Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases a filmed rendition of a late 1960s African American prison work song entitled "Jody".
The lyrics to this version of this work song are included in this post along with a few selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
This post is part of pancocojams' ongoing series on African American songs and military cadences that include the male name "Jody". Click the "jodies" tag that is found below for other posts in this series.
Thanks to the composer/s of this song and thanks to Benny Richardson and others who sung this song. Thanks also to Bruce Jackson, the collector of this song in the late 1960s and thanks to the publisher of this song file on YouTube.
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SHOWCASE VIDEO "Jody" (Prison work song)
Jody Rosen, Published on Jan 28, 2016
-snip-
Here are two comments from this sound file's YouTube discussion thread
Performed by Benny Richardson & fellow inmates
Recorded at Ellis Unit Prison, Huntsville, Texas, March 24, 1966
DeMarcus jones, 2017
this is truth this is our past . We are strong
**
Jane Doe, 2017
"The no b.s. origin of military cadence."
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LYRICS
(Sung by Benny Richardson)
I've been working all day long,
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
Pickin' this stuff called cotton and corn,
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
We raise cotton, cane and a-corn.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
'Taters and tomatoes and a-that ain't all,
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
Back is weak and I done got tired,
Got to tighten up just to save my hide.
Boss on a hoss and he's watchin' us all,
Better tighten up, (if we) don't we'll catch the hall.
Wonder if the Major will go my bail.
(Or) give me twelve hours standing on the rail.
BRIDGE:
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
I see the Captain sittin' in the shade.
He don't do nothin' but-a he get paid.
We work seven long days in a row.
Two sacks of Bull and a picture show.
In the wintertime we get no lay,
Cuttin' cane and makin' syrup every day.
When it gets wet in the cane field.
All the squads work around the old syrup mill.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Two more months and it won't be long.
Gonna catch the chain 'cause I'm goin' home.
Goin' back home to my old gal, Sue,
My buddy's wife and his sister, too.
Ain't no need of you writin' home.
Jody's got your girl and gone.
Ain't no need of you feelin' blue,
Jody's got your sister, too.
First thing I'll do when I get-a home.
Call my woman on the telephone.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Gonna settle down for the rest of my life.
Get myself a job and get myself a wife.
Six long years I've been in the pen.
Don't want to come to this place again.
Captain and the boss is drivin' us on.
Makin' us wish we'd-a stayed at home.
If we had listened what our mama say,
We wouln't be cuttin' wood here today.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Captain and the boss is drivin' us on,
Makin' us wish we'd-a stayed at home.
We had listened what our mama say,
We wouldn't (be) droppin' big timber here today.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Yeah, yeah.
YEAH, YEAH.
Online Source: http://www.worksongs.org/blog/2015/4/28/jody
From Wake Up Dead Man CD recorded by Bruce Jackson at Texas prisons in the mid-'60's.
Jody was sung by Benny Richardson in Ellis Unit, part of the Texas penitentiary system in Hendersonville, Texas in the 1960s. It was collected by Bruce Jackson and his scholarship matches the remarkable nature of the song itself."...
-snip-
Notice these verses that are also found in some form or another in "Jody" military cadences:
"Ain't no need of you writin' home.
Jody's got your girl and gone.
Ain't no need of you feelin' blue,
Jody's got your sister, too."
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