I goin' to see my mother if I keep a prayin' on._Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes

In the same way he is "going to see" his _father_, _brother_, _master_,

_preacher_, singing each line four times, altering them as he desires and

putting in any chorus that appeals to his fancy. The next song shows a

typical variation of a line, and the negro sometimes sings the second

version with more determination than the first.

Lord, I want to go to heaven fer to stan' my trials,

Yes, I want to go to heaven fer to stan' my trials,

_Great Judgment day_.

Well, _I'm goin'_ to heaven fer to stan' my trials,

An' _I'm goin'_ to heaven fer to stan' my trials,

Yes, _I'm goin'_ to heaven fer to stan' my trials,

_Great Judgment day_.

The darkeys used to sing, "Hail, hail, hail, I'm gwine jine saints above,

I'm on my journey home". So, too, in many of their songs the "promise

Lan'" was held out as the goal of future happiness. So it is to-day. "On

my journey home" and "Goin' to Heaven" represent the common conception.

Sister when you pray you mus' pray to de Lord,

For I hab some hopes ob glory,

_I feel like, I feel like I'm on my journey home,

I feel like, I feel like, I'm on my journey home_.

_I'll away, I'll away to de promise lan',

My Father calls me, I mus' go,

To meet Him in de promise lan'._

I have a father in the promise lan',

Go meet him in de promise lan',

_I feel like, I feel like I'm on my journey home,

I feel like, I feel like I'm on my journey home_.

So, too, the singer has a _mother_, a _sister_, an _auntie_ and others in

the "promise lan'". Likewise he says instead of "sister when you pray,"

etc., _brother_, _member_, _mourner_, _sinner_, _preacher_, and the

others. As a rule morning signified to the negroes the time for going to

heaven and for the resurrection. The morning star shining as a witness to

his conversion, and the midnight dew typified the early morning time of

his religion. "In the morning" is sung as of old.

I have been tempted, _O yes_,

An' I have been tried, _O yes_,

I have been to the river an' been baptize,

An' I want to go to heaven in the morning.

_Won't you ride on Jesus?

Ride on Jesus, ride on crowning King,

For I want to go to heaven in the morning._

If you see my mother, _O yes_,

Please tell her for me, _O yes_,

That the angels in heaven done change my name,

An' I want to go to heaven in the morning.

So if you see "_brother John, sister Nancy_," and others makes the song

complete. The song once so popular, "Yes, I'll be dere, When gen'ral roll

call" is still heard occasionally. Many of these songs have been corrupted

and changed, consolidated and revised into new songs. Such a song is

"Study war no mo'", which combines the old camp meeting, "down by the

river side", and a new element of _peace_, the origin of which is not

known.

Well there's goin' to be a big camp meetin',

Down by the river side.

_Well, I ain't goin' to study war no mo',

Well, I ain't goin' to study war no mo',

Well, I ain't goin' to study war no mo'._

Well such a shoutin' an' prayin'

Down by the riverside.

Well I goin' to meet my sister,

Down by the riverside.

Well the brothers got to shoutin',

Down by the riverside.

Said the old singers: "Some o' dese mornin's, hope I'll see my mother,

hope I'll jine de ban', hope I'll walk bout Zion, Talk wid de angels, Talk

my trouble over" while they looked "away to hebben". Now the negro sings:

Gwine to weep, gwine to mourn,

Gwine to git up early in de morn,

Fo' my soul's goin' to heaven jes' sho's you born,

Brother Gabriel goin' to blow his horn.

Goin' to sing, goin' to pray,

Goin' to pack all my things away,

Fo' my soul's goin' to heaven jes' sho's you born,

Brother Gabriel gwine ter blow his horn.

"Pray come an' go wid me" sings the Christian, for "I'm on my journey home

to the New Jerusalem". If refused he says, "Now don't let me beg you to

follow me, for I'm on my journey home", and finally he sings, "Well,

brother come an' go wid me." If the sinner needs other exhortation he may

listen to the mixed song "Dry bones goin' to rise ergain", in which there

is first warning, then hope of glory.

Some go ter meetin' to sing an' shout,

_Dry bones goin' ter rise again_;

Fore six month deys all turned out,

_Dry bones goin' ter rise again_.

_O little chillun, O little childun,

O lit'le childun, dry bones goin' rise ergin._

Talk erbout me but taint my fault,

Dry bones goin ter rise ergin;

But me an' Godermighty goin' walk an' talk,

Dry bones goin' ter rise ergin.

Ef you want ter go to heaven when you die,

Dry bones goin' rise ergin;

Jes' stop yo' tongue from tellin' lies,

Dry bones goin' ter rise ergin.

In the old plantation song Ezekiel was represented down in a valley "full

of bones as dry as dust" and

He gib de bone a mighty shake,

Fin' de ole sinners too dry to quake,

Death for the Christian is _shouting_: death for the sinner is _doom_.

"When I git to heaven, goin' shout on my knees" gives an accurate picture

of what the negro conceives to be happiness. But he not only expects to

shout while on earth and when he gets home, but even when he dies. For

says he,

My mother dies a shoutin', an' I goin' die shoutin', too,

Yes, my mother died a shoutin' an' I goin' die shoutin', too.

My mother died a shoutin', my mother died a shoutin',

Yes, my mother died a shoutin' an' I goin' die shoutin', too.

Still his mother is not the only one who has died shouting; he sings in

the same way of _father_, _preacher_, _brother_, _sister_ and others; the

slave song included "_Missus_" and "_Marster_" or "_Massa_". But shouting

must not be all. The negro and his brothers, sisters, mother are all to

die "_mournin'_", and "_prayin'_". In "Join de Heaven wid de Angels" the

rich voice of one or two leaders and the swelling chorus produce an effect

scarcely surpassed.

O join on, join my Lord,

_Join de heaven wid de angels_;

O join on, join my Lord,

_Join de heaven wid de angels_.

What kin' er shoes is dem you wear?

_Join de heaven wid de angels_;

Dat you kin' walk upon de air,

_Join de heaven wid de angels_.

Oh, God don't talk like a nat'al man,

Join de heaven wid de angels;

He talk to de sinner, he understan',

Join de heaven wid de angels.

I'm Baptis' bred an' I'm Baptis' bo'n,

Join de heaven wid de angels;

An' when I die dey's a Baptis' gone,

Join de heaven wid de angels.

Jes' so de tree fall jes' so it lie,

Join de heaven wid de angels;

Jes so de sinner lib' jes' so he die,

Join de heaven wid de angels.

The song has been found in several forms among which one has it that

_John_ is to be in de heavens with the angels. In fact the probable origin

of "join on" seems to have been "John saw de heaven wid de angels". In one

of the old songs the singer answers,

Dem shoes I wears is gospel shoes,

_View de lan', view de lan'_;

An' you can wear dem if you choose,

View de lan', view de lan'.

There are other references, too, besides the above, to the denominations

of the negro churchmen. It has already been seen that the negro likes

"bes'" the "shoutin' Mefodes'". So he says "There's fire in de eas' an'

fire in de wes; An' fire among de Methodes'". He is loyal and proclaims:

"Methodist, Methodist is my name, Methodist till I die, I'll be baptize in

the Methodist name, An' I'll lib' on the Methodist side". In the same way

he is _Baptist_ and _Presbyterian_; the _Baptist_ is the favorite church

of the negro, however, and there are more Baptists than all other

denominations combined.

The "Angel Band", while a very simple song in which the chorus constitutes

the greater part, is one of the most beautiful that the negroes sing. The

tune is a variation of a well-known hymn used by the whites. The power of

the song seems to lie in the tender interest which centres about the vivid

portrayal of the little angels in the heavenly band. The chorus is

repeated after each stanza, while each stanza itself is the repetition of

a single line. From one to ten; from ten to twenty and so on to one

hundred is ordinarily sung, thus making a lengthy song. The children love

to sing the chorus; two forms are ordinarily found, varying the monotony

enough to please the negro.

_Dere's one little, two little, three little angels,

Dere's four little, five little, six little angels.

Dere's seven little, eight little, nine little angels,

Dere's ten little angels in de band.

Dere's leben, dere's twelve, dere's thir'een little angels,

Dere's fourteen, dere's fifteen, dere's sixteen little angels.

Dere's seventeen, dere's eighteen, dere's nineteen little angels,

Dere's twenty little angels in de band._

The "little" in the chorus is preferred to the "dere's" as a rule,

apparently serving to describe the angels. The stanzas of the song are

equally as unlimited and as simple as the chorus. "Sunday morning" is the

common factor to all of the verses; sometimes it is omitted.

Jesus rose on Sunday mornin',

On Sunday mornin' so soon.

He rose an' flew away on Sunday mornin'.

My mother died on Sunday mornin'.

Oh wasn't that sad on Sunday mornin'?

Dere's goin' to be a big camp meetin' on Sunday mornin'.

Dere's goin' to be a mournin' on Sunday mornin'.

Mourners got to shoutin' on Sunday mornin'.

I'm goin' away to leave you on Sunday mornin'.

Well, my sister's goin' to heaven on Sunday mornin'.

While this form of the song may be continued indefinitely, other verses

may also be inserted. Instead of the "On Sunday mornin'" is often

substituted "Fer to see my Lord".

Well, my sister's goin' to heaven fer to see my Lord,

To see my Lord, to see my Lord;

Well, my sister's goin' to heaven fer to see my Lord,

What's de onbelievin' soul?

And so he continues with _preacher_, _brother_, _mother_, _auntie_ and any

others that he wishes to enumerate. As a shouting song or as a

"collection" song, it is not surpassed.

The negro's fancies of the "Heaven's bright home" are not exceeded by the

world's fairy tales. There are silver and golden slippers; there are

crowns of stars and jewels and belts of gold. There are robes of spotless

white and wings all bejewelled with heavenly gems. Beyond the jasper seas

he will outshine the sun; the golden streets and the fruit of the tree of

life are far superior to any golden apples or silver pears of a Mother

Goose. In fact the negro's fairy stories centre on heaven; the children's

definitions of heaven consisted entirely of pictures of splendor and

glory. To this place the negro imagines he will go and who knows but that

he may fly there?

Some o' dese mornin's bright an' fair,

_Way in de middle of de air_;

Gwi' hitch on my wings an' try de air,

_Way in de middle of de air_.

_Come over, den, John saw de holy number,

Way in de middle of de air;

John saw de holy number,

Way in de middle of de air;_

If yer wanter dream dem heavenly dreams,

Way in de middle of de air;

Lay yo' head on Jord'n's stream,

Way in de middle of de air.

I got a book goin' read it thru',

Way in de middle of de air,

I got my Jesus well as you,

Way in de middle of de air.

With a golden "band all round his waist, An' de palms ob victory in a-his

hands", the negro sings in reality: "Pray come an' go wid me", for so

vivid is his picture that he has been known to start up a post or pillar

in the church, saying, "Good bye brothers, I'm gone". His songs make much

of flying; different from that just quoted he repeats:

_One mornin' soon,

One mornin' soon, my Lord,

One mornin' soon,

I goin' try the air,

Pray come an' go wid me._

Well I got on my travellin' shoes,

Pray come an' go wid me.

He sings, too, "I goin' to put on my long white robe", "We'll try on de

slippah shoe an' wear de golden belt". Again he sings of his doings in the

_morning_, _noontime_, and _midnight_.

In the morning--um-u',

I goin' put on my golden shoes.

In the midnight--um-u',

I goin' put on my long white robe.

Talk about it--um-u',

I goin' wear that starry crown.

The angels and Jesus wear the starry crown and long white robes; there

will be no separating line between us and God in the new world. "Oh how I

long to go dere, too", sang the old negroes. Now he pictures again the

appearance of Jesus.

Jesus, he wore the starry crown,

Jesus he wore the starry crown,

Jesus he wore the starry crown, starry crown.

How does you know he wore the crown?

How does you know he wore the crown? wore the crown?

For the Bible it tell me so,

For the Bible it tell me so, tell me so.

Then, too, Jesus "he wore the long white robe, for the Bible it tell me

so." More than the _world_ or _riches_ or _dress_ the singer claims he

values the treasures of heaven. In this assertion he is doubtless sincere,

both because he is thinking only of his religious state while he sings,

and because he has little opportunity for obtaining these earthly riches.

Says he:

I don't care fur riches,

Neither dress so fine,

Jes' giv' me my long white robe,

An' I want my starry crown.

_For my Lord done bin here,

Done bless my soul an' gone away._

Po' man goin' to heaven,

Rich man goin' to hell,

For po' man got his starry crown,

Rich man got his wealth.

This "ole worl' bin a hell to me" indicates the contrast between the

everyday life of the world and that which the negro will enjoy after

death. In his eagerness and impatience to rest in the "promise lan'," the

negro does not always think kindly of the world and he does not care even

though "Death is in dis lan'."

Ever since my Lord has set me free,

_Death is in dis lan'_,

This ole worl' bin a hell to me,

_Death is in dis lan'_.

_I'm so glad death is in dis lan',

I'm so glad death is in dis lan'._

O run 'long mourner 'n git yo' crown,

_Death is in dis lan'_,

By yo' father's side set down,

_Death is in dis lan'_.

Some er dese mornin's bright and fair,

_Death is in dis lan'_,

Gwin'r hitch on my wings an' try de air,

_Death is in dis lan'_.

If the negro expects to go to heaven and there mingle with God, the angels

and his loved ones, he also expects to sing in all the glory and splendor

imaginable. The negroes used to sing of "jinin' de association, climbin'

Jacob's ladder, climbin' higher an' higher, sittin' down at de welcome

table, feastin' off'n milk an' honey, tell God how you served me, jine de

big baptizin", after which "den my little soul gwine shine." So they sang

of a mother, father, brother in heaven who "outshines de sun", and ended

by declaring that when they got to heaven "we will outshine de sun." In

very much the same way the negroes sing to-day in one of their favorites,

"Goin' to Outshine de Sun."

Well, my mother's goin' to heaven,

She's goin' to outshine the sun, _O Lord_,

Well, my mother's goin' to heaven,

She's goin' to outshine the sun,

Yes, my mother's goin' to heaven to outshine the sun,

An' it's way beyon' the moon.

You got a home in the promise lan',

Goin' to outshine the sun, _O Lord_,

An' it's way beyon' the moon.

The crown that my Jesus give me,

Goin' to outshine the sun, _my Lord_,

An' it's way beyond the moon.

Goin' to put on my crown in glory,

An' outshine the sun, _O Lord_.

'Way beyon' de moon.

Other verses sing of putting on slippers, long white robe, in each case

the singer is to "outshine the sun." The dazzling splendor of it all makes

anticipation full of staying qualities; it makes the picture one of

reality because of the vigor of an imaginative power. Who knows if the

negroes often dream of the grandeurs of the sky?

The negro uses many figures and symbols in his religion. He can see the

chariot wheel and the chariot of fire taking him to heaven as easily as

Elijah. He can imagine that he, too, can ascend even as Christ and the

angels. Besides these methods he has the Gospel Train and the Ship of

Zion. The train has much fascination for the negro: much will be seen of

this in his social songs. It is but natural that he should bring it into

his religious songs. The negro often goes to meet the train at the

station, even when sick. It is a great social event of a Sunday. So again,

he wishes to go on an excursion; few things can hinder him. Very much in

the same strain is the religious song, "When the train come along."

Well, I may be sick an' cannot rise,

But I meet you at de station when de train come along.

_When de train come along,

When de train come along,

I'll meet you at de station when de train come along._

Well, I may be blind an' cannot see,

But I'll meet you at de station when de train come along.

Well, I may be lame and cannot walk,

But I'll meet you at de station when de train come along.

While no mention is made of the exact kind of train, it is generally

understood to mean the Gospel train. This song also has a popular variant

which is used in a secular way. In either case it expresses in a very

forceful way the importance of meeting the train. In proportion as a

picture resembles real life or magnifies that which has been imaged, to

that degree does it bring home its truth to the negro's mind. The negro

continues to sing of the train on which he is to ride into the Kingdom.

Says he:

I am talkin' 'bout the same train,

Same train that carried my father,

_Same train_.

Same train that carried my mother,

_Same train_,

Same train will be back to-morrow,

_Same train_.

Same train will be here to-morrow,

_Same train_,

Well you better be ready,

_It's the same train_.

The "same train" also carried his _brother_, _sister_, _preacher_ and

others. But the train which will come back to-morrow will not wait always.

One must not only be at the station but must also have a ticket. There is

plenty of room, according to the negro's conception, but there is not

plenty of time. It would be a wistful negro that looked upon the train

pulling out for heaven and he all alone is left behind. He sings,

Well you better git yo' ticket,

Bye and bye.

There's a great day er comin',

Bye and bye.

For the train it's er comin',

Bye and bye.

_I am sure God is ready,

I am sure God is ready,

Bye and bye._

Instead of the chorus just given he often sings: "I sure God am ready,"

and "I sho' God is ready." With this in view he is willing and glad for

the train to come along. If he is ready, all the better for him to be on

his journey. So he continues in another song and at another time:

If God was to call me I would not care--um-u',

For he done move away my fears--um-u'.

I'm goin' to heaven, an' I'm goin' fo' long--um-u',

All don't see me will hear my song--um-u'.

When de gospel train come 'long--um-u',

That's the train carry me home--um-u'.

Wake up, sinner, you will be too late--um-u',

Gospel train done pass yo' gate--um-u'.

In the old plantation songs the exhortation was given to "Git on board

little children, dere's room for many a mo'." So also they sang:

De gospel train's a comin',

I hear it jus' at hand,

I hear de car wheels rumblin',

An' rollin' thru de land.

I hear de train a comin',

She's comin' round de curve,

She's loosened all her steam an' brakes,

An' strainin' eb'ry nerve.

De fare is cheap an' all can go,

De rich an' pore are dere,

No second class abord dis train,

No difference in de fare.

In addition to the above stanzas the Jubilee singers added others. They

heard the bell and whistle and "she's playin' all her steam an' power."

The rhyme and imagery of the old song struck a more responsive chord than

the present song; this is due to the fact that the negro of to-day sings

his railroad songs and enjoys them in his secular music. There he pictures

the train with such vividness that the train may be easily heard and seen

in his imagination. Other verses of the _Gospel Train_ as it was sung by

the Jubilee singers are:

There's Moses and Noah and Abraham,

And all the prophets, too,

Our friends in Christ are all on board,

O what a heavenly crew.

We soon shall reach the station,

O how we then shall sing,

With all the heavenly army,

We'll make the welkin ring.

She's nearing now the station,

O sinner, don't be vain,

But come an' get your ticket,

And be ready for the train.

No signal for the other train,

To follow on the line,

O sinner, you're forever lost,

If once you're left behind.

While the song as reported by the Jubilee singers does not possess the

mere characteristics of form and dialect, it nevertheless appeals to the

negroes and it is sometimes sung. One of the fears of the negro is that

others may go to heaven and he be left behind. This, as has been

indicated, constitutes the sum total of misery. So he has a number of

songs in which he expresses this feeling and prays that he may not be left

behind in the race of life for the eternal goal. One of the most touching

of these songs represents the negro as an orphan who is unwilling to stay

alone in the world:

My muther an' my father both are daid, both are daid,

My muther an' my father both are dead,

My mother an' my father both are dead,

Good Lord, I cannot stay here by merself.

_I'm er pore little orphan chile in de worl', chile in de worl',

I'm er pore little orphan chile in the worl',

I'm a pore little orphan chile in de worl',

Good Lord, I cannot stay here by merself._

De train done whistled an' de cars done gone, cars done gone,

De train done whistled an' de cars ere gone,

_Ezekiel_, I cannot stay here by merself.

My brothers an' my sisters are all gone, all gone,

My brothers an' my sister're all gone, all gone,

My brothers an' sisters all are gone,

_Mer Jesus_, I cannot stay here by merself.

Git me ticket fer de train, fer de train,

Git me ticket fer de train,

_I got_ mer ticket fer de train,

_Thank God_, I _ain't gwine_ stay here by merself.

Very much like the song just given the negroes used to sing: "Dar's room

in dar, room in dar, room in de heaven, Lord, I can't stay behin'". So,

too, "I can't or don't want to stay here no longer" are common and classic

verses of negro song. Again they sang the "good news" because "De

chariot's comin', I doan want her to leave a-me behind, Gwine get upon dat

chariot, Carry me home". In a prayer the negro sang: "Jesus, don't leave

me behind". In his songs to-day the negro says:

Dear brother, don't you leave,

This ole world's a hell to me.

_This ole world's a hell to me,

This ole world's a hell to me._

Yes, I bleedzed to leave this world,

Sister, I's bleedzed to leave this world,

For it's a hell to me.

While the old negroes used to sing "Oh brother, sisters, mourners, don't

stay away, For my Lord says there's room enough", the modern negro sings

"You can't stay away".

_Sister, you can't stay away,

Sister, you can't stay away,

Sister, you can't stay away, stay away._

My Lord is a callin' an' you can't stay away,

Yes, my Lord is a callin' an' you can't stay away,

An' you can't stay away.

King Jesus is a ridin' an' you can't stay away,

_O preacher, you can't stay away_.

There have been a great many versions of the song "Ole Ship of Zion", none

of which differ materially. The four or five versions most common in the

slave and plantation song represented the Ship of Zion somewhat as

follows: "She has landed many a thousand, She can land as many more, Do

you think she will be able, For to take us all home? You can tell 'em I'm

comin' home", "Dis de good ole ship of Zion, An' she's maken' fer de

promise lan'. She hab angels fer de sailors. An' how you know dey's

angels? Dat ship is out a sailin' she's a sailin' mighty steady. She'll

neither reel nor totter, She's a sailin' 'way cold Jordan. King Jesus is

de captain, captain". "De gospel ship is sailin', O Jesus is de captain,

De angels are de sailors, O is yo' bundle ready? O have you got yo'

ticket!" Another version has "her loaded down with angels"; Another "wid

a-bright angels". Another asks what ship is that "you're enlisted upon"?

and answers that it is the "Good ship of Zion", which "sails like she's

heavy loaded", and "has King Jesus for the captain", and "the Holy Ghost

is de pilot" The coast negroes had many songs that originated in ideas

suggested by the boats. To-day the river negroes have songs of their own,

but they do not go into the church songs. The Old Ship of Zion, however,

is sung, but only as a remnant of the former song, less elaborate.

This ole ship is a reelin' an' a rockin',

This ole ship is a reelin' an' a rockin' rockin' rockin'

Makin' fer de promise lan'.

While the negro sings, he sees the ship reelin' an' rockin', and repeats

these phrases enough and in a rhythmic manner, so that he imitates the

imagined motion of the ship. The other stanzas of the song are practically

the same as those of the earlier days.

_O my Lord, shall I be the one?

O my Lord, shall I be the one?

Makin' for the promise lan'?_

Yes, 'tis that good ole ship of Zion, of Zion,

Yes, 'tis that good ole ship of Zion,

Makin' for the promise lan'.

O the ship is heavy loaded, loaded, loaded,

Makin' for the promise lan'.

It's loaded with many er thousand, thousand, thousand,

Makin' fer the promise lan'.

"This ole worl's a rollin'" is most likely a figure of the ship and

modelled on the same song. However, it conveys a different idea, one of

judgment and the end of the world. The negro sings:

Well the ole worl' is a rollin', rollin', rollin',

Yes, the ole worl' is rollin', rollin' away.

Well ain't you goin' to get ready?

Yes, ain't you goin' to get ready? for it's rollin' away.

Well get on board little children, children, children,

Well get on board, for this ole worl's rollin' away.

He sings for the _sinner_, _mourner_, and all his _friends_ and

_relatives_ to get on board the world as she rolls away. It reminds one

somewhat of the song once current among the negroes: "O de ole ferry boat

stan' a-waitin' at de landin', Chilluns we'se all gwine home". The same

feeling of motion and the end of the world as is indicated in the moving

of the train, ship, and the world itself is also reflected in the opening

of the graveyards and the rolling of the hearse wheel. The same rhythmic

effect of motion and words give a strikingly appropriate attitude to the

singer.

O the lightening flashin' an' the thunder rollin', rollin', rollin',

O the lightening flashin' an' thunder rollin', rollin', rollin',

O the light'ning flashin' an' thunder rollin',

Lawd, I know my time ain't long; Lawd, I know my time ain't long.

The hearse wheel rollin' an' graveyard openin', openin', openin',

The hearse wheel rollin' an' the graveyard openin',

Lawd, I know my time ain't long, my time ain't long.

And very much like the above song is "Every Day". However, it is so

similar to other songs that one concludes that it is only a putting

together of what the singer already knew. The Bahama negroes have a song,

"If hev'ry day was judgment day", that is almost exactly the same in

meaning as this one. The song, however, is a powerful one and seems to be

gaining in popularity.

Well the hearse wheel rollin',

_Every day, every day_,

Carryin' yo' brother to the graveyard,

Every day, every day--_move, Zion, move_.

Well ain't it a pity, pity?

Every day, every day,

Well ain't it a pity, ain't it a pity?

Every day, every day, _move, Zion, move_.

Well they're carryin' a sinner, sinner,

Every day, every day,

Yes, they're carryin' a sinner,

Every day, every day, _move, Zion, move_.

Move, Zion, move, for you got to go to judgment,

Every day, every day,

Move, Zion, move, for you got to go to judgment,

Every day, every day, _move, Zion, move_.

The getting of mail, and especially of letters, usually means much to the

negroes; perhaps simply because they receive little mail. To have a letter

from a distinguished person is superlative honor and the recipient usually

makes the fact known generally. Just how the negro conceived of receiving

letters from God, or why he imagined the angels and apostles as writing

letters does not appear clear. One gets a letter, another reads it; one

writes a letter and all know its contents. Such a reference is found in a

number of songs, that serve as a warning or admonition.

Well my mother got a letter, O yes,

Well she could not read it, O yes,

What you reckon that letter said?

That she didn't have long to stay here.

_Won't you come, won't you come?

Won't you come an' get ready to die?

Won't you come, for my Lord is callin' you?_

How do you know that my Lord is callin', O yes?

If you look at this letter, O yes,

You see it come from the Hebrews, O yes,

Won't you come, for my Lord is callin' you.

Perhaps the idea of the letter came from the _epistles_ of the New

Testament. John and Peter wrote letters; Mary and Martha read them. The

letters of the Hebrews and Ephesians are spoken of. The idea "It just

suits me" seems to have sprung up from satisfaction in reading the "word"

or in hearing the sermon and praying in the usual way.

John wrote a letter and he wrote it in haste,

_An' it jus' suit me_:

John wrote a letter and he wrote it in haste,

_An' it jus' suit me_.

John wrote a letter and he wrote it in haste,

If yer want to go to heaven yer better make haste,

_An' it jus' suit me_.

I'll tell you a little thing that was in that letter,

_An' it jus' suit me_.

I'll tell you a little thing that was in John's letter,

The Holy Ghost came to make us better,

_An' it jus' suit me_.

In the same form and repetition are sung other stanzas, all of which

"suit" the negroes pretty well.

If this isn't the Holy Ghost I don't know,

I never felt such a love befo',

_But it jus' suit me_.

O my brother, you oughter been at de pool,

To see me put on my gospel shoes,

_An' it jus' suit me_.

Ezekiel said he spied the train a comin',

We got on board an' she never stopped runnin',

_An' it jus' suit me_.

This kind er religion is better than gold,

It's better felt than ever told,

_An' it jus' suit me_.

I tell you a little thing you can't do,

You can't serve God and the devil, too,

_But it jus' suit me_.

When trouble is done an' conflict have passed,

I rise to reign in peace at last,

_An' it jus' suit me_.

By this time the singers are happy enough and the preacher joins them in

shouting, "Yes, brethren, it just suits me." It is gratifying to the

negroes that their sins have been "washed in the blood of the Lamb", as

indeed it ought to be. Perhaps they give it its undue prominence without

thought; for they have no conception of the seriousness of their claims.

The negro singers have exhibited a characteristic specimen of their _word

combinations_, _concrete pictures_, and _theological principles_ in their

song, "De blood done sign my name."

_O de blood, O de blood,

O de blood done sign my name;

O Jesus said so, Jesus said so,

O de blood done sign my name._

I believe it for God he tole me,

_That the blood done sign my name_,

I believe it for God he tole me,

_That the blood done sign my name,

Yes, the blood done sign my name_.

How do you know so, God he said so

_That the blood done sign my name_.

Well it's written in de Kingdom,

_That the blood done sign my name_.

Well in de Lamb's book it is written,

_That the blood done sign my name_.

Well the wheels a turnin', wheels a turnin',

_Blood done sign my name_.

I'm boun' for glory, boun' for glory,

_The blood done sign my name_.

On de mountain, on de mountain,

_The blood done sign my name_.

In the valley, in the valley,

_Blood done sign my name_.

But the Christian does not have an easy time after his conversion. Satan

is always at hand and ready to lead him away if there is a chance. The

negro's idea of satan and the devil has been noted. In his march songs the

negro imagines that he is marching against his foe; this foe is sometimes

satan himself. "The other world is not lak' dis" is a typical marching

song.

I er's walkin' 'long de oder day,

De udder worl' is not lak' dis,

I met ole satan on de way,

De udder worl' is not lak' dis,

He said, "Young man, you're too young to pray",

De udder worl' is not lak' dis.

_Tell all dis worl',

Tell all dis worl',

De odder worl' is not lak' dis._

As I went down in de valley to pray,

De udder worl' is not lak' dis,

I met a little looker on de way,

De udder worl' is not lak' dis,

He said: "Look out fer de Judgment day",

De udder worl' is not lak' dis.

Another marching song that is a rousing one is "Goin' down to Jord'n". It

represents, like the one just given, the attributes of satan and his

relation to the Christian. The scene as pictured, the army marching on

down to Jordan, the imaginary foe, and the rhythm of the song make it a

favorite.

Halleluyer to the Lam',

Goin' on down to Jordan,

Lord God's on that givin' han',

Goin' on down to Jordan.

_Goin' down to Jordan,

Goin' down to Jordan,

I got my breas'plate, sword an' shield,

Goin' down to Jordan,

Boldly mar chin' thru' the field,

Goin' on down to Jordan._

I plucked one block out'n satan's wall,

Goin' on down to Jordan,

I heard him stumble an' saw him fall,

Goin' on down to Jordan.

Ole satan's a liar an' a conjurer, too,

Goin' on down to Jordan,

If you don't mind he'll conjure you,

Goin' down to Jordan.

Ole satan mad an' I am glad,

He missed a soul he thought he had.

Ole satan thought he had me fast,

Broke his chain an' I'm free at last.

I've landed my feet on Jordan's sho',

Now I'm free forever mo',

_Goin' on down to Jordan_.

Something has been observed about the negro's attitude toward the

crucifixion. The old songs asked: "Wus you dere when dey crucified my

Lord? When dey put the crown of thorns on?" and other scenes. In some of

the songs the negroes sang "_I wus_ dere when", etc., while still others

only affirm the facts. The songs of the present generation of negroes are

less vivid and less full of feeling for the suffering of the Master. Some

of the verses are similar to those of the plantation songs.

He carried his cross, he carried his cross,

Up Zion hill, up Zion hill,

He carried his cross, he carried his cross,

Up Zion hill, up Zion hill,

He carried his cross up Zion hill, Zion hill, Zion hill.

They put on him the thorny crown (3),

Then they nail my Jesus down,

They nail him down, nail him down, nail him down,

They lif' the cross high in the air (3),

To show the worl' how they nail him there,

How they nail him there, nail him there, nail him there.

A peculiar corruption of this song represents the prodigal son as being in

the place of Christ; now it is the prodigal, now it is the Lord. It

indicates the manner of the development of many of these songs, and shows

something of the insignificance of the words on the minds of the singers.

He sings with his holy laugh:

Yes, the prodigal son come home, ha, ha,

The prodigal son come home by hisself.

An' they nail him to the cross, ha, ha,

An' they nail him to the cross on that day.

An' the blood come runnin' down, ha, ha,

The blood come runnin' down, ha, ha,

An' the blood come runnin' down, on that day.

An' they kill the fat'nin' calf, ha, ha,

They kill the fat'nin' calf on that day.

An' they carried my Lord away, ha, ha,

They carried my Lord away, by hisself.

Paul and Silas, Peter and John are models for proper contemplation. One of

the old songs represented Peter and Paul as bound in jail. "Togedda dey

sung, togedda dey prayed, De Lawd he heard how dey sung an' prayed. Den

humble yo'selves, de bell done rung." "Paul an' Silas bound in jail, The

Christians pray both night and day," represented another song, one version

of which has survived and is current to-day. Most of the song consists in

repetitions.

Paul and Silas bound in jail,

Paul and Silas bound in jail.

Paul did pray one mournful prayer (4).