Historically, the "Black Betty" of the title may refer to the nickname given to a number of objects: a bottle of whiskey, a whip, or a penitentiary transfer wagon.ĭavid Hackett Fischer, in his book Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America ( Oxford University Press, 1989), states that "Black Betty" was a common term for a bottle of whisky in the borderlands between northern England and southern Scotland it later became a euphemism in the backcountry areas of the eastern United States. The origin and meaning of the lyrics are subject to debate. Subsequent recordings, including hits by Tom Jones and Spiderbait, retain the structure of this version. The song was eventually, with modified lyrics, remade as a rock song by the American band Ram Jam in 1977. There are numerous recorded versions, including a cappella and folk. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material. " Black Betty" ( Roud 11668) is a 20th-century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him.
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