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"Mary Blane", also known as "Mary Blain" and other variants, is an American song that was popularized in the blackface minstrel show. Several different versions are known, but all feature a male protagonist singing of his lover Mary Blane, her abduction, and eventual death. "Mary Blane" was by far the most popular female captivity song in antebellum minstrelsy. ==Lyrics== "Mary Blane" has at least five different sets of lyrics, the most of any song of its type.〔Mahar 284.〕 All tell the same typical Victorian-era captivity narrative: A woman is kidnapped or captured and may do no more than await rescue by a male protagonist or suffer at the hands of her captors.〔Mahar 283.〕 In most variants, the male singer and the female victim are married or longtime lovers. The lyrics usually begin by describing the history and current condition of their relationship prior to the abduction:〔Mahar 293.〕 :I once did know a pretty Gal, :And took her for my wife :She came from Louisiana, :And I lik'd her as my life. :We happy lib'd togethder :She nebber caus'd me pain, :But on one dark and dreary night :I lost my Mary Blane.〔Words by F. C. German, arranged by J. H. Howard (1847). "Mary Blane". New York City: Firth and Hall. Quoted in Mahar 291.〕 The identity of Mary Blane's abductors varies.〔 In one edition, "A nigger come to my old hut";〔 in another "De white man come into my house, / And took poor Mary Blane".〔Words W. Guernsey, music George Barker (1848()). "The New Mary Blane". Boston, Massachusetts: Ditson. Quoted in Mahar 291.〕 Yet another variant makes the captors American Indians.〔1848. "Mary Blane". New York City: William VanDerbeek. Quoted in Mahar 292.〕 Another makes them Northern abolitionists, thus poking fun at the slave rescues carried out by some abolitionists.〔 The male protagonist then pines for his lost love and wallows in self-pity in later verses and during the chorus: :Oh, Farewell, Farewell poor Mary Blane :One Faithful heart will think of you :Farewell, Farewell poor Mary Blane :If we ne'er meet again.〔 The song usually ends tragically, with the lover confused and unable to take action or learning of Mary's death.〔 In the odd version where the lovers are reunited, Mary Blane dies shortly thereafter:〔Mahar 296.〕 :I took her home unto my hut, :My heart was in great pain, :But afore de sun did shone next day :Gone dead was Mary Blane.〔 Some variants go into lurid detail about the treatment Mary receives. In one, she is tied to a tree, tarred and feathered, and ultimately killed.〔Mahar 294.〕 The song thus highlights two of minstrelsy's most common gender-defined roles: the objectified and silent woman, and the pining male.〔 Minstrel troupes cobbled together texts from different sources and appended or removed verses. As a result, some editions contain entire verses that break the flow of the narrative. Others feature nonsense verses and stock phrases from other songs that have nothing to do with the song.〔 Some variants may have been intended for certain types of audiences or local to certain regions.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mary Blane」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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