Gwoin Ober de Mountains
(Alternately: Going Ober de Mountains, Gwine Over de Mountain,
I'm Going Ober de Mountains)

For information on this song as part of the blackface minstrel tradition, please see
its page in The Juba Project's Minstrelsy Database.

Credits

Art Babayants, piano; Alison Jutzi, vocals; Dennis Patrick, sound technician.

Lyrics

Image c. British Library, all rights reserved. Further reproduction is prohibited

Verse 1
A bery long time in a snug ole brake,
Dere lib a Nig dey call Big JAKE,
Dey serb him wrong which war not right.
Dis Song he sing from morn till night,

Verse 2
Old Nig into trouble get,
No dollar left to pay de debt, __
So den dey come to him ole brake,
An out ob him dey turn ole JAKE.

Verse 3
Oh, DINAH, lub, do cum wid me,
Ober de mountain, ober de sea,
Yes dear Jake so saddle your “back”
An’ den we both jump on him back.

Verse 4
Oh, sich a horse you neber see!
Wid a broken neck an a winded knee;
De more you whop de less him go,
But him dance like mad to de ole Banjo.

Verse 5
Ole horse seized wid de hoopin’ cough,
Death soon cum an take him off;
But all de Doctors disagree__
Say “him die wid de earache in him knee?

Verse 6
As jogging along de road we go,
We meets my brodder, Ansum JOE,
“Ansum JOE, how do youm do?” __
I’m tank you much de same as you.

Verse 7
Beach Carolina de next day,
Wid joy I almost faint away;
My ole Brodder die at sea, __
Leab all de dollars to my lub an me.

Chorus
Ra ro my true lub,
Do cum my DINAH darlin’,
Fare you well my own dear lub,
I’m gwoin ober de mountain.

Publication Information

Published by B. Williams, II. Paternoster Row, & 170 Gt. Dovor Rd., London.

British Library Shelf Number: H.2342

Accessioned: 08 November 1856