Rhiannon Giddens - At The Purchaser's Option

Rhiannon Giddens’s "At The Purchaser’s Option," from her album Freedom Highway, out now on Nonesuch Records: http://smarturl.it/freedomhighway

"Last year I came across an advertisement from the 1830s for a young woman; thinking about her, and how she had to maintain her humanity against horrific odds inspired this song named for the end of the ad: ‘She has with her a 9-month old baby, who is at the purchaser’s option." – Rhiannon

At the Purchaser’s Option (Rhiannon Giddens/Joey Ryan)

I have a babe but shall I keep him
‘Twill come the day when I’ll be weepin’
But how can I love him any less
This little babe upon my breast

You can take my body
You can take my bones
You can take my blood
But not my soul

I’ve got a body dark and strong
I was young but not for long
You took me to bed a little girl
Left me in a woman’s world

Day by day I work the line
Every minute overtime
Fingers nimble, fingers quick
My fingers bleed to make you rich