I had an old black Mammy who used to sing to me All kinds of funny litle songs and funny poetry; All a bout a "heap o' things", but the song that I liked best Was the one she sang when I went to sleep With my head upon her breast. 'Twas "Hi!" said de Possum, "des shake dat 'simmon tree" "Golly,"said de Rabbit, "you's a shakin' dem on me!" Den dey picked wid der claws, And dey licked der paws, An' dey tuk a heap home to der Maws, A heap, oh a heap, honey, home to der Maws, Oh a heap, oh a heap, oh a heap, heap, heap, To der Maws Then I would raise my head and beg, "Oh sing it once a gain." And she would say "Hush, honey chile!" And rock and pat me. Then, "Hi!" said de Pos--sum, "des shake dat 'simmon tree," "Golly!'said de Rabbit,"you's a shak-in'dem on me! "Den dey picked wid der claws, And dey licked der paws, And dey tuk a heap home to der Maws, A heap, oh a heap, honey, home to der Maws, Oh a heap, oh a heap, oh a heap, heap, heap, oh a heap. But I never heard the end, because I always fell asleep
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Text Authorship:
- by Laura Spencer Portor (1872 - 1957) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Harriet Ware (1877 - 1962), "Mammy's Song", published 1910 [ voice and piano ], Cincinnati: The John Church Company [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2025-05-26
Line count: 26
Word count: 212