Lee Henman
Thursday 10th March 2011 2:52pm [Edited]
5,183 posts
My mother-in-law used to sing lullabies to my son, one of which was "Go to sleep my little picaninny, La-la-la-la-laaa". those were the only words she knew, I suppose it was the chorus. I asked her about it and she said it was something she remembered her Mum singing to her as a kid. Anyway, I'd never heard the term "picaninny" before, so I Googled it. I found the song in question. The lyrics go;
I 's a little Alabama Coon,
And I has n't been born very long;
I 'member seein' a great big round moon;
I 'member hearin' one sweet song.
When dey tote me down to de cotton field,
Dar I roll and I tumble in de sun;
While my daddy pick de cotton, mammy watch me grow,
And dis am de song she sung:
Go to sleep, my little pickaninny,-
Brer' Fox 'll catch you if yo' don't;
Slumber on de bosom of yo' ole Mammy Jinny,-
Mammy's gwine to swat yo' if you won't.
Sh! sh! sh!
Lu-la, lu-la lu-la lu-la lu!
Underneaf de silver Southern moon;
Rock-a-by! hush-a-by!
Mammy's little baby,
Mammy's little Alabama Coon.