Follow The Drinking Gourd

[DaRkoo768]

i think thid id better than skrillex

[Redpitbull44]

Learned this in elementary school. We sang it a lot more slowly, and it was eerie as hell back then.

[imafrendly]

the old man is peg leg joe. he helped the slaves make there way to freedom.

[minecraftman930]

am i the only troll here...... yep.

[SuperStarAnika]

where can i download this song for free? please really need it for my history project xx

[The29pancakes]

were learning this song in school

[bmacpowell]

I am doing that song in Pinckney music class

[robloxmaxgames]

the old man is the writer

[sayianbiju]

@mrmallek1 he may not b being an idiot. it could be true. i mean most people who were confederate were whites who wanted slaves and they were also racist. no black guy would make a slave out of a white man but whites did it all the time. id b mad if there were thirteen dislikes. im black and i enjoy the song. it calms me.

[mrmallek1]

@sayianbiju thank you. I totally agree with you. I understood marmar's comment to mean that he dislikes this video and wants the confederate that allowed mistreatment of slaves to live on. I did not consider that his comment would mean that other people disliked it proving that the "confederate lives on".

[myfingerstyley]

Who's the old man?

[rich1563]

@myfingerstyley the old man is a symbol for something I dont remember

[OmerineDomoBirds]

This is amazing!!

[DjLilJokerVevo]

I remember reading this book when i was little

[gypsiecat1]

how did everybody in the whole world not realize this song was a set of instructions.

[itsmetheazngirl]

at my school i learned about how to follow the drinking gourd and the book e read it too

[SaundersGirlz]

wow evan my sis can sing

[MsHighschooler1]

I sang this song in Junior high

[354elliott]

i am singing this song in choir

[SolitaryElect]

@Cl1ckHere01 God Bless Your Soul! From A Blackie!

[Cl1ckHere01]

@SolitaryElect :) back at you.

[doctorpsycho1960]

@KilleRxKaleb55 LOL, you never have gotten over being fooled by them, have you? How does it feel, being DUMBER than a n****r?

[KilleRxKaleb55]

@doctorpsycho1960 no i simply said "Fucking Niggers" proclaiming that i like having sex with niggers.

[Cl1ckHere01]

@doctorpsycho1960 I assume you haven't realized we're trolling?

[doctorpsycho1960]

@Cl1ckHere01 Sorry, Poe's Law, you know. There is no such thing as a comment so stupid it is obviously trolling -- especially on YouTube, which typically has the stupidest commenters on the whole wide Web.

[Cl1ckHere01]

@doctorpsycho1960 Exactly!

[ineedadietcoke1984]

Sang this song in 5th grade honor choir.

[KATEisFAB]

@ineedadietcoke1984 ME TOO.

[kidkd24]

i think this song is great so it could help african amercan slaves

[MaskMakerByEj]

@EminemKhalifa33 Dude, this is important, its not gay, if its gay why dont you get whipped and beaten senseless if you do something wronge. Slavery is a sad thing.

[Acti0nK1lZ]

@EminemKhalifa33 This was a sacred song for slaves. It lead them through bad times and gave them freedom. So next time think about what you say.

[BeccaDuctTapeLover]

@Acti0nK1lZ

yeah, but is technically just a legend. We don't know if actually was used by slaves...

[flagg6805]

@BeccaDuctTapeLover Do the research, it's very clear that it was.

[jonjon1312]

i listened to this in social studies today i fell asleep but then i heard the bell and school was over

[doctorpsycho1960]

American slaves followed the Drinking Gourd. Irish rebels honored the Starry Plough. Welsh patriots looked to Ursa Major, the sign of King Arthur. It's a sign of freedom all over the Northern Hemisphere.

[docatomics]

@doctorpsycho1960 ... actually it is the way to communicate when forbiden to do so and still keep ones head, both big and small :)

[doctorpsycho1960]

@docatomics Indeed it was -- my point was, it is also a symbol of freedom all over the Northern Hemisphere. Sorry, thought I had made that clear.... :{ )

[docatomics]

@doctorpsycho1960 ...what work then could be made to work again, with a little creative updating

[sayianbiju]

i agree with you. @doctorpsycho1960

[TheLightingspear]

great song, by the way

[TheLightingspear]

7 people are slaveowners

[tjhunt4533]

aint this about a bitch, thats not the damn song

[ThePeachyseven]

The song was a smart thing to create, basically a singing map.

Blake

[sayianbiju]

I agree. I listened to this in class. i probably will for awhile now @ThePeachyseven

[djhemry]

There are many many people in slavery still in the world. Modern day slavery, child slavery, women in slavery, drug trafficking slaves . . . . it's still just so sad and needs to end.

[keownstrada]

are there chords for this?

[cjms1997]

@keownstrada probably but it would be very hard considering he was using his thumb and the rest of his fingers to play this song

[NightGraveHunting]

The best song about slavery

[pen24]

Ah, he plays it too fast. Feels modernized.

[psadpoiafsdf]

Richie Havens is amazing

[tyeb626]

We are still slaves even if we don't know it we are slaves to the sysytem to society the educational system and to our overseers the goverment. We are free to learn beyond what we have been taught to further our learning and open paths for future generations We are free to push expectations and limits with doubt in our faces no longer do we follow the drinking gourd to freedom on the underground path we take the high road

[abbey101lover]

@usuc77 no its molly y did you think it was abazin i think thats what u wrote lol

[231keyshaun]

i love this song cuz of how the slaves got away to freedom.i feel bad to all of the slaves that die. :(

[POPOTACU1]

i see a story of that song named "The Song Map" it was of the slavery but Peg Leg Joe Help the slaves with that song! Its so Amazing

[left4deadrox]

doing this song for choir we sound awesome :) 

[alex2233ful]

ok i doing a project about history i um well heard it befor

[22willrocks22]

i love this song my teacher showed us this i loved ittttttt willllllllllllllllllllllllllll­llllllllllll rocks

[drunkiguana]

@redneckkid2552 Sadly my friend, there are currently over 27 million slaves in the world. More than any time in history. Please google modern slave trade and take action everyone!!

[BieberBaby201]

Left Foot Peg Foot Traveling On

[MrSkater1667]

amazing im so glad that abolisonists like alexander ross and

[Styyrant]

This is not meant to offend anyone.

But,

It was quite stupid for the white men to hear their slaves singing this and go like, "OH THEY ARE OKAY. THEY ARE HAVING FUN AND THEY'RE SINGING!" They clearly did not think that good and little did they know, the slaves were already smarter than they were. For, if the slaves were really stupid, how would they know to sing a song about freedom? And not only that, an escape!

[willong1000]

Forgot to mention, that the "Drinkin' Gourd" also alluded to the Big Dipper constellation, which points to Polaris, the guide star or north star; thus, the drinkin gourd points one north along the path to freedom.

Researching the song reveals that it chronicles the entire escape route/process from Alabama to Illinois--FASCINATING HISTORICAL INFORMATION, ecapsulated in a song.

If anyone can post the Joe & Eddie performance of this song, I'd be mighty grateful.

[willong1000]

Nice version of the song--who's the performer?

It's actually about people ESCAPING from slavery along the UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. The "dead trees" showed the way through cryptic directions carved in their trunks by previous refugees; and a "drinkin' gourd" hung on gate post could signify a safehouse.

The beauty of the net; then and now. Don't care for my interpretation? Then follow the links; free your mind; direct your own investigation, education, and life.

[patrickrox24]

thats an awsome song!!!! if u dont know wat its about its about people who are being slaved

[lily8394]

i cant find the SLOWER version

[Sobremaria1]

Arnt the first words when the sun goes down and the nightime falls, follow the drinking gourd?

[hellokittybarbi]

i love when the slaves sing it

[TheRhilyard]

i couldnt imagen wht the slaves went through. my teacher told us tht slaves would make secret codes so the slave owners wouldn't know wht they were talking about so they wouldnt know tht they were planning on escaping slavery. the slaves would get wiped or get there hand or foot cut off if they tried to run away and get caught. i would not wanna be a slave durring tht time if i would get wipped if i got caught trying to run away up north

[TheRhilyard]

i couldnt imagen wht the slaves went through. my teacher told us tht slaves would make secret codes so the slave owners wouldn't know wht they were talking about.

[tbsjazz14]

were playing this song in orchestra

[TheRhilyard]

how hard was it to play :"Follow The Drinking Gourd?"

[tbsjazz14]

@TheRhilyard its not that hard its actually kinda easy

[kyobrovert]

@tbsjazz14 Really its easy to Imagine being stripped of all your rights? to be treated as less then human? Is it really that easy to imagine how they felt and how afraid they were. I dont think its that easy to imagine what they went though. Yes you can understand that they ran and that they were treated badly very easily but its much harder to imagine how it felt.

[tbsjazz14]

@kyobrovert

lol wtf

TheRhilyard was asking if it was hard to play this song in orchestra

[Katieboo5556]

Im singing this song in choir its such a beautiful and great song

[soundtrack81]

Follow the Drinking Gourd was a tape that I have.

[StarkidWorkingDog]

we sang this in my jr high choir :)

[manzoorboy06]

I remember singing this in 10th grade. Bring back memories!!!

[NightGraveHunting]

I was in 5th hour 2day and this girl that was sitting close to me found that you could get a 9 yr old sex slave

[YoblokaKalishnikova]

what is wrong with 3 people?

[NightGraveHunting]

Best Slave song ever

[RoyFive]

Another great song from Richie Havens.

[deodhonut]

I know an alcoholic named Gord, who's great grandfather was a slave. This song is Epically funny and so well composed.

[deodhonut]

@deodhonut and if you want to download this song look on google for youtube to mp3 converter, should be the first one.

[NightGraveHunting]

Slaves had it bad back when Slavery was around and most of them Died

R.I.P slaves that died

[NightGraveHunting]

The best song about setting the slaves free

[swisher141]

i love this song it teachs about history

[MarcelaConnerty25]

Whats the best way to find mp3iifffy to download this mp3? Someone told me to google mp3iifffy.

[NathanielAndrew100]

How do I find mp3iiiiify to download this song? I was told to google mp3iiiiify.

[xrxs1020]

The performer isn't mentioned as far as i can tell, but it certainly sounds like Richie Havens.

[egg9man]

he kinda sounds like Ben Harper... great song... such rich history.

[iKryptonite]

to fast i hate it

[mdani06]

I luv it

[evillexi7]

love this song used to sing it in school all the time.

[ObliVionSONICx]

learned this song in music today and ye the old man is Peg Leg Joe

[anasandman]

Me too how funny is that!

[kadyeelee]

I just learned this song in music today

[ItzChloe1]

LOL

[corbinsbb]

i think when they said " for the old man is waiting to carry you to freedom" means that one of the Quakers is willing to help them escape.

[deyz112]

god or what everyone else is saying

[drmalevolo]

@corbinsbb no it means the mississippy river will carry u to freedom

[Flint3162]

This is Richie Havens, its from the cd Songs of the Civil War...there are some amazingling good songs there!

[sally71561]

i had to to sing this for a school play lolz

[motibananas]

is peg leg Joe singing PS he is the person who originally made this song PSS the OLD MAN (peg leg Joe .

[BreindelWood]

Who is singing this?

[DLionB]

Pretty sure this is Richie Havens!

[oddvidios]

they sang these songs so there owners didnt know they were telling others to escape, but youd think the guy carrying you to freedom part would have tipped them off

[sydsguitarnotebook]

well they thought that they were saying that they wanted to die like god was the old man

[XxXSlipknot4lifeXx]

follow the mo fuckin drinkin gourd!! xD :D

[warmcalquat]

follow the fucking drinking gourd! ! ¨:D :D

[GraffitiRooky]

its cool cuz these songs led slave to freedom

[sawpigmask]

i know what a fucking shame.

[HikingSneakers]

Great version of this song! I added it to one of my playlists. The Weavers used to do it, and I always loved it. I grew up listening to stuff like this because of my parents.

Might I suggest adding "freedom" and "Spiritual" to the list of tags as well as putting the name of the performer in the description? That would be really cool.

[migapixl]

dude this song is badass I am black, but this song has a great beat. I also like the guys voice really good

[180ashley]

when i was in 5th grade i had a solo in this song, " well the banks of the river make a mighty good road, folllow the drinking gourd, and the burdden im carrin' is a heavy load" ! haha

[kirktorf]

Anyone know who the performer is?

[Disneyholic521]

we sang this in a chorus i had once, i think it was a different version, though. still good none the less

[AmbyyBamby]

i sang this song in 2nd grade ;D

uhh a different version though..

[gideonjamesabbott]

This is a really nice version of this traditional song.

[zmac0071990]

this is so fasinating.

[kari985]

Harriet Tubman FTW!

[redneckkid2552]

i am really glad they destroyed slavery

[chevontiaraju]

Wow! This is good and cool too!

[3035730357]

... of African-Americans in the U.S. and Western Europe.

Unfortunately, even in the most socially liberal and advanced countries in the entire world, slavery is still a big business.

[Hardheadsfinest]

@redneckkid2552 U GEEKED I DNT KNO WAT U ON BUT DATS GOOD

[AznNaziZombieKiller]

@redneckkid2552 I am really disappointed that slavery even started.

[nickwalco]

@redneckkid2552 they didn't... it still exists.

[356pla]

@redneckkid2552 Still in practice in Saudi Arabia, Somalia, dozens of places.

[angerrhino]

@redneckkid2552 slavery is alive in the Africa look up fair trad to find out more

[OriginialSnooks]

@redneckkid2552 but rasicm still lives on which is unfortunate:/

[grumpybear93]

I think Harret Tubman was the greastest abolishist beside Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.

[carsbb]

slavery was wrong the north was splending

[awesometorey]

this song is awesome!!!!

[Valerayyox]

I Just Love Thit Song!..makes me wanna cry when i hear it...makes me think of all those people who suffered..and also of how many life that song had saved.. Makes me sick, what people were thinking back then, and even still now, i'd just want them to realize how stupid they are to be rascist.

[abbey101lover]

i was learning abaut slavery and my teacher showed this to us its awesome

[OperaRose17]

Ur teacer showed u a different version of this song?

[abbey101lover]

no it was this

[clumsy0ninja]

Mine showed me a VERY different version, it was more of what they were actually singing back then, this is a modern remake.

[OperaRose17]

Aww, what an honor :)

[abbey101lover]

yeah she has a youtube and everyone when we saw went balistic

[OperaRose17]

Wow, im really glad to see someone's enjoying these things

[abbey101lover]

i mean who wouldent its history

[SmiteWithLove]

I enjoy it haha but the one my teacher showed me was a slower one still nce song :D

[usuc77]

@abbey101lover is ur name abizan?

[shadowoftheday666]

my teacher did the same thing but he played it

he also played wade in the water and to relate it to more recent times, he played redemption songs by bob marley

[L8rsk8r99]

@abbey101lover So was i,and he showed us this haha

[cutecookies13]

@abbey101lover same

[Jwwwow]

@abbey101lover  same to me.

[LeComte13]

@abbey101lover

same happened to me, english literature class:)

Its great!

[Torak1998]

@abbey101lover

i no. our whole class sings it when miss puts it on.

[MrSkater1667]

@abbey101lover i am singing this in chior class

[graceArise]

Hey, great song man. Love your voice - gave me da chills!

[Ephilias]

Very good song!

[caseilovesrugrats]

great song!!!

[eemapso]

awsome

[OperaRose17]

Ya, i thought so too. best version ive ever heard. nice and authentic