Follow the Drinking Gourd

When the sun goes back, and the first quail calls
Follow the drinkin' gourd
For the old man is a-waitin'
For to carry you to freedom
You follow the drinkin' gourd

Oh, the river bank will make a mighty good road
The dead trees will show you the way
You see your left foot, your peg foot
You're travelin' on
You just follow the drinkin' gourd

Follow the drinkin' gourd
Follow the drinkin' gourd
For the old man is a-waitin'
For to carry you to freedom
You follow the drinkin' gourd

Follow, follow, follow, follow
Follow the drinkin' gourd
Follow the drinkin' gourd

Lord, I'm a-goin' to freedom
Well hallelujah I'm a-goin' to freedom
Follow the drinkin' gourd

-"Peg Leg Joe", arranged by Bob Jones

This is another song sung by my barbershop chorus. I enjoy it particularly because it conveys a haunting, yet hopeful feeling. Follow the Drinking Gourd is a song about the underground railroad, with "Peg Leg Joe" telling the slaves in the south how to get to the free lands in the north. Most of the song is of Peg Leg Joe giving directions to the slaves, with the last stanza being of the slaves expressing their joy at going to freedom.
The directions given by Peg Leg Joe are mostly a form of code, so that if the meeting of the slaves was detected, it could be shrugged off more easily, and the underground railroad would remain safe. "Following the drinking gourd" refers to following the big dipper, or traveling north, leading to the land of freedom. The "old man a' waitin' to carry you to freedom" means that if the slaves follow the path laid out for them, they will meet Peg Leg Joe, who will guide them. Along the way, there would be several indicators to show that they were going in the right direction. In the dead trees beside a river, there would be the marks of Peg Leg Joe's feet, which had a peg leg in place of a right foot, leading to the phrase "you see your left foot, your peg foot / you're travelin' on".
Follow the Drinking Gourd is full of subtle nuances that are difficult to pick up unless you already understand the context the song is in. However, even if one does not understand the lyrics, it's still a fascinating song to hear.