This is an old song, composer unknown, which probably originated in slavery times and became developed / became popular in and around Texas prisons and work parties in the early 1900s. The Brazos is a river running through Texas and into the Gulf of Mexico. There are counties called Brazoria and Brazos in Texas as well.
There are a number of interesting articles and resources on the song readily available- this one is an enjoyable (and fairly lengthy) historical consideration of the song and its background:
http://bostonreview.net/arts-culture/dave-byrne-ground-down-to-molasses-american-folk
The article explains, among other things, that the soil and climate along the Brazos was particularly suitable for sugarcane and following the Molasses Act of 1733 putting import taxes on molasses from the West Indies, the growing of cane using cheap slave labour became attractive. The lyrics feature notably stark references to the hardships of working along the river, cutting cane.
It is noted in several places (the referencedarticle included) that the song probably cross- fertilised with, or shares a common ancestor with Go Down Old Hannah. Many versions of that song contain versions of the seminal ?No Cane? lines :
?You should-a been on this old Brazos
Back in nineteen and fo'
You could find a dead man
Layin' across your row
You should-a been on this old river,
Nineteen and ten,...
You could find them workin' the women
And killin' the men?
The earliest recording appears to come from a Lomax field trip to visit to a Texas prison called ?Central Unit? on the Brazos river. It is by Ernest Williams and James (Iron Head) Baker.
The Library of Congress also has a version from 1939- free to listen to or download (and seemingly with no copyright to worry about) by a Rev. Platt. I am unable to embed the player here but the link should take you straight to it.
https://www.loc.gov/item/lomaxbib000686/
I hesitate to offer this version by Lonnie Donegan (from 1958)- given that, well, its by Lonnie Donegan.... I really love the harmonica sound though and he does it pretty well and sensitively I think.
The two versions via which I was introduced to the song are both modern recordings. Firstly Eric Bibb. There are better recorded versions by Eric available on Youtube but I picked this one in part as it features friend of many Weenies, Grant Dermody.
I am unable to find a video of Chris Smither's version, which must have been the first I heard and which he has since re-recorded on his 2014 double CD, 'Still on the Levee'. I tried to embed the bandcamp player containing the song but the Weenie electronic policeman doesn't like it- so here's a plain old link to the page where the recording is streamable without charge.
https://chrissmither.bandcamp.com/track/no-more-cane-on-the-brazos
Finally, I am given to understand that Odetta did much to bring the song to public attention (though it was before my time!)
There are a number of interesting articles and resources on the song readily available- this one is an enjoyable (and fairly lengthy) historical consideration of the song and its background:
http://bostonreview.net/arts-culture/dave-byrne-ground-down-to-molasses-american-folk
The article explains, among other things, that the soil and climate along the Brazos was particularly suitable for sugarcane and following the Molasses Act of 1733 putting import taxes on molasses from the West Indies, the growing of cane using cheap slave labour became attractive. The lyrics feature notably stark references to the hardships of working along the river, cutting cane.
It is noted in several places (the referencedarticle included) that the song probably cross- fertilised with, or shares a common ancestor with Go Down Old Hannah. Many versions of that song contain versions of the seminal ?No Cane? lines :
?You should-a been on this old Brazos
Back in nineteen and fo'
You could find a dead man
Layin' across your row
You should-a been on this old river,
Nineteen and ten,...
You could find them workin' the women
And killin' the men?
The earliest recording appears to come from a Lomax field trip to visit to a Texas prison called ?Central Unit? on the Brazos river. It is by Ernest Williams and James (Iron Head) Baker.
The Library of Congress also has a version from 1939- free to listen to or download (and seemingly with no copyright to worry about) by a Rev. Platt. I am unable to embed the player here but the link should take you straight to it.
https://www.loc.gov/item/lomaxbib000686/
I hesitate to offer this version by Lonnie Donegan (from 1958)- given that, well, its by Lonnie Donegan.... I really love the harmonica sound though and he does it pretty well and sensitively I think.
The two versions via which I was introduced to the song are both modern recordings. Firstly Eric Bibb. There are better recorded versions by Eric available on Youtube but I picked this one in part as it features friend of many Weenies, Grant Dermody.
I am unable to find a video of Chris Smither's version, which must have been the first I heard and which he has since re-recorded on his 2014 double CD, 'Still on the Levee'. I tried to embed the bandcamp player containing the song but the Weenie electronic policeman doesn't like it- so here's a plain old link to the page where the recording is streamable without charge.
https://chrissmither.bandcamp.com/track/no-more-cane-on-the-brazos
Finally, I am given to understand that Odetta did much to bring the song to public attention (though it was before my time!)