"A Real Slow Drag" Interpretation by Tay Zonday

This is my favorite Scott Joplin piece. It is the finale of his Opera "Treemonisha" in which the cast dances an allegory for Afro-American salvation in the hard times of aborted southern Reconstruction. It has lyrics that are led by Soprano and Alto protagonists.

I corrected about a dozen of the most glaring mistakes in post-production -- this interpretation is beyond my present playing ability to get through without messing up a number of times . . . though part of that's my fault as it is significantly embellished beyond the original. A lot of mistakes are left in and the tempo is not very stable . . . so this is certainly a work in progress.

Note: The keyboard graphic actually misses a few notes in faster passages (e.g. parts of the left hand from 4:05 to 4:45) . . . it was only captured at 20FPS and I think some notes ended up between frame captures. I'll need to figure out how to get it to work better.

The lyrics are as follows:

Treemonisha: Salute your partner. Do the drag, drag, drag.
Stop and move backward. Do the drag. All of you stop.
Look to your right and do the drag, drag, drag.
To your left, to your left, that's the way.

(Chorus)
Marching onward, marching onward
Marching to that lovely tune.
Marching onward, marching onward,
Happy as a bird in June.
Sliding onward, sliding onward,
Listen to that rag.
Hop. And skip. Now do that slow, do that slow drag.
Dance slowly, prance slowly,
While you hear that pretty rag.
Dance slowly, prance slowly,
Now you do the real slow drag.
Walk slowly, talk slowly,
Listen to that rag, Listen to that rag,
Hop. And skip. Now do that slow, do that slow drag.

Move along, don't stop, don't stop dancing.
Drag along, doing the real slow drag.

(Chorus)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Tay
• Zonday
• Scott
• Joplin
• Music
• Ragtime
• Black
• HIstory
• Piano
• Song
• Video
• Classical
• Unsigned
• Dance
• Voice
• Funny
• Sexy
• Hot
• Real

[oblivion953]

You can tell by his expression that he does what he loves, and loves what hes does.

[adamxmada]

like a lot of Joplin deceptively simple. good to see some people still appreciate genius.

[shamadaking58]

I wish I played as well as you do.

[poklzhou]

I've never heard the original one ,but I know on which part you have done you own trick every time you raise your eyes with a rascal smile. The song apparently incorporated many turns and twist were used at the time of Scott Joplin, some of them smack of movie BGM.

[verdew8181]

pure joy!!!

[ThaLolKing]

you play so nice :)

[MRLOL785]

This needs to be the new "Chocolate Rain".

[GILZO94YFSR]

i first heard this on the CRUMB film

[jsellers79]

Love it brother, keep doing your thing.

[barefootbaby1978]

I listen to this at least 10 times a day--The best rendition heard anywhere. It takes my breath away.

[shitbrickeggs]

60 people dont know amazing piano playin when they see it

[ModdingMuppets]

@oblivion953 I would have that expression too if i could play remotely as good as him!