Did You Feed My Cow???

This is a traditional call and response song that is most often associated with singer Ella Jenkins.
It's one of her signature songs.
The song is actually more of a rhythmic chanting than singing.
I've given you two versions.
The first is a more contempary version and the second I found in Negro Folk Rhymes: Wise and Otherwise written by Thomas Washington Talley published in 1922

Leader: Did you feed my cow?
Group: Yes ma'am! (nod head)

Leader: Will you tell me how?
Group: Yes ma'am!

Leader: What did you give her?
Group: Corn and hay.

Leader: What did you give her?
Group: Corn and hay.

Leader: Did you milk her good?
Group: Yes ma'am!

Leader: Did you do like you should?
Group: Yes ma'am!

Leader: How did you milk her?
Group: Swish, swish swish! (pretend you are milking a cow)

Leader: How did you milk her?
Group: Swish, swish swish!

Leader: Did that cow die?
Group: Yes ma'am!

Leader: With a pain in her eye?
Group: Yes ma'am!

Leader: How did she die?
Group: Uh, uh, uh! (shake head 3 times)

Leader: How did she die?
Group: Uh, uh, uh!

Leader: Did the buzzards come?
Group: Yes ma'am.

Leader: Did the buzzards come?
Group: Yes m'am.

Leader: How did they come?
Group: Flap, flap, flap! (Flap arms like wings)

Leader: How did they come?
Group: Flap, flap, flap!



DID YOU FEED MY COW?

Did you feed my cow? Yes, Mam!
Will you tell me how? Yes, Mam!

Oh, w'at did you give her? Cawn and hay.
Oh, w'at did you give her? Cawn and hay.

Did you milk her good? Yes, Mam!
Did you do like you should? Yes, Mam!

Oh, how did you milk her? Swish! Swish! Swish!
Oh, how did you milk her? Swish! Swish! Swish!

Did dat cow get sick? Yes, Mam!
Wuz she kivered with tick? Yes, Mam!

Oh, how was she sick? All bloated up!
Oh, how was she sick? All bloated up!

Did dat cow die? Yes, Mam!
Wid a pain in her eye? Yes, Mam!

Oh, how did she die? Uh-! Uh-! Uh-!
Oh, how did she die? Uh-! Uh-! Uh-!

Did de buzzards come? Yes, Mam!
Fer to pick her bone? Yes, Mam!

Oh, how did they come? Flop! Flop! Flop!
Oh, how did they come? Flop! Flop! Flop!

Negro Folk Rhymes: Wise and Otherwise written by Thomas Washington Talley published in 1922