Inspired from my childhood -- I listened over and over again to Follow the Drinking Gourd on a record my parents had in their music collection. Over the years I thought of how I might depict the image -- fleeing from slavery in the dark night -- the dead trees showing the way -- the river that ends between two hills -- the drinking gourd pointing north.
LEGEND: Peg Leg Joe was an old man who travelled throughout the South teaching the slaves a song, Follow the Drinking Gourd. The words of the song contained coded directions to travel north (Underground Railroad). The Drinking Gourd was code for the Big Dipper.
Here are two renditions of the song on You Tube: One with reinactment and historical images. Another sung by young African America young women with dialogue and a piano accompaniment --- beautiful.
When the sun comes back
and the first quail calls
Follow the drinking gourd
The old man is a-waitin' for
to carry you to freedom
Follow the drinking gourd
Chorus
Follow the drinking gourd,
follow the drinking gourd
For the old man is a-waitin'
to carry you to freedom
Follow the drinking gourd
The river bank makes a
mighty fine road,
Dead trees to show you the way
And it's left foot, peg foot, traveling on
Follow the drinking gourd
The river ends between two hills
Follow the drinking gourd
There's another river on
the other side
Follow the drinking gourd
Follow the Drinking Gourd
24 X 30
Prints available of the graphic - contact me
I often do graphic editions of my paintings. Follow the Drinking Gourd was choosen for the 2011 Freedom Road concert branding for the Millennium Chorus Concert in Australia (as shown on the left). This annual concert, produced by Boite, who "stands in support of cultural diversity, through the sharing of music, dance and story telling from diverse traditions."
NOTE: Both the painting and the graphic, Follow the Drinking Gourd are copyrighted and registered with the Library of Congress.
home | contact | about my work
Reproduction or use by permission only.
skgreen, s.k.