Frank, Ramsey
Stackolee
Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me!
"Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me" is considered one of the great, classic collections of African-American literature and folklore. Originally published by in 1974, it quickly gained the reputation as a classic collection of black folk poetry. This book will delight students of African-American culture and folklore, and anyone who enjoys the double entendres and hidden meanings found in the oral tradition, from its African roots to contemporary rap.
Henry, Ramsey version
Joe, Ellis version
Bobby, Jefferson City version
Gene, Wynne version
Chicago Informant's version
Bob, Connelly Migrant Camp version
Stackolee in Hell
Frank, Ramsey, 17 November 1965
Stackolee
Back forty-nine when the times was hard I carried a sawed-off shotgun and a marked deck of cards. I stumbled through rain and I crawled through mud on this bad town called, "Bucket of Blood." I asked the bartender for something to eat, he give me a muddy glass of water and a fucked-up piece of meat. I said, "Mister," I say, "you must not know who I am." He say, "Frankly, son, I don't give a damn." Before I realized what I had did, I had shot him six times through his motherfucken head. His wife's run out and said, "That's my husband, he can't be dead!" I said, "Well count them six slugs in his chickenshit head." The sister ran out and said, "Call the law!" And I bust two caps right dead in her jaw. Well when I went to court it was rainin' a downpour the court was in a uproar and this is what happened to me: one woman say, "Hang him," one say, "Kick his ass till his face turn pale," one say, "Give his jivin' ass the electric chair." Well, the judge looked at me an say, "Son, I feel sorry for you and I'll tell you what I'm gonna do." He say, "You won't hang and you won't burn," he say, "but your jivin' ass will serve two life terms." I laughed, I said, "Judge," I say, "that ain't so cold." He said, "No, but your black ass will never get on parole." He said, "Now laugh at this: case dismissed."