Advice

 

Advice - (2010)    

Paul Laurence Dunbar

for baritone and piano

 


W'en you full o' worry
'Bout yo' wo'k an' sich,
W'en you kind o' bothahed
Case you cain't get rich,
An' yo' neighboh p'ospah
Past his jest desu'ts,
An' de sneer of comerds
Stuhs yo' haht an' hu'ts,
Des don' pet yo' worries,
Lay 'em on de she'f,
Tek a little trouble
Brothah, wid yo'se'f.

Ef a frien' comes mou'nin'
'Bout his awful case,
You know you don' grieve him
Wid a gloomy face,
But you wrassle wid him,
Try to tek him in;
Dough hit cracks yo' features,
Law, you smile lak sin.
Ain't you good ez, he is?
Don' you pine to def;
Tek a little trouble
Brothah, wid yo'se'f.

Ef de chillun pestahs,
An' de baby's bad,
Ef yo' wife gits narvous,
An' you're gettin' mad,
Des you grab yo' boot-strops,
Hol' yo' body down,
Stop a-tinkin' cuss-w'rds,
Chase away de frown,
Knock de haid o' worry,
Twell dey ain' none lef';
Tek a little trouble,
Brothah, wid yo'se'f.

[ 3 pages, circa 2' 40" ]

Paul Laurence Dunbar

 

The text in dialect comes from Dunbar's collection, Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow, 1901.

 

For other song settings of this American's work in both dialect and standard English, please see the index for Dunbar.

 

 

The setting is a simple verse form, two in E major and the third modulating up a half-step to F.

 

 

 

The score for Advice is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this piano-vocal score.

 

Advice