Early in the Mornin'

"Early in the Mornin'" is the first song of David N. Baker's song cycle The Black Experience. The cycle sets the poetry of Mari Evans.

Even though the song cycle is out-of-print, "Early in the Mornin'" is published in Anthology of Art Songs by Black American Composers.

Date: 1970Composer: David N. BakerText: Mari EvansSong Collection: The Black Experience

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    Text

    early in the mornin’
    by Mari Evans

    early in the mornin’
    J. W. Brown
    whippin’ his woman
    knockin’ her
    “answer my question if a you please”
    how she gonna answer
    down on her knees
    groanin’ “Buddy, Buddy.
    wake up and go,
    get L. C. and Marg’ret
    he’s a hurtin’ me so.”
    Buddy went a-flyin’
    down the stairs
    brown pants over
    his underwear
    but L. C. and Marg’ret
    wouldn’t stir
    said “Buddy we sympathize
    with her…
    but from what you say
    as far as we can see
    if she’d answer his question
    he’d let her be.”
    she never did answer
    as far as we could hear
    but the sight of that child
    in his underwear
    his head bent down
    his shoes untied
    and all comin’ back alone
    down the empty mall
    was sad.
    More than I could bear.
    Makes you wonder if anybody cares
    anywhere

    Related Information

    Sheet Music

    Anthology of Art Songs by Black American Composers, Compiled by Willis C. Patterson

    Composer(s): H. Leslie Adams, David Baker, Margaret Bonds, Charles Brown, Cecil Cohen, Noel de Costa, Mark Fax, Adolphus C. Hailstork, Eugene Hancock, Thomas Kerr, Jr., Charles Lloyd, Jr., Wendell Logan, Maurice McCall, Dorothy Rudd Moore, Undine Smith Moore, Robert Owens, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Florence Price, Hale Smith, William Grant Still, Howard Swanson, George Walker, Olly Wilson, John Work, Jr.

    Song(s): For You There is No Song (H. Leslie Adams)
    Early in the Mornin' (David Baker)
    A Good Assassination Should Be Quiet (David Baker)
    Status Symbol (David Baker)
    Three Dream Portraits: Minstrel Man; Dream Variations; I, Too (Margaret Bonds)
    The Barrier (Charles Brown)
    Song Without Words (Charles Brown)
    Death of an Old Seaman (Cecil Cohen)
    Two Songs for Julie Ju (Noel da Costa)
    Cassandra's Lullaby (Mark Fax)
    Love (Mark Fax)
    A Charm at Parting (Adolphus C. Hailstork)
    I Loved You (Adolphus C. Hailstork)
    Absalom (Eugene Hancock)
    Nunc Dimittis (Eugene Hancock)
    Riding to Town (Thomas Kerr, Jr.)
    Compensation (Charles Lloyd, Jr.)
    If There Be Sorrow (Wendell Logan)
    Marrow of My Bone (Wendell Logan)
    Chanson Triste (Maurice McCall)
    Sweet Sorrow (Maurice McCall)
    Weary Blues (Dorothy Rudd Moore)
    Love Let the Wind Cry...How I Adore Thee (Undine Moore)
    Faithful One (Robert Owens)
    Genius Child (Robert Owens)
    A Child's Grace (Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson)
    Melancholy (Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson)
    Night (Florence Price)
    Song to the Dark Virgin (Florence Price)
    Velvet Shoes (Hale Smith)
    Grief (William Grant Still)
    A Death Song (Howard Swanson)
    I Will Lie Down in Autumn (Howard Swanson)
    The Negro Speaks of Rivers (Howard Swanson)
    Lament (George Walker)
    A Red, Red Rose (George Walker)
    Wry Fragments (Olly Wilson)
    Dancing in the Sun (John Work, Jr.)
    Soliloquy (John Work, Jr.)

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