Li'l' Gal (Dunbar, set by H. Adams, J. Johnson) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Oh, de weathah it is balmy an' de breeze is sighin' low,
Li'l' gal,
An' de mockin' bird is singin' in de locus by de do',
Li'l' gal;
Dere's a-hummin' an' a-bummin'
in de lan' f'om eas' to wes',
I's a-sighin' fu you, honey, an' I nevah know no res'.
Fu' dey's lots a-trouble brewin'
an' a-stewin' in my breas', Li'l' gal.
Whut's de mattah wid de weathah,
what's de mattah wid de breeze, Li'l gal?
Whut's de mattah wid de locus'
dat's a-singin' in de trees, Li'l' gal?
W'y dey knows dey ladies love `em,
an' dey knows dey love `em true,
An' dey love `em back, I reckon,
des' lak I's a-lovin' you;
Dat's de reason dey's a-weavin'
an' a-sighin' thoo an' thoo, Li'l' gal.
Don't you let no fella fool you
cause de clo'es he waihs is fine, Li'l' gal.
Deys a hones' hea't a-beatin
unnerneaf dese rags o' mine, Li'l' gal.
Co'se dey ain' no use in mockin'
whut de birds an' weathah do.
But I's so'y I can't `spress it
w'en I knows I loves you, true,
Dat's de reason I's a-sighin' an' a-singin' now fu' you, Li'l' gal!

Authorship

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)

Lyrics of Love and Laughter

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

H. Leslie Adams (1932-)

The Wider View

John Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954)

Date added to the website: 2004-01-11.

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