This song intrigues me. I've loved it since I first heard Bill Staines sing it (it's on his Bridges CD). Snuffy's tune is more-or-less the one I'm familiar with, although I don't think I've ever heard the Incredible String Band or Grateful Dead versions. I didn't find a thread on it, but I moved the two messages above here from generic threads so the information would be easier to find. I found this Grateful Dead version of the lyrics here (click). Are there other versions?
-Joe Offer-


And We Bid You Goodnight

Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest,
Won't you lay your head upon your savior's chest,
I love you all, but Jesus loves you the best
And we bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.

I would never ride, well, I would never ride (goodnight, goodnight)
But His rod and His staff, they comfort me (goodnight, goodnight)
Tell "A" for the ark, that wonderful boat (goodnight, goodnight)
Tell "B" for the beast at the ending of the wood (goodnight, goodnight)
You know it ate all the children when they wouldn't be good,
Walking in Jerusalem just like John (goodnight, goodnight)
I go walking in the valley of the shadow of death,
And we bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.

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There's nothing in the Traditional Ballad Index on this song.

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Here's another message about this song that got buried in a generic thread:

Thread #58799   Message #934122
Posted By: GUEST,Tom Henehan
15-Apr-03 - 03:20 PM
Thread Name: Religion and Song Circles
Subject: RE: Religion and Song Circles

The Grateful Dead often closed their shows with "I Bid You Goodnight" -- hardly a traditionally religious group, albeit promoters of / participants in a certain school of spirituality. The sudden change of pace usually served to bring a nice sense of closure to a very long evening.

When I first heard the Dead perform this tune (1969-70-ish), I recognized the tune from *some* earlier folk-revival-era recording -- probably the Incredible String Band. I only know the one verse that the Dead used, very similar to what Ebbie just submitted. However, differences in the meter might mean that we're discussing two entirely different tunes with similar lyrics -- who knows?

Won't you lay down children / Lay down and take your rest
Lay your head / Upon your Savior's breast
'Cuz I love you, but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you good night, good night, good night.
(repeat until satisfied)

By the way -- how is it that some guest submissions are labelled "GUEST [name]" and others just "GUEST"?