-- FREEDOM TRAIN

 

Harriet Tubman's escape attempt in 1849 was successful. She arrived in Philadelphia, where she met and worked with William Still, an African American abolitionist who was associated with the Philadelphia branch of the Anti-Slavery Society..  William Still was the free son of a woman named Charity who had   escaped from Slavery before 1820.  His father, Levin, had bought his freedom.  The Anti-Slavery Society office   was the destination of numerous escaped  people. William Still helped them adjust to their new life. He also kept accurate records of those who sought his help...possibly as many as 600-- published under the title The Underground Railroad.

 

 The Underground Railroad was neither a railroad nor  was it underground. The term is thought to have been coined when an enslaved man ran into a wood and disappeared. The hunters felt that he disappeared on to some sort of  underground road that ran under the Ohio river. There are other theories regarding the origin of the term.

Harriet's goal was to bring others north.  Since only a small percentage of escape attempts were successful, Harriet's mission was extremely dangerous.  She was skilled and determined, and made many trips back down south. It is thought that she made about 19 trips on the Underground Railroad. Assisted by abolitionists like  Delaware Quaker Thomas Garrett, she brought many people north.

She brought members of her family to freedom and many others on subsequent trips.

  Harriet vowed that her freedom train would never go off the track.   In fact, her train always stayed on course and she never lost a passenger. In her time, there was a bounty on her for $40,000-- a huge sum in those days.

In this song, Harriet sings of her determination to go back south for the first attempted return.

Song




Instrumental

Lyrics

When Evil exists, there's somethin' I know..

Keep a fightin' spirit-- it's

What you gotta show... 

I know the risks are heavy, but I'm goin' back.

I won't let my freedom train, run off the track.

When somethin's so important, 

You find a way.

Help folks to escape the chains

Work at it every day

I know the risks are heavy, but I'm headin' back.

I won't let my freedom train run off the track.

I made it on my own, to

Phily P-A

I'll lead more people out,

And help them steal away.

They'll live for theirselves, not for others,cause..

Lifes' worth livin' for my sisters and my brothers so...

I'm leavin' today, I'll see it through.

Protect each passenger, it's what I gonna do... I know the

Risks are heavy , but I'm goin' back.
My freedom train north..

Won't run off the track.

With the Lord to guide me, I'm goin' back.

My freedom train won't never..

Run off the track. 

CLICK ON THE MUSIC BELOW TO SEE THE FULL SCORE

IMPROVISATION #1, by Bernie Katzman (classical)




IMPROVISATION #2- BY BERNIE KATZMAN ( JAZZ/BLUES)