Camptown Shakers: Music
Walk Jawbone
(Camptown Shakers)
Written by Silas S. Steele in 1844 for Cool White. A fellow sings of his simple life’s pleasures even as his situation goes from bad to worse.
1) In Caroline what I was born, I husk de wood, an I chop de corn,
A roasted era to de house I bring, But de driver cotch me and he sing –
Walk jaw bone, Jenny come along, In come Sally wid de bootees on,
Walk jaw bone, Jenny come along, In come Sally wid de bootees on.
2) De corn de driver from me rob, An he make me eat de cob,
I chaw de cob until my gums, Stick out like Carolina plums.
3) Dey fasten me up under de barn, Dey feed me dar on leaves ob corn,
It tickled my digestion so, Dat I cotch de cholerophoby, oh.
4) Dey made me a scare-crow in de fields, And a buzzard come to get his meal,
But in his face I blowed my bref, An he was a case for ole Jim Death.
5) Next come a hungry eagle down, Oh! Gosh, thinks I dis boy’s done brown,
But he winked an cried, I’se de bird ob de free And won’t eat de meat ob slabery
6) Next come a weasel for my juice, An he gnawed till he untied me loose,
An den I made off with a quick alarm, An lef him be widout a dram
7) Den down de bank I see’d a ship, I slide down dar on de bone ob my hip,
I crossed de drink an yare I am, If I go back dar I’ll be damn.