Enslaved African Americans created a varied body of music that included work songs, leisure songs, and spirituals. The sound was rooted in African traditions and informed by the European American music to which they were now being exposed. Likewise, African rhythms, harmonies, and vocal styles had a great influence on the music of European Americans. The words to the spiritual “Many Thousand Gone,” aka “No More Auction Block,” conveyed various messages depending on whether the singer was a slave, runaway slave, African American Union soldier, or emancipated former slave.
Lyrics
No more auction block for me
No more, no more
No more auction block for me
Many thousand gone
No more peck of corn for me
No more, no more
No more peck of corn for me
Many thousand gone
No more driver’s lash for me
No more, no more
No more drivers’ lash for me
Many thousand gone
No more pint of salt for me
No more, no more
No more pint of salt for me
Many thousand gone
No more hundred lash for me
No more, no more
No more hundred lash for me
Many thousand gone
No more mistress call for me
No more, no more
No more mistress call for me
Many thousand gone
No more children stole from me
No more, no more
No more children stole from me
Many thousand gone
No more slavery chains for me
No more, no more
No more slavery chains for me
Many thousand gone