A spiritual that goes well in lined-out teaching mode. I've never heard anyone else sing it, so I assume people will not have learned it elsewhere and need a little help with how it goes. This has a bouncy rhythm and a jaunty melody. It alsmost sounds like a drinking song, in fact! :~)

~Susan

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ALL GOD'S CHILDREN GOT TO HUMBLE DOWN
As learned from the singing of Betty Bush Winger, Point Pleasant, West Virginia, ca. 1931, in the Gordon collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress. Adapted, edited, and additional verse by Susan O. Hinton.

From the LOC website: Like others whom Gordon recorded, she was not only an informant but also a collector who responded to Gordon's "scientific" interest in the songs. She not only collected songs, she also composed songs and wrote religious plays. She perceived an essential connection between the collection of rare old songs which had historical value, and the creation of new compositions—songs or stories—based on these models or dealing with the same subject matter. Content and not process was the most important facet of folksong traditions for her. Gordon first learned of Winger's songs at a time when he was experimenting with portable disc recording equipment. He convinced the Amplion Company to loan him a new disc recording machine and visited Winger in West Virginia in late 1931 or early 1932 in order to record her songs, some of which she sent to the archive.

"All God's Children Got to Humble Down" was one of the spirituals in Winger's repertoire which Gordon found of great interest. He cited her collection in his part of the 1932 Annual Report of the Librarian of Congress as an important new piece of evidence for spiritual scholarship.


CHORUS:
All God's children got to humble down, humble down, humble down.
All God's children got to humble down, if they're goin' to wear a crown.
All God's children got to humble down, gotta stretch-out-a hand and-a humble down.
Stretch out-a hand and-a humble down, while the blood come trickling down.

1. Get you the blood of-a Jesus,   
A-fallin' right down on you.
Y' gonna-have-to humble down child,
If-you want-a be washed clean through.

2. Take-off your shoes, you mourners,   
You standin'-on holy ground.
Honey and oil your portion,   
If you can humble down.

3. Got you the true religion,   
You know you bound to share.
Stretch your hand and tell the news,   
The Lord be workin' there.

SH