Currently listening to: Paul Robeson and Bob Dylan's version of "No more Auction Block for Me"

The Negro spiritual "No More Auction Block for Me" stands as a powerful reminder of the history of slavery in the USA. The original song was composed by runaway slaves who escaped to Canada in the 1830's and served as a marching song for Negro Union soldiers during the American Civil War. The song juxtaposes the new found freedom of runaway slaves with a lament for those who died in slavery.

Sung by the great African American artist Paul Robeson (version here) the song becomes a defiant collective voice of those who suffered and survived. Robeson, whose grandfather was a slave, bought the song to life in the 1950's when he was at the height of his career. Americans applauded Robeson when he sang these political songs. But when he turned from artist to radical political activist and denounced the American system for its racism, injustice and political demagoguery, Robeson was persecuted, vilified and ultimately had his career and public reputation destroyed by the US government because of his political beliefs.

Bob Dylan recorded the song in 1962 during the sessions for his second album The Freewheelin Bob Dylan, however the version was unreleased until 1991 when it appeared on his 3 CD series Bootleg Series I-III. Dylan's version is a remarkable performance by someone who was aged just 22 at the time. He delivers the song with dignity and solidarity. In his book Song and Dance Man III Michael Gray describes Dylan's delivery of the song this way:

"Bob Dylan's moral imagination and sympathy were such that he attains a fiery scrupulousness that never tries cheap rhetorical delivery and never lapses from its concentrated yearning calm."

"No More Auction Block" played a pivotal part in Dylan's musical history. One of his most famous songs "Blowin' in the Wind" was inspired by and draws from the negro spiritual "No More Auction Block".

The song experienced a revival during the 1960's folk movement and civil rights campaigns where it became an anthem sung during concerts, rallies and demonstrations.

No More Auction Block for Me
(traditional)

No more auction block for me
No more, no more
No more auction block for me
Many thousands gone

No more driver's lash for me
No more, no more
No more driver's lash for me
Many thousands gone

No more whip lash for me
No more, no more
No more pint of salt for me
Many thousands gone

No more auction block for me
No more, no more
No more auction block for me
Many thousands gone