Rosie

ROSIE

(Recording of prisoners at Mississippi State Penitentiary's Parchman work camp, in 1947. Recorded by song collector/archivist Alan Lomax) (Transcription thanks to http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/05/rosie-african-american-prison-work-song.html)

Call and Response form

Lead Singer's Call: "Be my woman, gal, I'll-" Group Response: " -be your man."

(3x)

Call: "Every Sunday's dollar-" Response: "-in your hand."

Call: "In your hand, Lordy-" Response: "-in your hand."

Call: "Every Sundays dollar-" Response: "-in your hand."

Call: "Stick to the promise, gal, that-" Response: "-you made me."

(3x)

Call: "Wasn't gonna marry 'til-uh-" Response: "-I go free."

Call: "I go free, lordy-" Response: "I go free."

Call: "Wasn't gonna marry 'til-uh-" Response: "-I go free."

Call: "Well, Rosie-" Call: "-oh, lord, gal." Call: "Ah, Rosie-" Response: "-oh, lord, gal."

Call: "When she walks she reels and-" Response: "-rocks behind."

(2x)

Call: "Ain't that enough to worry-" Response: "-[a] convict's mind."

(2x)

Call: "Well, Rosie-" Call: "-oh, lord, gal." Call: "Ah, Rosie-" Response: "-oh, lord, gal."

(repeat first four lines of song

A repeat of the first four lines of the song: "Be my woman, gal, I'll be your man (three times)/Every Sunday's dollar in your hand."

"Well, Rosie/Ah, Rosie" lines return for the third time.