switzerland to recover; leaving Lew Stone in charge. Roy Fox was absent from November 1931 to April 1932.
(c) Roy Fox and his Band (1932) (as "Oh' Mo'nah")
Vocals: Nat Gonella (with Al Bowlly in chorus)
Recorded December 30, 1931 in London
Released on Decca F-2763 and Rex 9892 and Brunswick 6457
Listen here:
(c) Harry Roy and his R.K. Olians (1932) (as "Oh! Mo'nah!")
Vocals: Harry Roy, Bill Currie and Ivor Moreton
Recorded January 1932 in London
Released on Broadcast 809
Listen here
(c) Ambrose and his Orchestra (1932) (as "Oh Mo'nah")
Vocals: Sam Browne
Recorded January 1, 1932 in London
Released on HMV B-6127
Listen here:
(c) Billy Cotton and his Band (1932) (as "Oh! Mo'nah")
Vocals Cyril Grantham
Recorded January 2, 1932 in London
Released on Regal MR-494
Listen here:
(c) Ray Starita and his Ambassadors (1932) (as "Oh! Mo'nah")
Vocals: Nat Gonella
Recorded January 5, 1932 in London
Released on Sterno 861
Also released on Solex B-53 (as by The London Rhythm Kings)
Listen here:
(c) Buddy Lewis and his Orchestra (=Harry Bidgood) (1932) (as "Oh! Mo'nah")
Vocals: Fred Douglas
Recorded January 9, 1932 in London
Released on Panachord 25158
Also released on May-Fair G-2075 (as by Al Conway and his Orchestra)
Listen here:
(c) Bert and John Firman (1932) (as "Oh! Monah")
Vocals: Cavan O'Connor
Recorded January 29, 1932 in London
Released on Zonophone 6052
Also released on Zonophone 2873 (as by The Rhythmic Eight)
Listen here
(c) Jazz-Sinfonie-Orchester Joe London (1932) (as "Oh! Mo'nah")
(= Richard Forst mit Gesang Raimund Gessner)
Recorded December 1931 in Berlin
Matrix 3079
Released on Brilliant #44, on Silverton #44 and on Tempo 1254
Listen here
(c) Barnabas von Geczy (1932) (as "Oh Monah!")
Recorded March 4, 1932 in Berlin
Released on Parlophon B.48171
Master 133464
SEE: parlo133000
Listen here: geczy_monah.mp3
(c) Irene Ambrus (1932) (as "Die Neue Mo'nah")
Recorded April 20, 1932
Matrix Bi 639
Released on Gloria 10304
Listen here:
(c) Sam Baskini mit seinem Tanz-Orchester (1932) (as "Oh! Mo'nah")
German lyrics by Charles Amberg
Recorded April 28, 1932
Released on Telefunken A 1088
Listen here:
(c) Eugen Rex (1932) (as "Oh! Mo'nah!")
mit Quartett-Gesang und Ilja Livschakoff Tanzorchester
German lyrics by Charles Amberg
Recorded May 18, 1932 in Berlin
Matrix 4737 ½ BD
Released on Grammophon 857-B, 889-A and 24633 A
Also released on Polydor 889 (as Fred Marley Tanz Orchester)
Listen here:
(c) Bob Scholte (1932) (as "Oh! Kovacs")
Dutch lyrics by Kovacs Lajos=Louis Schmidt
Recorded May 1932 in Berlin
Released on Parlophon B.17728
Listen here:
(c) Windy City Four (1933) (as "Oh Monah!")
Recorded April 13, 1933
Matrix C-549-2
Released on Vocalion 1738
Also released on Banner 32770 (as by Maple City Four)
Also released on Perfect 15774 (as by Maple City Four)
Also released on Conqueror 8167 (as by Maple City Four)
Also released on Melotone 12699 (as by Maple City Four)
Listen here:
(c) Nat Gonella and his Georgians (1934) (as "Oh Monah")
Recorded November 2, 1934 in London
Released on Parlophone R-1982
(c) Bill Boyd and his Cowboy Ramblers (1936) (as "You Shall Be Free Monah")
Recorded October 27, 1936 in San Antonio, Texas
Released on Bluebird BB-6694
Listen here:
Or here:
(c) Nat Gonella and his Georgians (1941) (as "Oh! Mo'nah")
Vocals: Nat Gonella
Recorded February 7, 1941 in Leeds
Released on Columbia FB-2581
Listen here:
(c) Woody Guthrie and Friends (as "We Shall Be Free")
Woody Guthrie (vocals), Leadbelly (vocal-guitar), Sonny Terry (Harmonica-wooos! and vocals)
and Cisco Houston( guitar vocals)
Recorded April 25, 1944
Matrix # MA124-1
Released in 1962 on Folkways 2483
Lyrics: WE SHALL BE FREE
In the morning . . . we shall be free
All day . . . we shall be free
Hear me say . . .'we shall be free
When the good Lord sets you free.
I was down in the hen house the other night
Awful dark I didn't have no light
I reached for a chicken, got me a goose
A man come out, I had to turn him loose.
I jumped a gully . . . we shall be free
I jumped a rose bush . . . we shall be free
Got some flapjacks . . . we shall be free
When the good Lord sets you free.
Preacher and the rooster had a terrible fight
Preacher knocked the rooster clean out of sight
Preacher told the rooster that would be all right
Meet ya at the hen house tomorrow night.
In the mornin' . . . we shall be free
In the mornin' . . . we shall be free
In the mornin' . . . we shall be free
When the good Lord sets you free.
I was down in the hen house on my knees
I thought I heard a chicken sneeze
Only the rooster sayin' his prayers
Thanking his God for the hens up stairs.
Here‘s to the preacher . . . we shall be free
He's a-singin' . . . we shall be free
Take up collection . . . we shall be free
When the good Lord sets you free.
Oh some folks say you think too hard
Put all your faith and trust in God
Matter's no difference, don't you see
A hog can't run too fast for me.
Get my hepes up . . . we shall be free
Get that hog eye . . . we shall be free
Get them chitt'lin's . . . we shall be free
When the good Lord sets you free.
Some people say a preacher won‘t steal
But I caught two down in my corn field
One had a bushel, the other had a peck
The other had a roastin' ear down his neck.
In the kitchen . . . we shall be free
Gettin' roastin' ears . . . we shall be free
Gettin' dried corn . . . we shall be free
When the good Lord sets you free.
Listen here:
Only a few weeks later a little shorter version of the same song with slightly different lyrics was recorded by Leadbelly and friends
(c) Leadbelly and Friends (1944) (as "We Shall Be Free")
Leadbelly (vocal-guitar), Woody Guthrie (vocals), Sonny Terry (Harmonica-wooos! and vocals)
Recorded May 1944 in New York City
Matrix # MA196
This version was released in 1962 on a Leadbelly album on Folkways 2488
Lyrics:
In the mornin' ... we shall be free
I done tol' you ... we shall be free
I said it ... we shall be free
When the Good Lord sets you free.
I was down in the hen house, on my knees
Thought I heard a chicken sneeze
Nothin' but a rooster, sayin' his prayers
Thankin' his God for the pullets upstairs
He's a-preachin' ... we shall be free
Takin' up collection ... we shall be free
Prayin' on th' knees ... we shall be free
When the Good Lord sets you free
Now you tell it
Now, there's some folks says that the times is hard
Preacher said to put your trust in God
Matters no difference, don't you see
A hog can't run too fast for me
Gettin' my hopes up ... we shall be free
I done told ya ... we shall be free
Oh, preacher ... we shall be free
When the Good Lord sets you free
Ain't no use in me a-workin' so hard
I got a woman in the rich folks' yard
When they kill a chicken, she sends me the head
Thinks I'm a-workin', I'm a-layin' up in bed
Takin' it easy ... we shall be free
Two other women ... we shall be free
I thought you noticed ... we shall be free
When the Good Lord sets you free
Now you tell it
Oh, you see that preacher, sittin' on a log
Eyes on his trigger and his eyes on the hog
The gun said boom, lose his grip
He jumped on him with all of his zip
Gettin' my hopes up ...we shall be free
Gettin' a hog eye ... we shall be free
Gettin' them chit'lins ... we shall be free
When the Good Lord sets you free
Ain't no use in me a-workin' so hard
I got a woman in the rich folks' yard
When they kill a chicken, she sends me the feet
Thinks I'm a-workin', I'm a walkin' down the street
Havin' a big time ... we shall be free
Havin' a good time ...we shall be free
Seein' the women go by ... we shall be free
When the Good Lord sets you free
Listen here:
(c) Bob Dylan (1963) (as "I Shall Be Free")
"I Shall Be Free" is a rewrite of Lead Belly's "We Shall Be Free", which was performed by Lead Belly, Sonny Terry, Cisco Houston, and Woody Guthrie. Dylan copied the "talking blues" part using floating lyrics (the "Oh, there ain't no use in me workin' alla time" stanza), but omits its signature chorus ("We shall be free, when the good Lord sets you free").
Listen here
Or here:
Like I just said, Bob Dylan copied the "talking blues" part (with the floating lyrics) from Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly's "We Shall be Free".
But as I said earlier on in this topic Frank Stokes and Dan Sane's "You Shall" (1927) was probably the inspiration for Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly's "We Shall Be Free" (also with the Priest verses)
But Woody and Huddy also got inspiration from the "talking blues" part from Chris Bouchillon's "Talking Blues" (1927). including 2 complete stanzas: the "Ain't no use in me a-workin' so hard" stanza and the "I was down in the hen house, on my knees" stanza
Listen here:
(c) Carl Sandburg (1951) (as "Moonish (Moanish) Lady")
Previously published in Carl Sandburg's "American Songbag" (1927)
Listen here:
(c) Bill Haley (1958) (as "Whoa Mabel!")
Lyrics adapted by Bill Haley, Milt Gabler, Rusty Keefer, Catherine Cafra
Recorded June 12, 1958 at Decca Studios, New York
Released on Decca 30741
Listen here:
(c) The Cherokees (1967) (as "Oh Monah")
Hit in Australia
Released December 1966 on the Go!!-label
Listen here:
(c) Nat Gonella With Ted Easton's Jazzband (1970) (as "Oh Monah")
Nr 6 Hit in The Netherlands in 1975
Listen here:
(c) Havenzangers (1987) (as "Oh Mona!")
Dutch lyrics by Tom Peters.
Hit in The Netherlands
Listen here:
More versions
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