Six Songs on Poems of Langston Hughes

Song Cycle by Monica Houghton

1. I, Too  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
I, too sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes.
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll [be]1 at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed. --

[I, too, am America.]2

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1 Bonds: "sit"
2 omitted by Bonds.

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2. Passing Love  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
Because you are to me a song
I must not sing you over-long.
Because you are to me a prayer
I cannot say you everywhere.Because you are to me a rose —
You will not stay when summer goes.

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3. Ballad of the Gypsy  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
I went to the Gypsy’s.
Gypsy settin’ all alone.
I said, Tell me, Gypsy,
When will my gal be home?
 
Gypsy said, Silver,
Put some silver in my hand
And I’ll look into the future
And tell you all I can.
 
I crossed her palm with silver,
Then she started in to lie.
She said, Now, listen, Mister,
She’ll be here by and by.
 
Aw, what a lie!
 
I been waitin’ and a—waitin’
And she ain’t come home yet.
Something musta happened
To make my gal forget.
 
Uh! I hates a lyin’ Gypsy
Will take good money from you,
Tell you pretty stories
And take your money from you–
 
But if I was a Gypsy
I would take your money, too.

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3. Birth
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —

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5. If‑ing  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
If I had some small change
I’d buy me a mule,
Get on that mule and
Ride like a fool.
 
If I had some greenbacks
I’d buy me a Packard,
Fill it up with gas and
Drive that baby backward.
 
If I had a million
I’d get me a plane
And everybody in America’d
Think I was insane.
 
But I ain’t got a million,
Fact is, ain’t got a dime—
So just by if-ing
I have a good time!

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Confirmed with Langston Hughes, The Collected Works of Langston Hughes, University of Missouri Press, BkMk Press


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6. Abe Lincoln  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
Well, I know
You had a hard time in your life.
And I know
You knew what hard times meant.
And I guess you understood
That most folks ain’t much good,
And as soon as good things come,
They went.
But I think you hoped
Some folks sometimes would act
Somewhat according to the fact
That black or white
Ain’t just white
Or black.

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Total word count: 367