I heard this song and thought it was great. But the more I listened the deeper, darker meaning it seemed to have.
I may be wrong, but I think it may mean that the mother died or ran off, the father has run off and is going to stay gone. The red shoes makes me think that the woman has run off to be a harlot, perhaps the baby was an illegimate birth at a time when any extra mouths were impossible to care for. So the mother ran off, the father may have been unknown or uncaring. Everyone else was in the field working, or had gone away in search of work to work distant fields.
The verse
Honey in the rock and the sugar don't stop
Gonna bring a bottle to the baby
May mean that the singer was mixing a bottle and adding honey and sugar (and lots of it) to hide the taste of poison. The remaining verses then become obvious.
Go to sleep little baby
Got to sleep little baby
You and me and the devil make three
Don't need no other lovin' babe
come lay bones on the alabaster stones
and be my everlovin' baby
The singer is basically saying, drink this, go to sleep, your mamma ain't coming back, now there's only me and the devil to care for you, as if the singer knows that what she is doing is immoral but necessary. And the last verse, "and be my everlovin' baby" refers to live hereafter. As if the singer is professing everlasting love to this poor child she had put in the ground because there was no one to care for it.
of course, you are spot on about the meaning of that song. By the way the whole "O brother" soundtrack if filled with songs about death suffering, and the hope for afterlife. So that extraordinary song is in line with the rest of the selection.
of course, you are spot on about the meaning of that song. By the way the whole "O brother" soundtrack if filled with songs about death suffering, and the hope for afterlife. So that extraordinary song is in line with the rest of the selection.
Wow you totally nailed it. I wasn't sure what this song was about until I read your post and I just knew that was the answer! I have read a few books about slavery, incl. Uncle Tom's Cabin, so I know this is not an uncommon thing. Makes me want to cry just thinking about it! What a gut-wrenching decision to make... Such a beautiful song, but I'm not sure I will be singing it to my kids :)
Wow you totally nailed it. I wasn't sure what this song was about until I read your post and I just knew that was the answer! I have read a few books about slavery, incl. Uncle Tom's Cabin, so I know this is not an uncommon thing. Makes me want to cry just thinking about it! What a gut-wrenching decision to make... Such a beautiful song, but I'm not sure I will be singing it to my kids :)
This song is an African American slave song, which was remade by Emmylou Harris. If Emmylou Harris truly understood the nature or meaning of song. She would have never rewrittten the lyrics. The oringinal song does not mention red shoes, bones nor the devil. As slaves sang and played, they used hand-clapping and foot-stamping to create rhythmic beats in the tradition of African music.
This song is an African American slave song, which was remade by Emmylou Harris. If Emmylou Harris truly understood the nature or meaning of song. She would have never rewrittten the lyrics. The oringinal song does not mention red shoes, bones nor the devil. As slaves sang and played, they used hand-clapping and foot-stamping to create rhythmic beats in the tradition of African music.
Oringinal Lyrics:
Oringinal Lyrics:
>
Go to sleep (2)
Go to sleep, little baby
Mama gone away
An' papa gone, too.
Go to sleep, little baby.
>
Go to sleep (2)
Go to sleep, little baby
Mama gone away
An' papa gone, too.
Go to sleep, little baby.
Go to sleep (2)
Go to sleep, little baby
Mama gone away
An' daddy, too.
Go to sleep,...
i>
Go to sleep (2)
Go to sleep, little baby
Mama gone away
An' daddy, too.
Go to sleep, little baby
i>
Slaves would sang this lullaby to babies or small children as their parents were sent away to work the cotton fields.
@Curtis336
Go to sleep you little baby.... (Little jessus lay down your sweet head.)
@Curtis336
Go to sleep you little baby.... (Little jessus lay down your sweet head.)
your mummas gone away and you daddys gone to stay... (mums out and dads gone to stay alive.)
your mummas gone away and you daddys gone to stay... (mums out and dads gone to stay alive.)
Your a sweet little baby...( you deserve better.)
Your a sweet little baby...( you deserve better.)
Honey in the rock and the suger dont stop... (Good things to come from hard places Says the bible. Struggle and be rewarded the baby may stuggle but will become good in the long run.)
Honey in the rock and the suger dont stop... (Good things to come from hard places Says the bible. Struggle and be rewarded the baby may stuggle but will become good in the long run.)
Dont you weep pretty baby... (keep your head up)
Dont you weep pretty baby... (keep your head up)
Shes long gone with her red shoes on gona need another loving baby,.... Harlot Mums...
Shes long gone with her red shoes on gona need another loving baby,.... Harlot Mums long gone with her red shes on, you need some one to love you.
Go to sleep little baby.... lay your head down little jessus
You and me and the devil makes thee dont need no other loving baby....
The one singing knows all this and seems to like the baby and honey from the rock comes back to mind for me but i think it depends what is in your head to how you interoperate the song.
Come lay your bones on the alabaster stones and be my ever loving baby....
(Come and be heald for the bad you have been through i am all you'll ever need, honey from rock)
Hmmm....
I heard this song and thought it was great. But the more I listened the deeper, darker meaning it seemed to have.
I may be wrong, but I think it may mean that the mother died or ran off, the father has run off and is going to stay gone. The red shoes makes me think that the woman has run off to be a harlot, perhaps the baby was an illegimate birth at a time when any extra mouths were impossible to care for. So the mother ran off, the father may have been unknown or uncaring. Everyone else was in the field working, or had gone away in search of work to work distant fields.
The verse
Honey in the rock and the sugar don't stop Gonna bring a bottle to the baby
May mean that the singer was mixing a bottle and adding honey and sugar (and lots of it) to hide the taste of poison. The remaining verses then become obvious.
Go to sleep little baby Got to sleep little baby
You and me and the devil make three Don't need no other lovin' babe
come lay bones on the alabaster stones and be my everlovin' baby
The singer is basically saying, drink this, go to sleep, your mamma ain't coming back, now there's only me and the devil to care for you, as if the singer knows that what she is doing is immoral but necessary. And the last verse, "and be my everlovin' baby" refers to live hereafter. As if the singer is professing everlasting love to this poor child she had put in the ground because there was no one to care for it.
Pretty dark I know... but...
Thoughts?
of course, you are spot on about the meaning of that song. By the way the whole "O brother" soundtrack if filled with songs about death suffering, and the hope for afterlife. So that extraordinary song is in line with the rest of the selection.
of course, you are spot on about the meaning of that song. By the way the whole "O brother" soundtrack if filled with songs about death suffering, and the hope for afterlife. So that extraordinary song is in line with the rest of the selection.
Wow you totally nailed it. I wasn't sure what this song was about until I read your post and I just knew that was the answer! I have read a few books about slavery, incl. Uncle Tom's Cabin, so I know this is not an uncommon thing. Makes me want to cry just thinking about it! What a gut-wrenching decision to make... Such a beautiful song, but I'm not sure I will be singing it to my kids :)
Wow you totally nailed it. I wasn't sure what this song was about until I read your post and I just knew that was the answer! I have read a few books about slavery, incl. Uncle Tom's Cabin, so I know this is not an uncommon thing. Makes me want to cry just thinking about it! What a gut-wrenching decision to make... Such a beautiful song, but I'm not sure I will be singing it to my kids :)
This song is an African American slave song, which was remade by Emmylou Harris. If Emmylou Harris truly understood the nature or meaning of song. She would have never rewrittten the lyrics. The oringinal song does not mention red shoes, bones nor the devil. As slaves sang and played, they used hand-clapping and foot-stamping to create rhythmic beats in the tradition of African music.
This song is an African American slave song, which was remade by Emmylou Harris. If Emmylou Harris truly understood the nature or meaning of song. She would have never rewrittten the lyrics. The oringinal song does not mention red shoes, bones nor the devil. As slaves sang and played, they used hand-clapping and foot-stamping to create rhythmic beats in the tradition of African music.
Oringinal Lyrics:
Oringinal Lyrics:
>
Go to sleep (2) Go to sleep, little baby Mama gone away An' papa gone, too. Go to sleep, little baby.
>
Go to sleep (2) Go to sleep, little baby Mama gone away An' papa gone, too. Go to sleep, little baby.
Go to sleep (2) Go to sleep, little baby Mama gone away An' daddy, too. Go to sleep,...
i>
Go to sleep (2) Go to sleep, little baby Mama gone away An' daddy, too. Go to sleep, little baby
i>
Slaves would sang this lullaby to babies or small children as their parents were sent away to work the cotton fields.
@Curtis336
Go to sleep you little baby.... (Little jessus lay down your sweet head.)
@Curtis336
Go to sleep you little baby.... (Little jessus lay down your sweet head.)
your mummas gone away and you daddys gone to stay... (mums out and dads gone to stay alive.)
your mummas gone away and you daddys gone to stay... (mums out and dads gone to stay alive.)
Your a sweet little baby...( you deserve better.)
Your a sweet little baby...( you deserve better.)
Honey in the rock and the suger dont stop... (Good things to come from hard places Says the bible. Struggle and be rewarded the baby may stuggle but will become good in the long run.)
Honey in the rock and the suger dont stop... (Good things to come from hard places Says the bible. Struggle and be rewarded the baby may stuggle but will become good in the long run.)
Dont you weep pretty baby... (keep your head up)
Dont you weep pretty baby... (keep your head up)
Shes long gone with her red shoes on gona need another loving baby,.... Harlot Mums...
Shes long gone with her red shoes on gona need another loving baby,.... Harlot Mums long gone with her red shes on, you need some one to love you.
Go to sleep little baby.... lay your head down little jessus
You and me and the devil makes thee dont need no other loving baby.... The one singing knows all this and seems to like the baby and honey from the rock comes back to mind for me but i think it depends what is in your head to how you interoperate the song.
Come lay your bones on the alabaster stones and be my ever loving baby.... (Come and be heald for the bad you have been through i am all you'll ever need, honey from rock)