 | Echoes ... From The Cabin and Elsewhere |  |
36
MOBILE-BUCK.
O, come erlong, come erlong,
Wut's de use er hol'in' back;
O, hit it strong, er hit it strong,
Mek de ol' flo' ben' an' crack.
O, hoop tee doo, uh, hoop tee doo!
Dat's de way ter knock it froo.
Right erlong, right erlong,
Slide de lef' foot right erlong.
Hoop tee doo, O, hoop tee doo,
See, my lub, I dawnce ter you.
Ho, boy! Ho, boy!
Well done, meh lady!
Wut's de use er hol'in' back;
O, hit it strong, er hit it strong,
Mek de ol' flo' ben' an' crack.
O, hoop tee doo, uh, hoop tee doo!
Dat's de way ter knock it froo.
Right erlong, right erlong,
Slide de lef' foot right erlong.
Hoop tee doo, O, hoop tee doo,
See, my lub, I dawnce ter you.
Ho, boy! Ho, boy!
Well done, meh lady!
O, slide erlong, slide erlong—
Fas'ah wid dat pattin', Sam!
Dar's music in dis lef' heel's song,
Mis'ah right foot, doan' you sham!
O, hoop tee doo, oh, hoop tee doo!
Straight erlong I dawnce ter you.
Slide erlong, slide erlong,
Mek dat right foot hit it strong.
Hoop tee doo, O, hoop tee doo,
See, my lub, I dawnce ter you.
Ho, boy! Ho, boy!
Well done, meh lady!
Fas'ah wid dat pattin', Sam!
Dar's music in dis lef' heel's song,
Mis'ah right foot, doan' you sham!
O, hoop tee doo, oh, hoop tee doo!
Straight erlong I dawnce ter you.
Slide erlong, slide erlong,
Mek dat right foot hit it strong.
Hoop tee doo, O, hoop tee doo,
See, my lub, I dawnce ter you.
Ho, boy! Ho, boy!
Well done, meh lady!
The above is an attempt to catch the shuffling, jerky rhythm of the famous negro dance, the Mobile-Buck. The author has watched by the hour the negro roustabouts of Ohio and Mississippi river steamboats “buck” against each other, to use their own expression. One roustabout called on by the crew steps out and begins the shuffle. Suddenly he makes a tremendous slide forward on one foot, like the swift stroke of a skater, while with the other foot he beats a perfect tattoo. Each dancer in succession tries to outdo his predecessor, while all are cheered on by the comments and laughter of their rude but picturesque audience. —Author.
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