I come from Alabama

With a banjo on my knee

I’m going to Louisiana,

My true love for to see.

It rained all night the day I left

The weather it was dry

The sun so hot, I froze to death

Susannah, don’t you cry.

Oh, Susannah,

Oh don’t you cry for me

For I come from Alabama

With a banjo on my knee.

I had a dream the other night

When everything was still

I dreamed I saw Susannah dear

A-coming down the hill.

The buckwheat cake was in her mouth

The tear was in her eye

Says I, “I’m coming from the south,

Susannah, don’t you cry.”

Oh, Susannah,

Oh don’t you cry for me

For I come from Alabama

With a banjo on my knee.

I come from A-la-ba-ma

With a ban-jo on my knee,

I’m going to Lou-i-siana,

My true love for to see.

Oh, Su-san-nah, oh,

Don’t you cry for me,

For I come from A-la-ba-ma

With a ban-jo on my knee.

Stephen Forsters gamle minstrel song “Oh! Susannah” (fra 1848) var en af de sange, der blev sunget i min folkeskoles engelsktimer. Og selv om jeg nøjedes med at brumme i baggrunden, så er det en af de sange, der er blevet uløseligt forbundet i min erindring med den rigt facetterede amerikanske kultur. Vi sang den helt efter bogen – sangbogen Arvesølv.

Nu har Neil Young & Crazy Horse taget sangen op på deres kommende plade, Americana, hvor bandet i det hele taget forholder sig til tradition og krisefyldt samtid. Og jeg må sige, at Youngs og Crazy Horses version er et flot eksempel på, hvordan man fastholder traditionen ved at fortolke en sang på personligt og i et tonesprog, der hører samtiden til.