Didn’t Leave Nobody But the Baby

Grade Level
K-2
Region

Selection: Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby
Recorded: Senatobia, Mississippi
Performers: Sidney Hemphill Carter

Suggested Activity #1: Form

1. Listen to “Didn’t Leave Nobody But the Baby”.

Q: Who do you think is singing?
A: One person. (female)

2. Show picture of Sidney Hemphill Carter on the porch.

3. Listen to recording again.

Q: How many times do you hear Sidney Hemphill Carter sing, “Go to Sleepy, Little Baby”?
A: Seven.
Q: Does it sound the same every time she sings, “Go to Sleepy, Little Baby”?
A: No. Sometimes the notes are higher.
Q: Does she sing it the same number of times each occurrence?
A: No. Sometimes he sings it two times, sometimes once.
Q: What else do you hear in the recording?
A: Dog barking, door closing, people talking.

4. Listen again. Students sing, “Go to Sleepy, Little Baby” and “Didn’t Leave Nobody But the Baby”.

5. Students sing whole song. Have a student solo sing for “Your Mama gone away, My Daddy gonna stay”.

6. Optional - Listen to recording from the soundtrack of “O, Brother, Where Art Thou?” of Alison Krauss, EmmyLou Harris and Gillian Welch singing the same song.

Designed by Karen Howard