Oh! Susanna

Stephen C. Foster 1826 (Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania) – 1864 (New York City, New York)



1     I came from Alabama
2     wid my ban jo on my knee,
3     I'm g'wan to Louisiana,
4     My true love for to see,
6     It raind all night the day I left
7     The weather it was dry,
8     The sun so hot I frose to death
9     Susanna dont you cry.

10   [Chorus] Oh! Susanna Oh! dont you cry for me
11   I've come from Alabama wid mi ban jo on my knee.

12   [Solo] I jumped aboard de telegraph,
13   And trabbelled down de riber,
14   De Lectric fluid magnified,
15   And Killed five Hundred N*gger
16   De bullgine buste, de horse run off,
17   I realy thought I'd die;
18   I shut my eyes to hold my breath,
19   Susana, dont you cry.

20   [Chorus] Oh! Susana Oh! dont you cry for me
21   I've come from Alabama wid mi ban jo on my knee.

22   [Solo] I had a dream de odder night,
23   When ebery ting was still;
24   I thought I saw Susana,
25   A coming down de hill.
26   The buckwheat cake war in her mouth,
27   The tear was in her eye,
28   Says I, im coming from de South,
29   Susana, dont you cry.

30   [Chorus] Oh! Susana Oh! dont you cry for me
31   I've come from Alabama wid mi ban jo on my knee.

32   [Solo] I soon will be in New Orleans,
33   And den I'll look all round,
34   And when I find Susana,
35   I'll fall upon the ground.
36   But if I do not find her,
37   Dis darkie 'l surely die,
38   And when I'm dead and buried,
39   Susana, dont you cry.

40   [Chorus] Oh! Susana Oh! dont you cry for me
41   I've come from Alabama wid mi ban jo on my knee.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 14, 2023

1:34 min read
95

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABXCDC BB XCXEXCDC BB XFAFGCGC BB XHAHECXC BB
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,470
Words 305
Stanzas 8
Stanza Lengths 8, 2, 8, 2, 8, 2, 8, 2

Stephen C. Foster

Stephen Collins Foster, known as "the father of American music", was an American songwriter known primarily for his parlor and minstrel music. more…

All Stephen C. Foster poems | Stephen C. Foster Books

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