I want to go where Moses trod,For Moses gone to de house o’ God.
Peter is commanded again and again to “go ring dem bells”; “Daddy Peter go to Jesus”, “Fisherman Peter out at sea”, the latter perhaps being the origin of “sinkin’ Peter.” Elijah is one of the favorites of the Old Testament. “Elijah gwine ride in de chariot in de mornin’”, and Isaiah who “mounted on de wheel o’ time” is a kindred character to Ezekiel and Elijah. Jacob’s ladder and struggle is vivid enough to be sung. “I’m gwine climb up Jacob’s ladder”; “Rastlin’ Jacob, let me go.” “Jacob tremblin’ on a limb.” Noah’s victory is the common theme. “Dey call Brudder Noah a foolish man”, but that makes no difference for “de Lord tole Noah fer to build him ark”, and “de ole ark a moverin.” The negro remarks characteristically: “God placed Adam in de garden, ’was ’bout de cool o’ day.” Gabriel is proverbial and the attitude of the singer is always ready “fer to hear Gabriel blow his horn.” “Don’t you hear Gabriel’s trumpet in de mornin’”? “Little David play on de harp” has been a shining example for many another “David” who loved to blow on his harp. “Father Abraham sittin’ down side o’ de holy Lamb”, is almost synonymous with Christ. Prominent among the clear impressions made by the Scriptures is that of the delivery of Daniel, the Hebrew children and Jonah. However, one must read the songs in order to get the full significance of the references.
Although the negro bases everything in his religion upon the Bible, and his songs and sermons and exhortations abound in quotations from the “Holy word”, he has comparatively little to say of the Bible itself as a book. He thinks sometimes that it is a “cumpass” and also bases his convictions on the truth of the Bible. He asks “How do you know? For my Bible hit tell me so.”
For in dat Bible you will see.Jesus died fer you an’ me.Matthew, Mark, Luke an’ JohnTell me where my Master’s gone.Go read de fifth of MatthewAn’ read de chapter through,It is de guide to ChristiansAn’ tell ’em what to do.Now take yo’ Bible an’ read it through,An’ ev’y word you fin’ is true.
As the Bible is thecompass, so sometimes the Holy Ghost is thoughtof as thepilot. The Holy Ghost is too vague for the negroes to fathom and is not tangible enough for their imaginations. But he says: “If this ain’t de holy Ghost I don’t know”, but goes little further.
Just as the negro expects to talk and walk with God and Jesus, so he looks forward to seeing the angels in Heaven. He wants to see them with their white robes and hear them sing; he even says they mourn. “Bright angels hoverin’ on de water by de light”, are but a part of the angel band which he hopes to join. “Join de hebben wid de angels” is his watchword and by it he sees in his child-like fancy all the beauties of ideal creatures.
I’m gwine to keep a climbin’ high,Till I meet dem angels in de sky.Dem pooty angels I shall see—Why doan de debbil let a me be?O when I git to heaven goin’ sit an’ tell,Three archangels gwine er ring dem bells.Two white angels come a walkin’ down,Long white robes an’ starry crown.What’s dat yonder dat I see?Big tall angel comin’ after me.
The negro makes a terrible picture of the day of judgment. For him it means everything that could possibly happen at the end of the world. It is the destruction of the sinner and the glory of the righteous. Nor does he hesitate to affirm that the Christian in heaven will shout amen to the sinner’s damnation. The sinner will see his mother and friends in heaven while he is doomed to hell. It serves as a warning theme for the song more than it indicates reality of thought. But here is a part of his picture:
My Lord what a morning when de stars begin to fall,You’ll see de worl’ on fire,You’ll see de moon a bleedin’ an’De moon will turn to blood,Den you’ll see de elements a meltin’,You’ll see de stars a fallin’,O yes, de stars in de elements a fallin’,An’ de moon drips way in blood,When God goin’ call dem childuns from de distant lan’,Den you see de coffins bustin’,Den you see de bones a creepin’,Den you see po’ sinner risin’,Den you hear de tombstones crackin’,An’ you see de graves a bustin’,Hell an’ seas gwine give up their daid,Den you see de forked lightenin’,Den you hear de rollin’ thunder,Earth shall reel an’ totter,Hell shall be uncapped,De dragon be loosed,Don’t you hear them sinners cryin’?
Such a scene vividly told of at a revival and sung to the associations of the moment is too much for the average negro; the sinner cries for mercy and turns to a Christian; the latter sings: “Fare you well po’ sinner” and
A mighty sea of glass mingled wid fier,Good-bye, brother, I’m goin’ higher.
Along with the scenes which are associated with the resurrection and judgment go the sadder strains of the “mourners”; “weepin’ mournin’, cry’n’”—these will be much in evidence. A study of the songs that follow will give some idea of the emotional nature of the themes and music. The negroes sing sympathy. “Weepin’ Mary, weep no mo’”—“Mary wept, Martha cried”, why can’t they too? “Now ain’t dis hard trial and tribulation?” He sings often in his songs of hard times and trials. “When you see me,” he says, “pity me.” “Nobody knows de trubble I seen” but “I boun’ to leave dis worl’; Fare you well, dere’s a better day comin’.” His prayers are more pathetic than his songs; his appeals interpret the spirit of song and of worship. But one would scarcely look for a more pathetic wail than that of the negro who sings
Sometimes I hangs my head an’ cries,But Jesus goin’ to wipe my weep’n’ eyes.
If the negro loves to mourn and if his songs are full of sadness and pathos, he also loves to shout and vigorously defends the right to shout as much as he pleases. His songs have many “Hallelujahs” in them; many notes of victory may be read in the songs of his choice. They often sing, however, the songs which should be the most joyous in the same sad and plaintive tone of the sadder ones. They forget the words. In many, however, the shouting takes away any sadness and these livelier songs voice the light and sensuous emotions equallyas well as the more serious ones tell of hardships. The negro maintains that always and everywhere, “You’ll hear the Christian shout.” “De richest man I ever seed, his heart was fill wid Jesus an’ Holy Ghost.” “I got de glory in my soul” he says and
I real’y do b’lieve widout a doubt,Dat de church hab a mighty right to shout.I tell you what I lak de bes’,It is dem shoutin’ Mefodes’.
If the negro’s mother and sister and father and preacher and the others, as the songs put it, “died a shoutin’,” why he is “goin’ die shoutin’ too.”
Gwine hab happy meetin’,Gwine shout in hebben,Gwine shout an’ nebber tire,O slap yo’ han’s chilluns,O pat yo’ feets chilluns,I feels de spirit movin’O now I’m gittin’ happy.
Of true love and devotion to God one finds little definite and concrete expressions as compared with other themes. The negro is constantly affirming his love for “his Jesus” and offering his eternal allegiance in a general way. But in the average instance the testimony is subordinated to some special word or phrase which receives the greater part of the significance in the song. What does he mean when he asks: “Does yo’ love continue true?” or when he insists: “I wants to know, does you love yo’ Jesus?” The negroes are often heard to say that they want to do something “for the Lord”. In the same way they sing “I goin’ to weep all I can for my Lord, I goin’ pray all I can for my Lord, I goin’ do all I can for my Lord.” In each case the relation of the negro and his God are ideal and he conceives of his own deeds as being, not the practical every-day life, but as coming in the future when there will be nothing unpleasant about them. It was doubted if the negro’s ideas of God and Heaven and his relation to them were truly expressed in his songs. A series of experiments were made with negro children, wherein questions were answered by them at the time they were given, others being carried to their homes or teachers. Their ideas of hell and heaven, God and the angels are almost identical. Perhaps some of them were gained fromthe songs; some of them were certainly not; all seemed to agree with each other and with those of the race in a remarkable way.
Nature contributes something to the negro spirituals. Certain parts of nature are symbolic and serve to convey the picture of a vivid imagination as nothing else can do. The wonders of God and the terrors of the judgment must be seen in their relation and effect upon the forces of nature. Certain natural phenomena inspire awe and reverence; they add thus to the conception of his religious fear. Other references to nature convey, as they only could, pleasing features of life, hence of heaven and God. The negro refers to the “break o’ day”, the “settin’ o’ the sun”, the “cool o’ de evenin’” and each is very expressive. Morning and evening are common; he prays in the evening perhaps; in the morning he is going to heaven. The hillside, the mountain and mountain top, the valley, signify and typify the experiences of the Christian of the past and present; the heavenly breeze comes from the valley. The negro sees a paradise and a wilderness, a sunshine and a storm. But
Dere’s a tree in paradise,Christians call de tree ob life,
and he faithfully believes “I specs to eat de fruit off’n dat tree”. The earth trembles and is jarred; the sky is “shook.” The river is “chilly an’ cold, wide an’ deep.” The “rock” is better than the miry clay and “nebber mind de sun—see how she run.” The stars, moon, and world fall, bleed, and burn. The thunder and the lightning are in the stormy cloud; Jesus may be, too. Satan is a snake in the grass and a hunting dog. Young lambs and “de sheep done know de road.” The summer, spring, flowers and the field are mentioned. The negro wishes he had wings like Noah’s dove. He is sometimes awed:
I looked toward dat northern pole,I seed black clouds of fire roll.
With his vivid imagination the negro feels much of the thought expressed in the folk-song. Thus sin and the sinner are intimately connected with life and death, religion and repentance. How skillfully the songs express the folk-feeling may better be inferred in the further analysis of the following
Types of Negro Spirituals.
An exact classification of negro songs, either as to subject-matter or as to form, is scarcely possible. There is little unity of thought in their content; their metres conform to no consistent standards. A single favorite stanza, regardless of its meaning, is constantly being sung in a dozen different songs. It is a distinct folk-song; and it matters little to which one it belongs; it serves its purpose in any one of them. So in the form of the verse, a single tune is adapted to lines that differ widely in length; likewise a single line is not infrequently made to fit into any tune that is desired. Again, no final version of any song can be given. The lines are rarely sung in exactly the same form. There are ordinarily as many versions of a line as there are combinations of the words without spoiling the effect of the rhyme or emphatic word. The stanzas have no order of sequence, but are sung as they occur in the mind of the singer; a song does not have a standard number of stanzas, but the length depends upon the time in which it is wanted to sing that particular song. In the songs that follow the most common versions are given. In giving the dialect no attempt is made at consistency; for the negro of the present generation has no consistency of speech. He uses “the” and “de”, “them” and “dem”, “gwine” and “goin’”, “and” and “an’”, together with many other varied forms, which will be noted in a later chapter; nor does it matter that each of the forms is used in the same line or stanza. In the old songs that are here quoted for comparisons, the exact form of speech in which they have been published is used. In the miscellaneous songs gathered here and there, what may be called the average dialect is used. The songs that form the basis of this work are those that are found among the present-day negroes of the South; in many cases the corresponding song of earlier days is given in order that a better study of the folk-songs may be made and the many points of resemblance noted. In all instances thebasisof the chapter is thepresent-day song, and these should not be confused with those that have already been published. The words of the chorus and refrain are italicized. Further particulars will be pointed out in connection with the several songs.
Perhaps no better beginning can be made towards general classification of the religious songs of the negroes than by introducing somethat combine several characteristics, but still have a general theme predominating. Sin is an important factor in the religious life of the negro and his songs refer to it in many forms. The three general tones which pervade the theme are: A note of victory over sin and the conception of it as being in the past or belonging to some other person; the conception of sin as being present and the singer as being in its grasp; and thirdly, the “sinner-man” himself and warnings given him. The very popular song, “All my Sins Done Taken Away” is typical of the first class mentioned above. There is no reason why the stanzas given below should come in the order presented, except that they are heard in this arrangement as much as in any other. The stanzas consist of two rhymed lines with the refrain. These, however, are usually extended to four, the first two and refrain being sung slowly and in a more or less plaintive tone, while the repetition of the same lines with the rhymed line and refrain are rapid and joyous. The common version follows.
I’m goin’ to heaven an’ I don’t want ter stop,Yes, I’m goin’ to heaven an’ I don’t want ter stop,All o’ my sins done taken away, taken away;I’m goin’ to heaven an’ I don’t want ter stop,An’ I don’t want ter be no stumblin’ block,All my sins done taken away, taken away.
Instead of repeating the chorus line at the end of the first two lines that are sung, the negroes often vary the song by repeating the last half of the line, as in the following stanza:
Well “M” for Mary, an’ “P” for Paul,Well “M” for Mary, an’ “P” for Paul,An’ “P” for Paul;Well “M” for Mary an’ “P” for Paul.“C” for Chris’ who died for us all,All o’ my sins done taken away, taken away.
The chorus is again varied from “all my sins” to “all o’ my sins” or “all of my sins,” “done taken away,” or “bin taken away,” while the entire line is sometimes changed in a single stanza. Sometimes it is sung as given above; at other times the line goes: “All my sins done taken away, bin’ taken away,” or omitting either “done” or “bin” it is sung equally well as “All my sins taken away, taken away,” while in the grand chorus at the climax of song the chorus goes:
Yes all o’ my sins bin taken away,Yes all my sins done taken away,Yes all o’ my sins done taken away,Yes all my sins done taken away,Glory, glory to His name-e,All my sins done taken away, taken away.
This last chorus may be repeated whenever the singers do not think of words to fit in with the songs, although this is rarely necessary. The following stanzas are sung in the same manner as those just given.
If I had er died when I wus young,I never would a had dis rist to run,All o’ my sins done taken away, taken away.Well you oughter bin dere to see de sight,The peoples come runnin’ both cullud an’ white.My feet got wet in de midnight dew,An’ de mornin’ star was a witness, too.If you doan b’leave I bin redeem,Jes follow me down to Jordan stream.When a sinner see me it make him laugh,Thank God-a-mighty, I’m free at las’.Mary wept an’ Martha mourned,Mary wept all ’round the throne.Mary wept an’ Martha mourned,All because deir brother done daid an’ gone.Mary wept an’ Martha cried,All ’cause dey brother done gone an’ died.I’m goin’ to ride on de mornin’ train,All don’t see me goin’ ter hear me sing.I’m gwine to heaven on eagle’s wing,All don’t see me goin’ ter hear me sing.My mother’s sick an’ my father’s daid,Got nowhere to lay my weary head.I went down in de valley to pray,My soul got happy an’ I stayed all day.
A number of other versions are common. Instead of “Mary wept all ’round the throne” is sung “all ’round God’s hebbenly throne.” Instead of the morning star as a witness the old songs have it “angels witness too.” Instead of in the valley, the old songs also had “on de mountain” and also inserted “I didn’t go dere to stay.” Thisversion is sung in some of the songs still. “The Sabbath has no End” is the name of a favorite somewhat similar to “All my sins done taken away.” It has a number of forms for the chorus.
I went down in de valley,I didn’t go ter stay,My little soul got happyAn’ I like to a stayed all day.I thought I had religion, I b’lieveI thought I had religion, I b’lieve.I thought I had religion, I b’lieve,Dat Sabbath hath no end.I wouldn’t be a sinner,Tell you de reason why—Feard de good Lord might call me,An I wouldn’t be ready ter die.Gwine rock trubbel over, I b’lieve,Rock trubbel over, I b’lieve,Rock trubbel over, I b’lieve,Dat Sabbath has no end.Ole Satan’s mighty busy,Fixin’ up his snares,He’ll ketch all dem mourners,If dey don’t keep deir prayers.Yer better get ready, I b’lieveYer better get ready, I b’lieve,Yer better get ready, I b’lieve,Dat Sabbath has no end.
The singer is a little more definite in his convictions in “I am de light uv de Worl’”. He is no longer a sinner and looks forward to the time when he will “cross de ribber.”
Hallaluyer, good Lord,I am de light uv de worl’,Halleluyer, good Lord,I am de light uv de worl’.Ever since my Lord done sot me free,Dis ole worl’ bin a hell to me,I am de light uv de worl’.I looked toward dat Northern pole,I seed black clouds of fier roll,I am de light uv de worl’.I gwine ’clare de word,I am de light uv de worl’,I’m gwine ’clar de word,I am de light uv de worl’.Der ain’t but one train on dis track,Goes straight to heaven an’ run right back.I am de light uv de worl’.Ever since I bin in de worl’,I am de light uv de worl’,Ever since I been in de worl’,I am de light uv de worl’.When I cross Jordan I’ll be free,Gwine a slip an’ slide dem golden streets,I am de light uv de worl’.’Way up in de kingdom, Lord,I am de light uv de worl’,’Way up in de kingdom, Lord,I am de light uv de worl’.
The negro is not troubled because he cannot see his Lord; he has heard Him speak and believes that He has gone “on to glory.” His personal relation with Jesus is satisfactory and he sings His praises often as he tells of his own experiences. Says he:
One day, one day, while walkin’ along,Jesus done bless my soul;I heard a voice an’ saw no one,Jesus done bless my soul.O go an’ tell it on de mountain,Jesus done bless my soul;O go an’ tell it in de valley,Jesus done bless my soul.He done bless my soul an’ gone on to glory, Good Lord,Jesus done bless my soul;Done bin here an’ bless my soul an’ gone on to glory.Jesus done bless my soul.
In one of the old plantation songs a similar idea is given of the blessing, but in a different version.
One day when I wus walkin’ along, Oh yes, Lord,De element opened, an’ de Love came down, Oh yes, Lord,I never shall forget dat day, Oh yes, Lord,When Jesus washed my sins away, Oh yes, Lord.
Another chorus inquired: “O brothers where were you? O sisterswhere were you? O sinners, O Christians, O mourners, etc., where were you?” for “My good Lord’s bin here, bin here, bin here; My good Lord’s bin here, An’ he blessed my soul an’ gone.” So the negro exhorters often conclude their services, saying that the Lord has been to the meeting and gone. Said one deacon who was exhorting for a large collection: “De good Lord’s done bin with us to-night—I knows he has, done been here an’ gone, an’ now we wants to git down to bizness, I wants some money.”
Again, the negro fresh and enthusiastic from his religious experience and having “come through” sings with some relief:
I have been tryin a great long while,Lord, I jus’ got over on yo’ side.Lord, I jus’ got over-er,Lord, I jus’ got over,Lord, I jus’ got over-er,I jus’ got over on yo’ side.I pray’d an’ I pray till I come over,Lord, I jus’ got over on yo’ side.
So also he “weeps” and he “mourns” and “cries” till he “gets over on the Lawd’s side.” Then he sings “O de sunshine,”
O the sunshine, O the sunshine,O sunshine in my soul this mornin’,Yes the sunshine, the sunshine,Yes sun shine in my soul.Down in the valley, down on my knees,Sunshine in my soul,There I met that heavenly breeze,Sunshine in my soul.Ole devil like a snake in the grass,Sunshine in my soul,He’s always in some sister’s path,Sunshine in my soul.
While the song is also sung at times with more dialect, it lends itself more readily to the above form. Very much mixed and somewhat similar to those already given is “Bless the Name.”
I’ve got to go to judgment, I don’t know how soon,Lord bless the name, Lord bless the name,I’ve got to go to judgment to hear my sins,Lord bless the name, Lord bless the name.My Jesus fed me when I’s hungry, gave me drink when I’s dry,Lord bless the name, Lord bless the name,My Jesus clothed me when I was naked,Lord bless the name, Lord bless the name.
In the same song and with the same tune are sung the shorter lines that follow. The chorus is often sung “Lor’ bless the name”, and is a form of the phrase “Bless the name of the Lord.” It is used as a refrain after each line or it may be omitted.
Mary wept and Martha mourned,Lord bless the name, Lord bless the name,Jesus Chris’ laid the corner of stone,Lord bless the name, Lord bless the name.Mary wore the golden chain,Every link was in Jesus’ name.You may talk about me just as you please,I’ll talk about you when I git on my knees.God made man an’ man was sure,There was no sin an’ his heart was pure.God made Adam an’ Adam was first,God made Adam out o’ the dust o’ the earth.
The old slave songs also had other interpretations of man’s creation which differ slightly in particular from the last stanza quoted. One form occurs in
God made man an’ he made him out o’ clay,Settin’ on de golden altar,An’ he put him on de earth but he did not stay,Settin’ on de golden altar.
A favorite chorus for the old spiritual was: “What you gwine do when de lamp burns down?” So there was also another version of the weeping of Mary and Martha:
Mary wept an’ Martha cried,To see deir Saviour crucified,Weepin’ Mary weep no mo’,Jesus say he gone befo’.
It proves an interesting task to follow the development and changes in a song that has survived from slavery days. In “Free, free my Lord”, one of the verses was quite a puzzle. During the recent summer the following stanza was heard:
The moon come down like a piper’s stem,The sun ’fuse to shine,An’ ev’y star disappear,King Jesus set me free.
Inquiry was made in order to see if the words had not been misunderstood. The older negroes gave this version and insisted that it was correct, but none of them could explain what it meant. It was thought that perhaps it was a figure applied to the moon’s rays or that the loss of the sun might have meant the peculiar appearance of the moon. Anyway, they maintained, this was the “way we got de song an’ guess it must be right.” The words of the original song were,
The moon run down in purple stream,The sun forbear to shine,An’ ev’y star disappear,King Jesus shall be mine,
of which there seemed to be several versions. Other verses that are found to-day are:
As I went down in de valley one day,I fell upon my knees,I begged and cried fer pardon,The Lord did give me ease.Free, free, my Lord,Free, free, my Lord,Free, free, my Lord,To march de heaven’s highway.The Lord called Moses,Moses refuse to answer,Free, free, etc.My mother look at de son an’ smile,My Father look at me,My mother turn my soul from hell,King Jesus set me free,
is an unusual variation and interpretation of the old song; just how and when the negro inserted the idea of mother would be difficult to ascertain; perhaps it came from “master,” or more likely it was introduced by them while they interpretedfatherandsonas names of the ordinary members of a human family. The original form seems to have been,
De Father, he looked on de Son and smiled,De Son, he looked on me;De Father, he redeemed my soul from hell;An’ de Son, he set me free.
The chorus, too, has been much confused and is given as “Children light on dat cross, God bless you forever mo’.” The song is not a common one among the negroes and is not known, apparently, among the younger ones. In contrast with this favorite of the older negroes may be given a favorite of the younger generation, “Glad I got religion.” The repetition represents pretty well the relative depth of the feeling which the convert feels. But he loves to sing it for its pleasing sound and for the faith it gives him in his own religious state. The song is a long and continued chorus and may well be taken as a type of the song which reflects the negro’s feeling of immunity from sin.
I’m so glad, so glad; I’m so glad, so glad,Glad Igot religion, so glad,Glad Igot religion, so glad.I’m so glad, so glad; I’m so glad, so glad,I’mglad all over, so glad,I’mglad all over, so glad.I’m so glad, so glad; I’m so glad, so glad,Glad I bin’changed, so glad.Glad I bin’changed, so glad.
And so he continues singing; he is glad that he isgoin’ to heaven, he is glad that he isnot a sinner, glad he has beenset free, and many other such states. Then when he has finished he begins all over again, if he wishes and sings: “Sister, ain’t you glad? Brother, ain’t you glad?” and goes through with as many of these as he wishes,preacher,mourner,auntie, and the others.
The “sinner-man” is the theme for many verses of the negro favorites. Directed at him are warnings and admonitions. He is told what he must do and when; how he must do and why. He is told of the experiences of the Christians and he is told of the doom of the damned. The negro rejoices over his own safety and boasts of the sinner’s destruction; at the same time he constantly refers to the “po’ sinner” in a sympathetic way. But the sinner must be warned:
God knows it’s time, it’s time, it’s time,That a sinner was makin’ up his min’It’s time, it’s time he was makin’ up his min’ to die.A sinner was walkin’ off his time, his time,An’ when my God call him he did not have thetime,God know it was time, it was time, it was time for him to die.
Again the words of the righteous to the sinner are driven home by repetition, and, by a dark and dismal picture,
O hell is deep an’ hell is wide,O hell is deep an’ hell is wide,O hell is deep an’ hell is wide,O hell ain’t got no bottom or side.Well before I lay in hell all day, hell all day,Well before I lay in hell all day, hell all day,Well before I lay in hell all day, hell all day,I goin’ to sing an’ pray myself away, self away.O sinner don’t you let this harves’ pass, harves’ pass,O sinner don’t you let this harves’ pass, harves’ pass,O sinner don’t you let this harves’ pass, harves’ pass,Do you die an’ got to hell at las’, hell at las’.
The sinner may be agambleror adanceror arogueor adrunkard. But each name has the same signification in the religious phraseology of the negro song. There are various ways ofrepentingand ofserving the Lordjust as there are as many ways of offending and sinning against him. “Workin’ on the Building” appeals to the average negro.
If I wus a sinner man, I tell you what I’d do,I’d lay down all my sinful ways an’ work on the building, too.I’m workin’ on the building fer my Lord,Fer my Lord, fer my Lord,I’m workin’ on the building fer my Lord,I’m workin’ on the building, too.If I wus a gamblin’ man, I tell you what I’d do,I’d lay down all my gamblin’, an’ work on the building, too.If I was a ho-munger, I tell you what I’d do,I’d lay down all my munglin’ and work on the building, too.
And so he sings for thedancerand thedrunkardand the “cussin’ man.” So in another song the negro sings of thesinnersandmourners.
If I wus a mourner jus’ like you,‘u-m-u’,I’d go to church an’ try to come thru’,‘um-u’.When I was a mourner, um-u’, jus’ lak you,I prayed an’ prayed till I come thru, um-u’.Upon de mountain King Jesus spoke, um-u’,Out of his mouth come fier an smoke, um-u’.Now mourner won’t you please come on, um-u’,An’ join us in that heavenly lan’, um-u’.
In the “Downward road is crowded” a mournful picture is given of the sinner who failed to repent. His example is held up for the contemplation of those who are following in his steps.
Young people who delight in sin,I tell you what I lately seen,A po’ godless sinner die,An’ he said: “In hell I soon’ll lie.”Hark, the downward road is crowded, crowded, crowded,Yes the downward road is crowded with onbelievin’ souls.He call his mother to his bed,An’ these is the dyin’ words he said,Mother, mother, I long farewell,Your wicked son is damned in hell.He dance an’ play hisself away,An’ still put off his dyin’ day,Until at las’ ole death was sent,An’ it ’us too late fer him to repent.
They also sing ofmotherandsisterbeing called to the bedside. The old plantation song of the same name had a similar chorus but the stanzas were quite different.
When I wus a sinner,I loved my distance well,But when I come to fin’ myself,I was hangin’ over hell.Ole Satan’s might busy,He follers me night an’ day,An’ every where I ’pinted,Dere’s something in my way.
The Lord will come to judge the world andwake up the dead. It is the supreme ambition of the singer to be ready to meet his Lord when He comes. Just what form the Lord will take the negro does not say; perhaps it will be in acloudorfireor He will come as in the days of Moses. “My Lord’s comin’ again” gives a general conception.
O my Lord’s comin’ again,O my Lord’s comin’ again,(Talk about it:)Yes my Lord’s comin’ again,It may be las’ time, I don’t know.Well he’s comin’ to judge the worl’,Well he’s comin’ to judge the worl’,(Talk about it:)Yes my Lord’s comin’ to judge the worl’,It may be las’ time, I don’t know.Well you had better put off lyin’ shoes,Well you better put off lyin’ shoes,(Talk about it:)Better put off lyin’ shoes,For it may be las’ time, I don’t know.
And so he sings “Better put offdancin’shoes”, “better put offgamblin’shoes”. For the sinner’s shoes will not be suitable to “walk on the cross”. He sings: “God’s goin’ to wake up the Dead” and makes a beautiful melody out of the simple repetition.
Goin’ to wake up the dead,Goin’ to wake up the dead,God goin’ to wake up the dead,Who’s a sleepin’ in the grave,God is goin’ to wake up the dead.You had better min’ my brother how you walk on the cross,God’s goin’ to wake up the dead;If yo’ right foot slip, then yo’ soul be los’God goin’ wake up the dead.
Then “you better min’ mysister, mybrother, mymother, mypreacher” are sung. The old song contained words similar to the lines just given, with the chorus: “De young lambs mus’ fin’ de way”:
My brudder better mind how you walk on de cross,For yo’ foot might slip an’ yo’ soul git lost,Better mind dat sun, and see how she run,An’ mind don’t let her catch ye wid yer works undone.
But the sinner sometimes gets confused, it would seem; sometimes he heeds the preacher’s warnings, sometimes he scoffs at them. Often he does not hear them. More rarely he inquires into conditions. In the lines which follow the negroes make each a stanza, repeating three times. It perhaps represents the retort of the “sinner man.”
Some goin’ thru’ Jordan, some tryin’ to go ’round.The Mef’dis’ they say sprinklin’, de Baptis say’ baptize.Now Lord the sinner man so hard to believe,Now Lord sinner man want you to show him de way
But the sinner gets little reply to his inquiries. “Time is comin’ when sinner mus’ die” and there is none so pitiable as the lost sinner.
Sinner, die, sinner die,Sinner dies wid his head hung down,Sinner die, sinner die,Sinner die in de midnight dew.Sinner die, sinner die,Sinner die, with achin’ heart,Sinner die, sinner die,Sinner die with weary min’.Stump’ty up an’ stump’ty down,Time is comin’ when sinner mus’ die,Hurry home, hurry home;Time is a comin’ sinner mus’ die.Don’t you let that sinner change yo’ min’,Time is comin’ sinner mus’ die.Hurry home, hurry home;Time is comin’ sinner mus’ die.
The plantation song of some years ago, sometimes called “O sinner, you better get ready”, had the same line refrain, “Time is a comin’ dat sinner mus’ die.” The repetition of “sinner die”, is a new addition. In the old song were lines similar to those quoted:
O sinner man you better pray,For it look a like judgment every day.I heard a lumb’ring in de sky,Dat make a me tink my time was nigh.I heard of my Jesus a many one say,Could ’move poor sinner’s sins away.Yes, I’d rather pray myself away,Dan to lie in hell an’ burn a one day.I think I heard my mother say—’Twas a pretty thing to serve the Lord.O when I git to heaven I’ll be able fer to tell,O how I shun dat dismal hell.
In addition to the line-refrain which was sung after each line of the song, an additional chorus followed at intervals; this chorus had “ready my Lord” where the new one has a short line, “Hurry home”.
Oh, sinner, you’d better get ready, ready my Lord,Oh, sinner, you’d better get ready.
An interesting type of song is that in which an imaginary conversation is carried on between two parties. If the song is correctlyrendered the leader or one part of the chorus sing the first part or take the words of one of the speakers, while the other chorus take up the other speaker’s words. Both then join in the grand refrain, which in the following song is “Lord, I’m on my way”.
Sinner, what you goin’ to doWhen de devil git you?What you goin’ doWhen de devil git you?What you goin’ doWhen de devil git you?Lord, I’m on my way.I’m goin’ run to the rocks.Well, they can’t hide you.Goin’ run to the rocks—They can’t hide you;Run to the rocks,Well, they can’t hide you,Lord, I’m on my way.I’m goin’to run to the water;An’ water goin’ to cry “fire”,Goin’ to run to the water,An’ water cry “fire”,Run to the water,An’ water cry “fire”,Lord, I’m on my way.
And so the sinner will then “run to the mountain,” and “De mountain fly open” or “De mountain cry mercy.” The sinner must needs be hopeless at his death and there is neither mercy nor pity for him. It is the idea of the negro that at the great day “we won’t be bothered with them any mo’”. A sad picture he makes of the poor, and forsaken man who dies “with achin’ heart”, with “weary min’”, and with his “head hung down”. Consequently it is not surprising to find appeals of all sorts made to the sinner man; now he is told of his doom, now of possible salvation, now of the joys of being saved, now of immediate satisfaction. Sung like the above song is “Come, sinner, come”.
Won’t you come, won’t you come?Come, sinner, come;Great day of wrath is comin’,Come, sinner, come.Look over yonder what I see;Come, sinner, come;Two tall angels comin’ after me,Come, sinner, come.
In the same manner he sings, “Won’t you come an’ see yo’ Lord?” and “Ole Satan like a snake in de grass, Always in some sister’s path,” “Ole Satan weahs mighty loose ole shoe, Ef you don’t min’ gwine slip it on you”. “Up on hill side King Jesus spoke, Out of his mouth come fier an’ smoke”, “Down in de valley, down on my knees, Ask de Lord to save me if He please”, and others. The plantation song asked,
O whar you runnin’, sinner?I do love de Lord;De Judgment day is comin’,I do love de Lord;You’ll see de worl’ on fire,I do love de Lord;You’ll see de element a meltin’,I do love de Lord.
Besides these stanzas there were sung the various other warnings such as have been given in the idea of Judgment and Resurrection already noted. In the old slave song the sinner asks:
My Lord, My Lord, what shall I do?An’ heaven bell ring an’ praise God.What shall I do for hiding place?I run to de sea but de sea run dry.I run to de gate but de gate shut fast.No hiding place for sinner dere.For I am gone an’ sent to hell.
Instead of the regular refrain which is sung by the chorus of voices in response to a line by the leader, the negroes often respond with “um-m’” in a general mingling of chant, humming, and “amens”. For the most part they do this with closed lips; the volume is surprisingly strong, however, and makes a stirring effect. The meaning of the expression is something like “Yes?” or “Of course, we know it is true” or “Sure, you talkin’ brother”. The singer says: “I look for Jesus all my days”, and the chorus answers, “um-u’” and he then continues,
An’ when I found him this is what he said,um-u’Yo’ sin forgiven an’ you soul set free,um-u’I pray all night, an’ I pray all day, um-u’ um-u’,Then my Lord taken my sins away, um-u’, um-u’.Nex’ day, nex’ day while walkin’ along, um-u’, um-u’,I heard a voice an’ saw no one, um-u’, um-u’,It said, sinner man, you better come home, um-u’, um-u’.One day I was walkin’ long dat lonesome road, um-u’, um-u’,King Jesus spoke unto me an’ lifted off dat load, um-u’.
Again, “Brother, you’d Better be a Prayin’”, while mostly repetition makes a long song when sung to its limit. “Sister”, “Sinner”, “Backslider”, “Mourner”, “Children”, each serves to make a complete stanza of eight lines:
Brother you’d better be a prayin’,Brother, you’d better be a prayin’,My brother, you’d better be a prayin’,An’ I’ll be carried above,An’ I’ll be carried above,An’ I’ll be carried above,I’ll see king Jesus in his reign,An’ I’ll be carried above.
The chorus song, “Wheel in middle of Wheel” is most likely a variation of the old song “Wheel in a wheel” which was “run bylove, byfaith,” and was sometimes conceived as a chariot wheel upon which “gwine take a ride, On de chariot wheel”, for “de chariot’s comin’, O my Lord”. Sometimes the wheel was conceived as being a “Little wheel a-turnin’ in my heart”, in which case it signified some sort of feeling. The phrase means nothing more than a chorus in the present-day song.
O sinner man, how can it be?Wheel in de middle of wheel,If you don’t serve God, you can’t serve me,Wheel in de middle of wheel.In the wheel, in the wheel,Wheel in de middle of wheel,In the wheel, in the wheel,Wheel in the middle of wheel.Well don’t you know it’s prayin’ time?Wheel in middle of wheel;Lay down yo’ way an’ go to God,Wheel in middle of wheel.Well don’t you know it’s mournin’ time?Wheel in middle of wheel;He’ll hear yo’ prayers an’ sanctify,Wheel in middle of wheel.
Jesus and God are represented as “Listenin’ all the day long”, and the sinner is directed to pray. The plantation songs called to him: “Where you goin’ sinner? O come back, don’t go dat way.” And one of the singers affirmed that “about the break o’ day” his sins were forgiven and “his soul set free.” The song “Jesus is a listenin’” seems at some time to have been considerably corrupted. The negroes have sung it: “I’vebeen a listenin’ all day long, and all night long, to hear some sinner pray.” However, the correct version now seems to be:
Jesus is a listenin’ all the day long,He keep listenin’ all the day long,He keep listenin’ all the day long,For to hear some sinner pray.If I was a sinner I would please him,I would pray an’ pray a day,An’ when I got to heaven,So he could say he heard me pray.
But in “Bear yo’ Burden, sinner”, another version is given of the same idea. This song is a popular one, while the figures used give a definite conviction.
The Lord is a listenin’ all the day long,Bear yo’ burden sinner,If you will only pray, he will bear you on,Bear yo’ burden in the heat o’ the day.Bear yo’ burden, sinner,Bear yo’ burden, sinner,Bear yo’ burden in the heat o’ the day.I’m goin’ home fer to see my Lord,Bear yo’ burden, sinner,An’ don’t you wish you could go ’long,Bear yo’ burden, let in the heat.The way to bear yo’ burden is to get down on yo’ knees,Bear yo’ burden, sinner, let in the heat,Ask God to forgive you if you please,Bear yo’ burden in the heat of the day.
This last stanza is an improvisation made by a young negro of some twenty-five years, although he claimed that it belonged to the song that was regularly sung, maintaining that they only forgot to sing it in the church on that special occasion. “True Religion” gives one view of the requisites of him who will be saved. The songis based in form on a current secular song, and belongs to the class of colloquies.
Well you must have that true religion,You must have true religion an’ yo’ soul converted,You must have that true religion.Or you can’t cross there.Where are you goin’, sinner,Where are you goin’, I say?I goin’ down to de river of Jorden,An’ you can’t cross dere.
He continues, “Where are you goin’gambler, backslider, drunkard, liar, hypocrite?” and answers each with, “An’ you can’t cross there,” while the entire chorus, “You must have that true religion,” is often repeated after each. The sinner is asked still other questions, one of which is given in the song “Waitin’”.
Why does you tarry, sinner,Why does you wait so long?For my Lord is a waitin’,Why don’t you come to His call?He is waitin’, Lord,He is waitin’, Lord,He is a-waitin’ fer the good Lord,To come, My Lord.But when my Lord get here,You want have time to pray at all,For he is goin’ to judge you,An’ hell you be bound.
The negro preacher often rebukes his flock for talking about each other in uncomplimentary terms. Sometimes the “sisters” who do not like the preacher retort variously, “I heard you talkin ’bout So and So, you know I did” or “We gwine talk ’bout you,” or “Yes, you knows it.” Slander and gossip are fast runners and the average negro assumes that somebody is talking about him or something which he has done. Out of this has grown the song “Talk about me” and others.
Yes, I know you goin’ talk ’bout me,Yes, I know you goin’ talk ’bout me,For you talk ’bout my father when he’s on his knees a prayin’,An’ I know you goin’ talk ’bout me.
So likewise he sings “I know you’re goin talk about me” because“you talk about my mother when she’s on her bed a-dyin’”; he actually singsfather,brother,mother,sister,mourner,preacher, to both “on his knees a prayin’”, and “on bed a dyin’.” A very popular stanza which is regularly sung in a number of songs goes: “You may talk about me just as you please, I’m goin’ to talk about you when I git on my knees.”
The old slave and plantation song asked: “Who’ll jine de Union?” saying, “Say, ef you belong to de union ban’, den here’s my heart an’ here’s my hand.” There have been societies known as “The Union” or “Union Band” both in the church and outside. The name “Union” itself is a favorite one among the negro societies and organizations. It was thought in the old days that a union band would march to heaven and that these only would be enabled to reach the destination. It is almost certain that a number of references in their songs referred to the Union army in and after the war. However, the exact origin of the song as it is now sung has not been found, but appears to be a general corruption of several old songs.
Get in the Union, Jesus is a listenin’,Get in the Union, Jesus die.Well, won’t you get in the Union?Jesus is a listenin’, Jesus die.Where was Ezekiel when the church fell down?Down in de valley wid his head hung down.Hypocrite, hypocrite, God do despise,Tongue so keen till he will tell lies.Upon the mountain Jehober spoke,Out of his mouth come fier an’ smoke.
With this chorus are sung also as already given, “Satan, the snake in the grass”, “Ole satan weah mighty loose ole shoe”, etc. The “Hallelujah” so common among the old songs is less frequently heard now: it will be found to some degree in the shouting songs and songs of heaven.
Not the least among the warnings to the sinner were to be reckoned the times when “Gable” should blow his horn. “Gable” has been proverbial among the negroes; Gabriel and the trumpet are, however, significant in the same way among the whites in vulgar reference. Many ideas of “Gable’s” trumpet have appeared in the negro songs. Sometimes it is “blow louder, Gable.” “How loud mus’ I blow?”Reference has already been made to these lines. The song “Blow, Gable, blow” has changed considerably from the old plantation songs of the same name.
Blow Gable, at the judgment,Blow Gable, at the judgment bar.For my God is a talkin’ at the judgment,For my God is a talkin’ at the judgment bar.Now won’t you blow Gable at the judgment?For my God is a preachin’ at the judgment bar.Now won’t you blow Gable at the judgment bar?Well, I’m goin’ to meet my preacher at the judgment bar.
In the same manner, making a four-line stanza of each one, are sung, “Goin’ to meet brother, mother, sister, etc.”, and also “My God is a walkin’, tryin’, etc.,” at the judgment bar. So, too, it is “prayin’time,mournin’time,singin’time,shoutin’time,tryin’time, etc., at the judgment bar.” This song may be given as the last one of the class peculiar to warnings and admonitions to sinners. It closes with still other verses that give vivid pictures of the judgment bar.
Well, sinners, keep a prayin’ at the judgment bar.Well, it’s too late to pray at the judgment bar.Why didn’t you take heed at the judgment?Some come crippled at judgment.Oh, I look fer my mother, brother, sister, at de judgment.
Both the sinner and the seeker has a “hard time” during some time in his experience. The duties of everyday life, too, often seem hard. Now on his knees, now shouting, now sorrowful and now glad, the negro comes from “hanging over hell” to die and “set by de Fadder’s side.” The average negro appears to pity himself, and his song intensifies the feeling. The songs that follow may be classed as those that give the state of uncertainty and doubt, together with pity mingled now and then with the note of triumph. In “Oh, what a hard time”,sisters,brothers,children,preachers,seekers—all have the same difficulties.
Oh, what a hard time, Oh, what a hard time,Oh, what a hard time—All God’s children have a hard time.Oh, what a hard time, oh, what a hard time,Oh, what a hard time, my Lord had a hard time, too.
So in another division will be given the song “My Trouble is Hard”,the idea of which seems to be derived from the old plantation songs, though the new song is entirely different from the old ones. The plantation negroes used to sing “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen”, in which they were “sometimes up, sometimes down, sometimes almost to de groun’.” Others sung it “Nobody knows the trouble I see, or I’ve had”, and asked: “Brother, sister, preacher, will you pray for me?” In the same pathetic tone the “Sinner man” gives another phase of the feeling.
My mother’ n yo’ mother both daid an’ gone,My mother’ n yo’ mother both daid an’ gone,My mother’ n yo’ mother both daid an’ gone,Po’ sinner man he so hard to believe.My folks an’ yo’ folks both daid an’ gone,Po’ sinner man he so hard to believe.My brother ’n yo’ brother both daid an’ gone,Po’ sinner man he so hard to believe.
In the same way “my sister”, etc., completes the song, with favorite lines, “Down in de valley”, “Upon mountain Jehober spoke”, etc., being inserted as often as they desire. “Hanging over hell” gives more intensity to the feeling of the sinner. He says:
When I wus hangin’ over hell, over hell,When I wus hangin’ over hell, over hell,Well, I had no one to pity poor me, poor me.Well, my mother sick an’ my father daid, father daid,Well, my mother sick an’ my father daid, father daid,Well, I ain’t got no one to pity poor me, poor me.Well, I ain’t got no one to pray for me, to pray for me.I ain’t got no one to feel for me, feel for me.
Likewise he has no one to “cry” for him, to “mourn” or to “care” for him. It will be noticed that the negroes insert the word “well” frequently. There is no regularity or rule for its use; it apparently gives the song a more plastic turn and makes it seem more conversational. In some of their songs they insert in the same way, “says”, and “er”, “a”, “an”, at will. Thestruggleis well represented by the song “Keep inchin’ along”, which was also common in the old plantation melodies; the chorus is the same, while the words are entirely different from the older song.
Keep er-inchin’ erlong, keep er-inchin erlong,Jesus’ll come bye’m bye,Keep er-inchin’, keep er-inchin erlong,Jesus’ll come bye’m bye.De road is rocky here below,But Jesus’ll come bye’m bye,But Jesus leads me as I go,Jesus’ll come bye’m bye.Sometimes I hangs my head an’ cries,But Jesus’ll come bye’m bye.An’ He gwi’ wipe mer weepin’ eyes,But Jesus’ll come bye’m bye.Uh, run ’long mourner an’ git yo’ crown,By yo’ Father’s side set down.I’m glad that I’m bo’n ter die,Frum trouble here my soul gwi’ fly.
In the same hopeful strain the negro sings “Boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat Mornin’,” which has a large number of stanzas, none of which have any similarity of meaning to the general theme.
Yonder come er sister all dressed in black,She look lak er hipercrit jes’ got back,I’m boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat mornin’.Cross me over,Great Jehover,My Lord, I’m boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat mornin’.See dat Christian on his knees,He’s gwin’ ter cross dem jasper seas,I’m boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat mornin’.Swing low chariots in er line,Carry me ter glory in due time,I’m boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat mornin’.Ain’t but the one thing grieve my min’Sister goin’ to heaven an’ leave me behin’,I’m boun’ ter cross Jord’n in dat mornin’.
It is a favorite theme of the negroes to sing much of their “Lord” and “God”. Much has been noted of the names and attributes which Deity holds in the negro’s songs. As his friend the negro believes that God is always true; consequently he sings his loyalty to Him. The old plantation song “Tell Jesus” had as its chorus: “Tell Jesus done done all I can, Tell Jesus done done all I can, Tell Jesus done done all I can, I can’t do no more”. Very much like it is the song“For my Lord” that is much in demand among the present-day negroes.
I goin’ to do all I can fer my Lord,I goin’ to do all I can fer my Lord,I goin’ to do all I can fer my Lord,I goin’ to do all I can fer my Lord,I do all I can till I can’t do no more,I goin’ do all I can fer my Lord.
In the same way he sings “I goin’weepall I can till I can’t weep no more”, “I goin’prayall I can till I can’t pray no more”, and “sing” and “mourn” and “work” for his Lord. The phrases “till I can’t do no mo’”, and the others are characteristic of the negro’s prayers. He usually closes his church prayers, “Now Lord, when we’s done prayin’ an’ can’t pray no mo’; when we’s done meetin’ an’ can’t meet no mo’”, etc. The closing scene, the final act of life, seems to appeal to the negro with wonderful dramatic power. It is in theendthat he himself will be great; it is then that God and Jesus and the angels will be made manifest, and it is there in the new home that his condition will be one of ease and rest, at the same time that it is one of prominence. He sings “Gwi’ lay down my life fer my Lord”.
De Lord giv’ me mer trumpet an’ tole me ter blow,He giv’ me mer cummission an’ tole me ter go.Fer my Lord, fer my Lord,Fer my Lord, gwi’ lay down my life fer my Lord.You can hinder me here but you can’t hinder me dere,For de Lord in Heaven gwi’ hear my prayer.De enemy’s great but my Cap’n is strong,U’m fightin’ fer de city an’ de time ain’t long.When I git dar I’ll be able fer to tell,How I whipped ole Satan at de door ob hell.Mer head got wet wid de midnight dew,Dat mornin’ star was shinin’ too.
So again the negro magnifies his Lord in “a weary Lan’” and makes both a striking picture and a pleasing song. His Lord is not only “awalkin’in a weary lan’”, but he is also a “doctor”, a “preacher” and a “shelter”. Thus he pictures him “walkin’” “talkin’” “preachin’”, and “healin’” in the weary land.
My Lord’s a walkin’ in the weary lan’,In a weary lan’, in a weary lan’,Yes, my Lord walkin’ in weary lan’,He’s a shelter in a mighty storm.
Likewise he is a healer in amighty stormor inthe time of storm. It is but natural that the negro should call upon the Lord to remember him. The old plantation song “Do Lord remember me” was apparently based upon the idea of being remembered at Christmas times; indeed the negroes always ask to be remembered at such a time by the “whitefolks”. They were always remembered and often their homes were made happy. The song asked: “O do Lord remember me, O do Lord remember me, O do remember me until de year roll round, Do Lord remember me.” The song now current is most likely not the same song but an entirely different one.
Do my Lord remember me,Do my Lord remember me,Do my Lord remember me,Do Lord remember me.Upon de housetop an’ can’t come down,Do Lord remember me.Upon de house an’ can’t come down.Do Lord remember me.When I am hungry do feed me Lord,Do Lord remember me.When I am thirsty do give me drink,Do Lord remember me.
The negroes sometimes call the following song the “riddle song”, asking “who is the Rock”, while the answer comes back, like the Psalmist, “King Jesus is the Rock”.
Lead me to the Rock, lead me to the Rock,Lead me to the Rock that is higher an’ higher.O, Lead me to the Rock,Yes, lead me to the Rock that is higher an’ higher.King Jesus is the Rock, yes, King Jesus is the Rock,King Jesus is the Rock that is higher an’ higher,O King Jesus is the Rock,Yes, King Jesus is the Rock that is higher an’ higher.Standing on the Rock, yes standing on the Rock,Standing on the Rock that is higher an’ higher.O, standing on the Rock,Yes, standing on the Rock that is higher an’ higher.
As Jesus is the Rock so the negroes have sung “Dere’s no onelak’ Jesus”. The chorus-line was common in the old songs; the verses of the song of to-day are different.
I think I heard a rumblin’ in de sky,Dar’s no one lac Jesus.It mus’ be mer Lord passin’ by,Dar’s no one lac Jesus.Stan’ still, walk study, keep de faith,Dar’s no one lak’ Jesus.Sister Mary went up on de mount’n top,Dar’s no one lak’ Jesus.She sung a li’l song an’ she never did stop,Dar’s no one lak’ Jesus.She argued wid de Fadder an’ chatter’d wid de Son,Dar’s no one lak’ Jesus.She talk’d erbout the ole worl’ she cum frum,Dar’s no one lak’ Jesus.
The song “Gi’ me Jesus” was said to have been the product of “over-free spirit and super-religiousness” just after the war. The negro claims that the white man took him at his word when he sang, “Gi’ me Jesus, You may have all this worl”, and has left him nothing in this world but Jesus. At least this is one view of the song, which is represented as a bargain which the white man wants the negro to keep. The song is a typical and well known one, said to have been first sung by a blind negro preacher.
In de mornin’ when I rise,In de mornin’ when I rise,In de mornin’ when I rise,Giv’ me Jesus.Giv’ me Jesus,Giv’ me Jesus,You may hab’ all dis worl’,Giv’ me Jesus.Ef it’s midnight when I rise,Ef it’s midnight when I rise,Ef it’s midnight when I rise,Giv’ me Jesus.Jes’ fore day when I cried,Giv’ me Jesus.When I wade death’s cold stream,Giv’ me Jesus.
The negro says that if you love Jesus, it seems to him that you“can’t keep it”, and that you are duty bound to let the world know it. The custom is a common one of asking “members” at the class meeting and revival services whether or not they “love the Lord”. It is the duty of the class leader to see to the religious welfare of the members. The song “Love the Lord” represents this phase of worship.