Molasses To Rum
John Cullum
[RUTLEDGE, spoken]
Our Northern brethren. Feelin' a bit tender toward our slaves. They don't keep slaves. Oh, no. But they're willin' to be considerable carriers of slaves to us. They're willing—for the shilling! Or haven't you heard, Mr. Adams? Clink. Clink

(sung)
Molasses to rum to slaves
Oh, what a beautiful waltz
You dance with us, we dance with you
In molasses and rum and slaves

Who sail the ships out of Boston?
Laden with bibles and rum
Who drinks a toast
To the Ivory Coast?
"Hail Africa, the slavers have come!"
New England with bibles and rum

And it's off with the rum and the bibles
Take on the slaves, clink clink!
Then hail and farewell to the smell
Of the African coast!
Molasses to rum to slaves
'Tisn't morals, 'tis money that saves
Shall we dance to the sound
Of the profitable pound?
In molasses and rum and slaves

Who sail the ships out of Guinea
Laden with bibles and slaves
'Tis Boston can boast
To the West Indies coast
"Jamaica, we brung what ye craves!"
Antigua, Barbados:
"We brung bibles and slaves!"

(spoken)
Gentlemen, you mustn't think that our Northern friends see our black slaves as merely figures on a ledger. Oh, no, they see them as figures on a block! Look at the faces at the auctions, gentlemen. White faces on African wharves. Seafaring faces. New England faces. "Put them in the ships. Cram them in the ships! Stuff them in the ships." Hurry, gentlemen! Let the auction begin!

(sung)
Ya-ha!
Ya-ha-ma-cundah!

(spoken)
Gentlemen, do you hear? That's the cry of the auctioneer

(sung)
Ya-ha
Ya-ha-ma-cundah!
(spoken)
Slaves, gentlemen! Black gold! Livin' gold! Gold from:

(sung)
Angola
Guinea, Guinea, Guinea
Blackbirds for sale!

Ashanti
Ibo, Ibo, Ibo, Ibo
Blackbirds for sale!

Handle them, fondle them
But don't finger them!
They're prime! They're prime!

Ya-ha!
Ya-ha-ma-cundah!

[HANCOCK[?], spoken]
For the love of God, Mr. Rutledge, please!

[RUTLEDGE]
Molasses to rum to slaves
Who sail the ships back to Boston
Laden with gold? See it gleam!
Whose fortunes are made
In the Triangle Trade?
Hail slavery: the New England dream!

Mr. Adams, I give you a toast!
Hail Boston
Hail Charleston
Who stinketh the most?
Write the lyrics for a pop song made in 1972, titled "Molasses To Rum", by artist "John Cullum".