Massa's in De Cold Ground

Massa's in De Cold Ground (1852) is a song by Stephen Foster.

The song was included in the book 55 Songs and Choruses for Community Singing, published in 1917. According to the book, it is one of the most graceful of Stephen C. Foster's melodies. It also has a simple harmonic structure, characteristic of Foster's compositions. The lyrics voice the love of Slaves for their Slaveowner. Abolitionist Joshua McCarter Simpson rewrote the lyrics and retitled the song "To the White People of America".

The song has been used by many musicians and groups including as Massa's in the Cold, Cold Ground. A rendition sung by Marguerite Dunlap was recorded on Victor Records.^[1]

Al Jolson recorded the song. Bewley's Chuck Wagon Gang recorded the song in 1936. Golden Gate Quartet recorded a rendition of it in 1937. A piano roll was made for it by Charles Grobe with Colorized Music. Frederick J. Bacon was recorded playing the song on a banjo (instrumental). The Haydn Quartet sung the song on a Gramophone recording #4253Y.

Farewell My Lilly Dear and My Brother Gum by Stephen Foster are also from the perspective of field hands.

English Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Massa's in de Cold Ground

• The Music of Stephen Collins Foster Archived 2013-09-20 at the Wayback Machine