’Boy’ or ‘Boss’: Water Keeps a Hit Movie ‘Green’!

If there’s a song whose meaning I’ve always misconstrued, it’s those of the  American folk melody, Water Boy.

I first heard it sung in a satirical version by American Jewish comedian, Allan Sherman. But even later, hearing the real lyrics, I mistook them as a call to the cotton field workers’ own slave – the abused child who brought them water during their labours.

I could not have been more wrong!

According to contributors to Lyrics Mode it is a prison work song and the prisoner, doing hard labour, laments how his bad luck gambling in card games has cost him ‘silver and gold’ – along with his liberty. The singer is either calling for the water boy to bring him water or is telling the guard, whom he calls ‘boss’ how hard he's working and that he's the best worker on site. It is suggested further that the word ’boy’ is mistranscribed from the original and should be ‘boss’.

There are innumerable versions of Water Boy, with fans claiming a wide range of musical references encompassing classical composers, a Jewish marriage song and a Native American tune.

The song and the many artistes who have covered it have enjoyed renewed interest with the release of the movie, Green Book as The Don Shirley Trio recorded a most compelling instrumental version.

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Water boy, where are you hidin’

If you don't come right here

Gonna tell you pa on you

There ain't no hammer

That's on a this mountain

That ring like mine boy

That ring like mine

I'm gonna bust this rock boy

From here to the Macon

All the way to the jail boy

All the way to the jail

You Jack o diamond

Jack o diamond

Know you of old boy

I know you're of old

You rob-a my pocket

Rob my pocket

Silver and gold boy

Of silver and gold

There ain't no sweat boy

That's on a this mountain

That run like mine boy

That run like mine

© Natalie Wood (18 February 2019)