The Black Experience

Song Cycle by David Nathaniel Baker, Jr. (b. 1931)

1. Early in the mornin'
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
early in the mornin
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Mari Evans (b. 1923), "early in the mornin", appears in I am a Black Woman, New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., first published 1970, copyright ©

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2. The rebel
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
When I/ die
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Mari Evans (b. 1923), "The rebel", appears in I am a Black Woman, New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., first published 1970, copyright ©

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3. Status symbol
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
i/ Have Arrived
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Mari Evans (b. 1923), "status symbol", appears in I am a Black Woman, New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., first published 1970, copyright ©

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4. A good assassination should be quiet
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
he had
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Mari Evans (b. 1923), "A good assassination should be quiet", appears in I am a Black Woman, New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., first published 1970, copyright ©

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5. The insurgent
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
I take my freedom
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Mari Evans (b. 1923), "The insurgent", appears in I am a Black Woman, New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., first published 1970, copyright ©

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Note for Baker's setting: in stanza 1, line 3, "pride runs" becomes "fierce pride flows" in one of the repetitions.

6. I who would encompass millions
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
who would encompass
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Mari Evans (b. 1923), "I who would encompass millions", appears in I am a Black Woman, New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., first published 1970, copyright ©

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7. The alarm clock
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Alarm clock
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Mari Evans (b. 1923), "The alarm clock", appears in I am a Black Woman, New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., first published 1970, copyright ©

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This text may be copyright, so we will not display it until we obtain permission to do so or discover it is public-domain.

Note: in Baker's setting, in stanza 2, line 5, "away" becomes "a long way" in the repetition.

Total word count: 425