INSPIRED by the LYRICS BELOW:
LEGEND: Peg Leg Joe was an old man who traveled throughout the South teaching the slaves a song, Follow the Drinking Gourd. The words of the song contained coded directions to travel north (Underground Railroad). The Drinking Gourd was code for the Big Dipper.
Here are two renditions of the song on You Tube: One with reenactment and historical images. Another sung by young African America young women with dialogue and a piano accompaniment --- beautiful.
When the sun comes back and the first quail calls
Follow the drinking gourd
The old man is a-waitin' for to carry you to freedom
Follow the drinking gourd
Chorus
Follow the drinking gourd,
follow the drinking gourd
For the old man is a-waitin'
to carry you to freedom
Follow the drinking gourd
The river bank makes a mighty fine road,
Dead trees to show you the way
And it's left foot, peg foot, traveling on
Follow the drinking gourd
The river ends between two hills
Follow the drinking gourd
There's another river on the other side
Follow the drinking gourd
Follow the Drinking Gourd
Acrylic on cradled birch panel - 16 X 20
I often create graphic editions of my work such as this piece. Follow the Drinking Gourd has been used for the Freedom Road concert branding for the Millennium Chorus Concert in Australia (as shown on the left).
NOTE: Both the painting and the graphic, Follow the Drinking Gourd are copyrighted and registered with the Library of Congress.
home | contact | about my work
Reproduction or use by permission only.
skgreen, s.k.