Garry Gillard > music > Joan Baez > songs
Sung by Joan Baez on Joan Baez in Concert 1
DANGER WATERS
And I holler why, and I holler why
And I holler why, the tortoise boy no mon ami
First he give me one, then he give me two
And he give me three and I holler "Lord have mercy"
First we go in a room, make me mama no know
Make me lie on a sofa, make me have-a me labor
Give me back me shillin', give me back me shillin'
You can stand on your own feet now, give me back me shillin'
Hold me tight, hold me tight, danger waters coming baby hold me tight
hold me tight, hold me tight, danger water coming, baby, hold me
Credits on the album: J Browne, A.S. Alberts.
It's West African, in the "high life" genre. Joan does not explicitly say where she heard it, but I think it is probably one of the versions I mention below. Vague connexion with "Matilda", in the song I know only from Harry Belafonte, who "take me money and run Venezuela".
What if there were two speakers in the narrative? And it was a man asking for his shilling back?
There is available a recording in youtube of the song in question, which has "danger water" in the words, but is called "Hold Me Tight".
Even better - because it has the two personae - is this performance of "Danger Wata".
See also: Howard Hayes & the Greenwood Singers, Songs of the African Coast: Cafe Music of Liberia, recorded by Arthur S. Alberts.
The "tortoise" is apparently not significant, as "tortoise boy" can be replaced with "Yoruba boy" or whatever, according to the name of the band performing.
as above
Garry Gillard | New: 20 July, 2021 | Now: 20 July, 2021