Oh, Susanna

So having a kid is making me reexamine a lot of things I grew up with, but never thought much about. The latest, the song "Oh Susanna." Seriously, have you listened to it lately? It totally makes no sense. I must not have studied this in my Folk Music class at Emory.

"Oh! Susanna" by Stephen Foster, 1847

I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee
I'm going to Louisiana,
My true love for to see

It rained all night
The day I left
The weather it was dry
The sun so hot,
I froze to death
Susanna, don't you cry

Oh, Susanna,
Oh don't you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

I had a dream the other night
When everything was still
I thought I saw Susanna
A-coming down the hill

The buckwheat cake
Was in her mouth
The tear was
In her eye
Says I, I'm coming from the south
Susanna, don't you cry

Oh, Susanna,
Oh don't you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee