1970

Early in the Mornin’

The Black Experience Song Collection

"Early in the Mornin'" is the first song of David N. Baker's song cycle The Black Experience. The cycle sets the poetry of Mari Evans. Even though the song cycle is out-of-print, "Early in the Mornin'" is published in Anthology of Art Songs by Black American Composers.

Listen

“Early in the Mornin'” (from “The Black Experience”)

Albert Lee, tenor; Kathryn Goodson, piano5:35

David N. Baker

Composer

Mari Evans

Poet(s)/Writer(s)

2022

Date

Irvine, California

Location

This recording was part of a 1pm concert ("Fires of Justice") on Friday, October 14, 2022 during the 25th Anniversary African American Art Song Alliance Conference. The concert venue was Winifred Smith Hall at the University of California, Irvine.

Text

early in the mornin’
by Mari Evans

early in the mornin’
J. W. Brown
whippin’ his woman
knockin’ her
“answer my question if a you please”
how she gonna answer
down on her knees
groanin’ “Buddy, Buddy.
wake up and go,
get L. C. and Marg’ret
he’s a hurtin’ me so.”
Buddy went a-flyin’
down the stairs
brown pants over
his underwear
but L. C. and Marg’ret
wouldn’t stir
said “Buddy we sympathize
with her…
but from what you say
as far as we can see
if she’d answer his question
he’d let her be.”
she never did answer
as far as we could hear
but the sight of that child
in his underwear
his head bent down
his shoes untied
and all comin’ back alone
down the empty mall
was sad.
More than I could bear.
Makes you wonder if anybody cares
anywhere

Related Information

University of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre, & Dance

smtd.umich.edu/black-american-composer-anthology

Sheet Music

Anthology of Art Songs by Black American Composers, Compiled by Willis C. Patterson

H. Leslie Adams, David Baker, Margaret Bonds, Charles Brown, Cecil Cohen, Noel de Costa, Mark Fax, Adolphus C. Hailstork, Eugene Hancock, Thomas Kerr, Jr., Charles Lloyd, Jr., Wendell Logan, Maurice McCall, Dorothy Rudd Moore, Undine Smith Moore, Robert Owens, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Florence Price, Hale Smith, William Grant Still, Howard Swanson, George Walker, Olly Wilson, John Work, Jr.

For You There is No Song (H. Leslie Adams)
Early in the Mornin' (David Baker)
A Good Assassination Should Be Quiet (David Baker)
Status Symbol (David Baker)
Three Dream Portraits: Minstrel Man; Dream Variations; I, Too (Margaret Bonds)
The Barrier (Charles Brown)
Song Without Words (Charles Brown)
Death of an Old Seaman (Cecil Cohen)
Two Songs for Julie Ju (Noel da Costa)
Cassandra's Lullaby (Mark Fax)
Love (Mark Fax)
A Charm at Parting (Adolphus C. Hailstork)
I Loved You (Adolphus C. Hailstork)
Absalom (Eugene Hancock)
Nunc Dimittis (Eugene Hancock)
Riding to Town (Thomas Kerr, Jr.)
Compensation (Charles Lloyd, Jr.)
If There Be Sorrow (Wendell Logan)
Marrow of My Bone (Wendell Logan)
Chanson Triste (Maurice McCall)
Sweet Sorrow (Maurice McCall)
Weary Blues (Dorothy Rudd Moore)
Love Let the Wind Cry...How I Adore Thee (Undine Moore)
Faithful One (Robert Owens)
Genius Child (Robert Owens)
A Child's Grace (Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson)
Melancholy (Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson)
Night (Florence Price)
Song to the Dark Virgin (Florence Price)
Velvet Shoes (Hale Smith)
Grief (William Grant Still)
A Death Song (Howard Swanson)
I Will Lie Down in Autumn (Howard Swanson)
The Negro Speaks of Rivers (Howard Swanson)
Lament (George Walker)
A Red, Red Rose (George Walker)
Wry Fragments (Olly Wilson)
Dancing in the Sun (John Work, Jr.)
Soliloquy (John Work, Jr.)

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