Follow the Drinking Gourd~Richie Havens

[Borohockey28]

What my music teacher told me is that this song is, obviously, sung by the slaves to remember the way to freedom and such. She said the drinking gourd is the Big Dipper, which points North to lead the way, and the old man is a man who would pretend to be a caretaker or mechanic around plantations, but really be telling the slaves how to escape. They are supposed to follow the river towards the North.

[skullskater816]

pour slaves

[Rswowplayer]

This song to me isn't about slavery, its about the medevail days.

[Borohockey28]

@Rswowplayer Lol

[Inferno41]

I actually get choked up listening to this. I wonder how many slaves this song saved.

[MsNicolebarker]

for the the people that has mean respones about this video!!

dont make fun of this video all it says is telling the slaveshow to reach freedom.. look at it this way..if they never reach freedom this probably wouldnt be a free world.. so watch what you comment on..

For the maker of the video good job

[myrainbowcloud]

stupid s.s. project :p

[TheRedrocky30]

@myrainbowcloud lol nora i cant believe you commented on this!

[myrainbowcloud]

@TheRedrocky30 HAHAHAH :D

[wb7ptr]

As I understand it, this song was actually directions for slaves heading North, to show them the way to Freedom. The "Old Man Waiting For To Carry You To Freedom" was many of the "conductors" on the Underground Railroad. The "Drinking Gourd" was the big dipper from which you could find the North star, and find your way North. Slaves were not permitted to learn to read or write, so they wrote songs, told stories and even used quits to show the way to Freedom. The quilts had maps and codes.

[ilovebrains264]

my teacher played this one time..now i can sing the whole thing without tryin haha he made a mistake by showin me this song..haha i am his TA this year ^.^

[HopeWithPandora]

Long time favourite...

RH sings this perfectly...as always!!!

[TELEFOON87]

Never forget History !!!!

[WillSnipe4Tacos]

2:05 John Brown



[monus782]

It's quite amazing how even illiterate people were able to use astrology to guide themselves to their destination, in this case freedom

[anthonythesmart]

the old man is called peg leg joe. thats why it's left foot peg foot. he left a trail with a left foot print and one circle.

[DrumzzKool]

Drinkin gourd...Big Dipper...the North Star...follow the drinkin gourd NORTH to freedom over the Mighty Niagara River.

My home town...Fort Erie. One of the terminals at the end of the Underground Railroad. Get to Fort Erie...GET GONE, GET FREE.

[ovenil60]

I had a dream the year obama was elected; just before accully; i saw the drinking gourd begins to stratch out and begin to going down to the earth with all his stars; and i think others became to go with it later. A big giant who was black afroam. came in to our houses and after that all this happen!! Have a nice day; from ove.

[TheXxChApArRiTaxX]

is this like a map that the slave sing and that help the them get to freedom. Because if they go when is raining on snowing the foot steps will stand up and the owners will cach them so when the sun comes up and the fist bird call at night the culd scap. and when they see the ded trees that when they are in the right way

[TheXxChApArRiTaxX]

is this like a map that the slave sing and that help the them get to freedom. Because if they go when is raining on snowing the foot steps will stand up and the owners will cach them so when the sun comes up and the fist bird call at night the culd scap. and when they see the ded trees that when they

[billio0104]

GREAT STUFF !!

[TheFadyShadey]

This is supposed to be a "code" song. It really isnt a old man thats waiting, (dont lol by old man cuz in the song its like for the old man is a waiting) its Harriet something. I forgot the last name. And, the drinking gourd is what the slaves used to drink out of big barrels. Its like a deep spoon. When ever the slaves were at the field working, they would sing this song. The owners would't notice cuz they didnt care bout them. This song was sang for freedom.

[TheFadyShadey]

@TheFadyShadey The big dipper in the sky is supposed to be the drinking gourd. Harriet will take one slave at a time to the safe house. The safe house will care for the slaves. The song gets passed on :))) Look the history up :))) if u wanna learn more!!!

[louvregroove]

@TheFadyShadey The drinking gourd is the Big Dipper.... which points to the North Star and leads the way to freedom from slavery in The South.

[tigerlily7100]

@TheFadyShadey Harriet Taubmen --- And a Quaker Sea Captain and the underground rail road

[MyMoppet52]

@TheFadyShadey Ever hear of 'old man river'? I'm probably older than you, but that was a phrase I heard often growing up. The old man was the Mississippi & then the Ohio River. The Big Dipper is the drinking gourd. My daddy told me tales like this when I was in second grade. We went to an Underground Railroad & I was so disappointed. It was a house with a big basement and a big door out the back. As a kid, I thought it was a RR in a home. I wish I knew the house now 52 years later!

[TheFadyShadey]

@MyMoppet52 if your saying your 52, than yes. I am way younger... sir/mam? x]. I'm 14 sooo, yea. lol

[pettry98]

@TheFadyShadey Hairriet Tubman

[pettry98]

@TheFadyShadey Harriet Tubman



[pettry98]

@TheFadyShadey Hairret Tubman.

[luckychance121]

@TheFadyShadey the last name is Tubman.... just saying.

[babyboi1002]

@TheFadyShadey Actually, the song was used before Harriet Tubman was brought into the picture....after you follow the drinking gourd(the Big Dipper)....an old man would be waiting in a boat to take the slaves to freedom(across the river to the North)

[Hotpink51]

@TheFadyShadey Harriet Tubman. and "the drinking gourd" is the big dipper :P

[TheChikenman123]

@Hotpink51 It was peg leg joe, not harriet tubman

[elenalizabeth]

@TheFadyShadey the song is about following the big dipper, the north star. if they followed this they would get to canada. a country free from slavery.

[elenalizabeth]

@TheFadyShadey and the old man thats waiting, well was a man waiting, he was a guide by the name of peg leg joe. he helped slaves to freedom.

[FIFTYperCENT101]

@TheFadyShadey actuelly old man is peg leg joe, who was another guide, and harriet tubman was usually refered to in songs as moses

[kingmariop476]

@TheFadyShadey Uh, there WAS an old man waiting, Peg Leg Joe.

[MZ2HOOD07]

@TheFadyShadey no in this one, i dont think it was harriet tubman. It really is an old man aint it? peg leg joe right?

[MZ2HOOD07]

@TheFadyShadey and the drinking gourd is the big dipper, the constellation lol

[AnimeAndMusicLover16]

@TheFadyShadey some ppl call the big dipper old man thats y its in the song

[cherrieowens1]

@TheFadyShadey Harriet Tubman

[demonoffeathers26]

@TheFadyShadey your wrong! WRONG

[kilroy920]

I have to listen to this song fo school and i hate it to its so gay

[bowtiedd]

@kilroy920 Dude, you're ignorant. It's about black slaves trying to make it to the North to freedom during the Civil War. It's about perseverance and courage and hoping beyond hope for a better life during one of the darkest times of African American history. Show some respect.

[kilroy920]

@bowtiedd i have respect but this song bores me and i am black

[TheFadyShadey]

@kilroy920 Then, if its sooo "GAY" why did u look it up on youtube??? Maybe cuz u like it.

[kilroy920]

@TheFadyShadey Its for school project and i am black but this song explains nothing of our struggles

[TheFadyShadey]

@kilroy920 oh... ?:/

[WiNiichan]

i'm drunk but this is so amazing... my brain just can't comprehend this at the moment..

[JelloApocalypse]

I live right by this place, and they have a pretty cool cellar area downstairs were they kept the runaways.

[TranceUp43]

iSang this for choir

[jenniewhitt]

Can you PLEASE upload this on School Tube or Teacher Tube?

[ramidabi101]

For the old man is a waiting to carry you to freedom, follow the drinkin' gourd. Nice song.

[MisterBagg]

What a man! Richie is a fine performer and a lovely guy too.

Lea Gilmore does a phenomenal version of this on the soon to be released Umoja Gaelica album. A fascinating story.

[199Ans]

I like the piano better than the gutair but any way....

[vgmaster9]

Thumbs up if you want Justin bieber to go away.

[itsmehstrawberry]

@vgmaster9 what does this have to do with anything

[Gquequeg98]

@vgmaster9 Why even think about Justin Bieber on this video

[princeminski47]

@missmolly2233 The Big Dipper. The song is coded directions for the Underground Railroad.

[revbores]

An example of a folk song with a function.... a freedom song!

[psprincess619]

im doing this in chorus ! aha

[kadyeelee]

We are learning this song in music..

[lovepuppy823]

Hey i did too

[lovepuppy823]

its like for the old man is waitin for to carry you to freedom if you fallow the drinkin gourd

[iranalpak]

@kadyeelee same I felt like such a wussy I was crying when I truly was listening to it

[a1465]

I have some issues with this song. Nice melodies but In the video it shows all rivers but the "drinking gourd" is referring to the big dipper to point north but that is inaccurate ... the north star is in the little dipper.. you would still go north if you followed the big dipper though you would just be a bit west of where you were headed

[CrawdaddyJoe]

@a1465 True, but the two stars that make up the end of the cup on the big dipper make a line straight towards the north star.

[a1465]

@CrawdaddyJoe Yes dubhe and mearac point right toward it :D

[aubreysprite]

Beautiful song, wonderfully sung by Richie Havens, with a great video. Thank you for posting.

[thejacksonslive]

Freedom songs are full of the truth. As is Richie Havens. What a fantastic rendition... Thanks for posting.

[iluvtomandbill]

i had to sing this in skool one day

[horselove146]

lolz the serlect chours @ r skool did 2!

[sailorearth2007]

Isn't the North Star aka the Lode Star a part of the Big Dipper as well?

[a1465]

Actually it is in the Little dipper

[mutley1502]

the drinking gourd is the plough constelation in the sky which pointed to the north. FREEDOM XX :)

[giredhotchilipeppers]

jesus i hate this song. we have to sing it for chorus and i hate it...grrr i really do i have no problem with the singer though...wow it sucksss

[cjbnews]

muaha us 2

[wordoc23]

to giredhotchilipeppers: then y listen to it. seriously ppl like u have big issues if u hate it y listen to it in the first place... its not tht hard.

[GeneralTrousers]

Follow the drinking gourd ... i.e. the big dipper ... escape from slavery.

x

[Jerseysson27]

This is very powerful. I cannot help but be moved by this. Whoever did this video, BRAVO!

[louvregroove]

Thanks Jerseysson27! Hope you will subscribe!

David

[StatenIslandFolkie]

Richie Havens is a class act. Saw him two years ago and he's still kicking ass with his guitar. One of the great folk guitarists, no doubt.

[Soccerbuddies11]

This seems sped up, but it might be me! I don't know why it seems it, maybe because I've heard it on a CD, and a piano? Who knows???!?!

[Jerseysson27]

Because this is a song that makes it so profound, Richie knows how to make the song work because he feels the story and feels the words as they sang it towards that day of freedom.

[rr5n]

Wish I could find the tabs for this version somewhere.

[xHANNAHxHAVOCx]

peg leg joe made this song. noone knows if he was black or white.

[adriancharley]

Black - anyone who wrote this would definitely have to know the slave code language in order to be able to communicate the messages to slaves in order for them to reach freedom. This is one of the many songs that is recognized as a freedom song. Everyone thought that slaves were just these happy black people singing in the fields - they were sending messages to anyone within earshot. Gourd, the old man, are repeated language in many freedom songs.

[VoteNixon2008]

man these sort of songs are just give me goose bumps. I mean so many slaves got side tracked by going north and then getting fooled when they came to the ohio river and thought it was the mississippi.

But if you follow the drinking gourd you'll stay true north

[spartan675432]

i just need this song for my civil war project i hate this song

[holo509]

okay racits

[cdp654]

Just because you don't like this song doesn't make you a racist (which you may want to look into spelling right), way to be as closed minded and ignorant as anyone.

[tiburones101]

know one knows who wrote this song because this song was pasted down generations by generations and lots of people sing this song bak then so know one knows who wrote it

[ukibuttercup]

Peg leg joe did well helped pass it along

[louvregroove]

Thanks for the comment. I hope you'll subscribe!

DSC

[hardknocks666]

follow the drinking gourd meant follow the big dipper and head north, and you'll find freedom.

Everytime I hear this song, I get emotional.

[kiawrestler24]

the slaves survied and thats all that matters

[shizzlebro7000]

umm...no they didnt. What america are you from

[ellenlvx]

Oh, I just remembered that quilt pattern is called Flying Geese, and geese fly North for the summer

[adriancharley]

You are right also Ellen - the quilts were used to pass messages to slaves along the underground railroad. People would think that they were just hung out to air out in the sun. The patterns had a purpose. Follow the Drinking Gourd is one of the many songs that also sent messages telling the slaves when, where and how to escape and follow the route north.

[ellenlvx]

The drinking gourd meant the Big Dipper? The North Star? That's what the quilts meant too? I think they had a line of triangles pointing to the star on top. The sign of a safe house.

[louvregroove]

The Drinking Gourd refers to the Big Dipper/North Star....direction of freedom for escaping slaves

[dsplun10]

@ellenlvx UR RIGHT

[frasercjackson]

nice