Several of Cowper's abolitionist poems were set to music
borrowed from other poems and songs.
"The Negro's Complaint" was set to the tune of
"Hosier's Ghost," which was a popular 18th century song with very
specific historical and political content:
As you can see, "Hosier's Ghost" adopted its music
from another song, "Come and Listen to my Ditty, or the Sailor's
Complaint":
http://erato.uvt.nl/files/imglnks/usimg/3/3c/IMSLP134000-WIMA.0b2c-sailor-watts.pdf
And the "Sailor's Complaint" which was set to
music by George Frideric Handel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j1CUKkSv0M
What do these musical associations add to the poem? How do
they help advance the abolitionist agenda of Cowper's poem?
As the chorus suggests, "Sweet Meat has Sour
Sauce" was intended to be sung to the tune of "For he's a jolly good
fellow."
This tune became popular in the early 18th century by association
with the French song "Marlborough s'en va-t-en guerre"
("Marlborough Has Left for the War"), a burlesque on the false report
of the Duke of Marlborough's death at the battle of Malplaquet in 1709. Here's a recording of the tune with the French lyrics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqRpPMOaMIA
Again, when Cowper sets his poem to this tune, what is the
effect of the reader? How does it work with the message of the poem?
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