Lyr Req: Make Sure My Grave Is Kept Clean

Subject: Early Traditional Blues - One Kind Favor
From: lightnin' james
Date: 21 Aug 98 - 06:58 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to "Make Sure My Grave Is Kept Clean" by Blind Lemon Jefferson or Lightnin' Hopkins

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Click for related thread & alternate lyrics

Subject: Lyr Add: SEE THAT MY GRAVE IS KEPT CLEAN
From: Zorro
Date: 21 Aug 98 - 11:10 PM

SEE THAT MY GRAVE IS KEPT CLEAN

You know there's one kind favor I'd ask of you,
One kind favor I'd ask of you,
One kind favor I'd ask of you,
See that my grave is kept clean.

You know there's two white horses in a line,
Two white horses in a line,
Two white horses in a line,
Gonna take me to my buryin' ground.

(Well I thought there was more to it when I started. This is from Lightin' Hopkins from his Folkways album. Lightin' gives Blind Lemon credit for this song and for teaching him to play guitar. There are more verses, and I have them somehwere on a tape. I'll keep looking, but someone else may post them first.

Did you ever hear that death bell sound,
Ever hear that death bell sound,
Ever hear that death bell sound,
It means another poor boy is under ground.

???

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: SEE THAT MY GRAVE IS KEPT CLEAN
From:
Date: 22 Aug 98 - 08:40 PM

Here is the transcription from "The Anthology of American Folk Music", edited by John Dunson and Ethel Raim.

This is the Blind Lemon version and it is transcribed by Ethel Raim

See That My Grave is Kept Clean

Well its [E]one kind[B7]favor I ask of [E]you
Well, it's [A] one kind favor I ask of [E]you
Lord, its one kind thing, I'll ask of you
. See that my grave is kept clean

It's a long lane ain't got no end (3X)
It's a bad way that don' ever change

Lord, it's two white horses in a line (3X)
Will take me to my burrying ground

My heart stopped beating and my hands got cold (3X)
It's a long, long story that the bible told

Have you ever heard a chughin' sound? (3X)
Then you know that the poor boy is in the ground

Oh, dig my grave with a silver spade (3X)
You may lead me down with a golden chain

Have you ever heard the church bell toll? (3X)
Then you know that the poor boy's dead and gone

In the first verse, the letters in brackets are the chords placed right before the change. The (3X) means repeat three times.

There is a transcription of the fingepicking accompanyment by Stefan Grossman in his lessons "Fingerpicking Country Blues Guitar"

Murray

Subject: Lyr Add: SEE THAT MY GRAVE IS KEPT CLEAN
From: Gene
Date: 23 Aug 98 - 02:15 AM

And here is one more version of the song....

SEE THAT MY GRAVE IS KEPT CLEAN
Writer: L. Jefferson

There's one kind favor I ask of you
There's a one kind favor I ask of you
There's one kind favor I ask of you
See that my grave is kept clean.

It's a long train ain't got no end
It's a long train ain't got no end
It's a long lane ain't got no end
It's so bad it is a miserable day.

There's two white horses in my lane
Two white horses in my lane
There is [p] white horses in my lane [p=slight pause]
Goin' take me to my buryin' ground.

Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Then you know the poor boy is in the ground

Oh, dig my grave with a silver spade
Dig my grave with a silver spade
Oh, dig my grave with a silver spade
You may place four diamonds on my grave.

Have you ever heard a death bell toll?
Have you ever heard a death bell toll?
Have you ever heard a death bell toll?
Then you know the poor boy's dead and gone.

TAG: You know the poor boy's dead and gone.

SOURCE:
Original Soundtrack Recording
From the Paramount Motion Picture; LEADBELLY
Note 1. Leadbelly vocals by HiTide Harris
Note 2. Blind Lemon vocals by Art Evans

Subject: RE: Early Traditional Blues
From: Rockaday Johnny
Date: 23 Aug 98 - 11:00 AM

Folks: It's "Coffin Sounds!!!!"

Subject: RE: Early Traditional Blues
From:
Date: 23 Aug 98 - 11:30 AM

Very good! but one question....???
If you speak both words into a speech to text converter..
Coffin and Coughin'?
Which word, COFFIN or COUGHIN' will it print out?

Subject: RE: Early Traditional Blues
From: Tinwhistler
Date: 23 Aug 98 - 12:18 PM

This is a good one. Stefan Grossman's book "Beginning Fingerpicking Guitar" also has a fingerpicking transcription as well as the lyrics, and Dave Van Ronk playing and singing the song on CD.

However--the book is NOT for beginners! It is definately intermediate level.

Cheers! Sue

Subject: Lyr Add: TWO WHITE HORSES STANDIN' IN LINE (Cason)
From: Goose Gander
Date: 11 Oct 07 - 11:35 AM

Two White Horses Standin' in Line

Two white horses standin' in line,
Goin' take me to my buryin' ground.

Did you ever hear that coffin sound?
You know now that poor boy is in the ground.

Your heart stop beatin' an' your feet get cold,
You can let me down with a golden chain.

It's one kind favor I ask of you;
Be sure my grave be kept clean.

Did you ever hear the church bell tone?
You know now the poor boy's dead an' gone.

Now two white horses standin' in line;
Oh, take me to my buryin' ground.

Did you ever hear that coffin sound etc.

Sung by Smith Cason with guitar (Negro convict), Clemens state farm, Brazoria, Texas, April 16, 1939.

Source:
Southern Mosaic, at American Memory