What Makes a Work Song Leader

[Alan Lomax is the interviewer, denoted Q; Bama, a prisoner is the interviewee, denoted A]

Q: [Do you think it] makes work easier when you sing?
A: Yessir
Q: Do you think you do more or, or do you think you can slack off when you sing?
A: No sir, what makes it go so better-when you're singin', you don't have your--you forget, you see, and the time just pass on 'way. But if you just get your mind devoted on one something, it look like it will be hard for you to make it, see--make a day--the day be longer, look like. So to get his mind--keep his mind from being devoted on just one thing, why he'll just practically take up singin', see.
Q: What do you think it takes to make a good leader, to make a good leadеr in a work song?
A: To make a good leader? In thе work? What you mean, boss?
Q: What's the most important thing about a good leader? Does he have to have a real good voice or a strong voice or what?
A: Well, now, it woudn't just exactly make any difference about the dependability of his voice or nothin' like that, boss, but it would, it take to, the man with the most experience to my understandin' to make the best leader in anything. See, if you'd bring a brand new man here, if could--had a voice where he could sing just like Peter could preach, and he didn't know what to sing about, well, he wouldn't do no good, see. But here's a fellow, he, maybe he ain't got no voice for singin', but he's been cooperatin', with peoples so long and been on the job so long till he know just exactly how it should go, and if he can just mostly talk it, where--and you understand how to work well, it would go good with you--it don't make any difference about his voice
Q: You mean he has to know the timing?
A: Yes, that's what it takes, the time, that's all it is. You can just whistle and uh, if you know the time and can stay in time with the axes, you can whistle and do, cut just as good as you can if you were singin'. But you have to be done experienced.