Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers

Subject: Way Over Jordan
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 08:15 PM

No. 82. Way Over Jordan

Chorus:
Oh, way over Jordan,
View the land, view the land,
Way over Jordan,
Oh, view the heav'nly land.

1
I want to go to heaven when I die!
View the land, view the land;
To shout salvation as I fly,
Oh, view the heav'nly land.
Cho.- Oh, way over Jordan, etc.
2
Old Satan's mad, and I am glad,
View the land, view the land;
He miss'd that soul he thought he had,
Oh, view the heav'nly land.
Cho.- Oh, way over Jordan, etc.
3
You say you're aiming for the skies,
View the land, view the land;
Why don't you stop your telling lies?
O view the heav'nly land.
Cho.- Oh, way over Jordan, etc.
4
You say your Lord has set you free,
View the land, view the land;
Why don't you let your neighbours be?
O view the heav'nly land.
Cho.- Oh, way over Jordan, etc.

Subject: We Are Almost Home
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 08:30 PM

No. 84. We Are Almost Home

Chorus:
We are almost home,
We are almost home,
We are almost home
to ring those charming bells.

1
Oh, come along, brothers, come along,
come along, brothers, come along,
come along, brothers, come along,
To ring those charming bells.
2
Oh, come along, sisters, come along,
come along, sisters, come along,
come along, sisters, come along,
To ring those charming bells.

Subject: We Are Climbing the Hills of Zion
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 08:42 PM

No. 80. We Are Climbing the Hills of Zion

As sung by Miss Jennie Jackson.
(slowly)

Chorus:
We are climbing the hills of Zion,
the hills of Zion, the hills of Zion,
We are climbing the hills of Zion,
With Jesus in our souls.

1
Oh, brethren, do get ready,
Oh, brethren, do get ready,
Oh, brethren, do get ready,
With Jesus in your souls.
2
Oh, seeker, do get ready,
Oh, seeker, do get ready,
Oh, seeker, do get ready,
With Jesus in your souls.
3
Oh, sinner, do get ready,
Oh, sinner, do get ready,
Oh, sinner, do get ready,
With Jesus in your souls.

Subject: We'll Die in the Field
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 09:38 PM

No. 15. We'll Die in the Field

Unison
1
O what do you say, seekers,
O what do you say, seekers;
O what do you say, seekers,
About the Gospel war?

And I will die in the field,
Will die in the field;
Will die in the field,
I'm on my journey home.

2
O what do you say, brothers, etc.
3
O what do you say, christians, etc.
4
O what do you say, preachers, etc.

Subject: We'll Overtake the Army
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 09:47 PM

No. 83. We'll Overtake the Army

Chorus:
We'll overtake the army,
overtake the army,
overtake the army,
Yes, my Lord.

1
I've 'listed, and I mean to fight;
Yes, my Lord,
Till ev'ry foe is put to flight,
Yes, my Lord.
2
Tho' I may fall, I'll bless His name;
Yes, my Lord,
I'll trust in God, and rise again,
Yes, my Lord.
3
The God I serve is a man of war;
Yes, my Lord,
He fights and conquers evermore,
Yes, my Lord. D. C.

Subject: We'll Stand the Storm
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 10:01 PM

No. 31. We'll Stand the Storm

Chorus:
Oh! stand the storm, it won't be long,
We'll anchor by-and-by,
Stand the storm, it won't be long,
We'll anchor by-and-by.

1
My ship is on the ocean,
We'll anchor by-and-by,
My ship is on the ocean,
We'll anchor by-and-by.
2
She's making for the kingdom,
We'll anchor, etc.
3
I've a mother in the kingdom,
We'll anchor, etc.

Subject: We Shall Walk Thro' the Valley
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 10:13 PM

No. 74. We Shall Walk Thro' the Valley

Chorus:
We shall walk thro' the valley and the shadow of death,
We shall walk thro' the valley in peace.
If Jesus Himself shall be our leader,
We shall walk thro' the valley in peace.

1
We shall meet those Christians there, meet them there,
We shall meet those Christians there, meet them there,
If Jesus Himself shall be our leader,
We shall walk thro' the valley in peace.
2
There will be no sorrow there,
If Jesus Himself shall be our leader,
There will be no sorrow there,
We shall walk thro' the valley in peace.
Cho.- We shall, etc.

Subject: What Kind of Shoes Are You Going to Wear?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 03:32 PM

No. 47. What Kind of Shoes Are You Going to Wear?

1
What kind of shoes you going to wear?
Golden slippers!
What kind of shoes you going to wear?
Golden slippers!
Golden slippers I'm bound to wear,
That outshine the glittering sun.
2
What kind of crown you going to wear?
Starry crown!
What kind of crown you going to wear?
Starry crown!
Starry crown I'm bound to wear,
That outshines the glittering sun.
3
What kind of robe you going to wear?
White robe!
What kind of robe you going to wear?
White robe!
Long white robe I'm bound to wear,
That outshines the glittering sun.
4
What kind of song you going to sing?
New song!
What kind of harp you going to play?
Golden harp!
Golden harp I'm bound to play,
That outshines the glittering sun.

Published in sheet form, with piano accompaniment, by John Church & Co., Cincinnati.

Subject: When Moses Smote the Water
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 04:28 PM

No. 57. When Moses Smote the Water

Chorus:
When Moses smote the water,
The children all passed over,
When Moses smote the water,
The sea gave away.


1
O children ain't you glad
You've left that sinful army?
O children ain't you glad
The sea gave away?
D. C.

2
O Christians ain't you glad
You've left that sinful army?
O Christians ain't you glad
The sea gave away?
Cho.- When Moses smote, etc.
3
O brothers ain't you glad
You've left that sinful army?
O brothers ain't you glad
The sea gave away?
Cho.- When Moses smote, etc.

Subject: When Shall I Get There
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 08:50 PM

No. 64. When Shall I Get There

There's a heavenly home up yonder,
There's a heavenly home up yonder,
There's a heavenly home up yonder,
Oh! when shall I get there?

1
Solo
Old Pilate says, I wash my hands;
Chorus
When shall I get there?
Solo
I find no fault in this just man;
Chorus
When shall I get there? D. C.
2
John and Peter ran to see,
When shall I get there?
But Christ has gone to Galilee,
When shall I get there?
3
Paul and Silas bound in jail,
When shall I get there?
They sang and prayed both night and day,
When shall I get there?
4
I'm bred and born a Methodist,
When shall I get there?
I carry the witness in my breast,
When shall I get there?

Subject: Wrestling Jacob
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 09:09 PM

No. 62. Wrestling Jacob

1
Wrestling Jacob, Jacob,
day is a-breaking,
Wrestling Jacob, Jacob,
I will not let thee go.


Let me go, Jacob.
I will not let thee go.
Let me go, Jacob.

I will not let thee go,
Until thou bless me,
I will not let thee go;
Until thou bless me,
I will not let thee go.

Wrestling Jacob, Jacob,
day is a-breaking,
Wrestling Jacob,
I will not let thee go.

I'll hold thee till the break of day,
I will not let thee go,
Until thou tell me what's thy name,
I will not let thee go.
(or this)
I'll wrestle till the break of day,
I will not let thee go,
Until thou come and bless my soul,
I will not let thee go.
D. C.

Subject: Zion's Children
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 09:19 PM

No. 34. Zion's Children

Oh! Zion's children coming along,
Coming along, Coming along,
O Zion's children coming along,
Talking about the welcome day.

1
I hail my mother in the morning,
Coming along, coming along,
I hail my mother in the morning,
Talking about the welcome day.
2
Oh! don't you want to live up yonder,
Coming along, etc.
3
I think they are mighty happy,
Coming, etc.

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Richie
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 12:35 AM

Congrats Q,

Do want discussion on the songs in this thread?

Thanks,

Richie

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 07:48 PM

Richie, pertinent discussion is welcomed. I would like to keep to old material as much as possible, however, and not include modern gospel remakes.

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 10:22 PM

Room Enough was collected as Room Enough in de Hebben on St. Helena by Balanta-(Taylor) in 1924.

Different verses:
Oh, de lillies bloom, Oh de lillies bloom,
De lillies bloom in heben I know
Oh de lillies bloom I cyan' stay behind

Oh de roses bloom in de heben I know

Oh de Angels sing in de heben I know.
(with musical score)

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 10:32 PM

Wrestling Jacob appears as Oh Wrastlin' Jacob in Ballanta-(Taylor), 1924, collected on St. Helena Island, SC.

Variant verses:
He hold my mother wid a tremblin' hand, I will not let yo' go.
He hold my father, sister, brother, pastor, deacon, etc.
With musical score.

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 10:42 PM

When Moses Smote the Water appears as Moses Smote the Water in Ballanta-(Taylor), 1924, collected on St. Helena Island, SC, with these different verses:

Aaron crossed de ocean and de chillun all crossed obuh
Aaron crossed de ocean and de sea gie way.

Mary crossed de ocean, etc.

With musical score.

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 10:46 PM

Keep Your Lamps Trimmed appears as Don't get Weary in Ballanta-(Taylor) 1924, from St. Helena Island, SC.
Very similar.
(With musical score).

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Richie
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 08:36 AM

The Crucifixion
No. 131 From "Negro Spirituals - Or, the Songs of the Jubilee Singers."

A publication of W. J. Gibbs, UK, about 1900 and later. Sung by "Fisk Jubilee Trio" which may have been an English group.

Where you there when they crucified my Lord?
Where you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Where you there when they crucified my Lord?

Where you there when they crowned Him with the thorns?
Where you there when they crowned Him with the thorns?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Where you there when they crowned Him with the thorns?


Where you there when they pierced Him in the side?
Where you there when they pierced Him in the side?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Where you there when they pierced Him in the side?

Where you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Where you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Where you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Richie
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 08:57 AM

Climb Up Ye Little Children
"Negro Spirituals - Or, the Songs of the Jubilee Singers," W. J. Gibbs; Written and arranged by Euna M. Mocara; E. M. McAdoo's Fisk Jubilee Trio
May not have been sung by the original Fisk Jubilee Singers.

Climb up ye little children,
Climb up ye older people,
Climb up to the sky.
Now is your chance for heaven,
Climb up in six and seven,
Climb up ye children, climb!

1. [Solo] Jacob dream'd he saw a ladder,
[All] Reaching for the sky
[Solo] Angel climb up and down it,
[All] Climb up children high

2. [Solo] if you want to go to heaven,
[All] Now's the happy time.
[Solo] Pray and have your sins forgiven,
[All] Climb up children climb.

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Richie
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 09:09 AM

Q,

The last song should be No. 140 but no number was assigned. I told you about this edition at the beginning of this thread. I assume it's from the 1800s. There is sheet music. I can post more of the songs you you can. Thought I'd wait until you finished that edition.

Richie

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 01:27 PM

The edition, Richie, was not one of the original Pike or Marsh editions, but a reprinting by W. J. Gibbs, publisher of books of hymns (those no longer copyright under British regulations) and owner of a vacation camp, "Ambleside."

The added spirituals are those of "McAdoo's Fisk Jubilee Singers Trio," which I believe was an English group.

There is a thread with information about this edition, which I have, but I have not included the additional songs because I am not certain that they were sung by the original Fisk Jubilee Singers.

My copy of "Negro Spirituals or The Songs of the Jubilee Singers"   was "published by W. J. Gibbs, Bromley, Kent and Ambleside, Clacton-on-Sea," no date. I am surprised to see this book reprinted.

Go ahead and add the spirituals from the W. J. Gibbs volume, but please note their questionable source. I will edit those that you have added above to include the source.

The "Story of the Jubilee Singers, 1880, J. B. T. Marsh, is available in reprint by Cornell University Library, 2009.

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Richie
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 02:08 PM

Hi,

There's only about a dozen total new songs (all the rest are in edition you're posted). The book seem to be late 1800s but I'm not sure. It also includes songs by Hampton singers but those are notated. It seem legit to me.

I'll try and put some basic info about these important early spirituals- not sure what you meant about recent versions. Here's an example:

Been A Listening

RECORDED BY: Taggart, Blind Joe (Joel).

The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi- 'Been a Listening'

1938 W.C. Handy's Collection of Negro Spirituals (book) "Been a Listening All de Day Long" (spiritual)

OTHER NAMES: "Been Listening" "Been Listening All Day" "Been Listening All The Day" "I've Been A-list'ning All the Night Long" "I Been A Listenin'"


NOTES: "Been A Listening" is from the Fisk Jubilee Singers book, "Story of the Jubilee Singers" published in 1874. A similar verse was collected by Howard Odum and appears in his 1925 book, The Negro and His Songs (Odum and Johnson). The first verse of Been a Listening is found in the John The Baptist/Lonesome Valley songs.

"Been a listening" was in the Hampton collections (Fenner, Moton, Dett) as "I've been a-list'ning all de night long," and other collections including Ballanta-(Taylor) from St. Helena, SC, 1924 and McIlhenny.
BEAR YO' BURDEN- Odum- Negro and His Songs

The Lord is listenin' all the day long,
Bear yo' burden sinner.
If you only pray He will bear you on,
Bear yo' burden sinner.

"Been a Listening" was in the repertoire of The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and Blind Joe (Joel) Taggart, an itinerant street singer as "Been Listening All The Day." A cover of Taggart's song is on Youtube. Taggart's version combines two verses from "Dark was the Night" along with the "Been Listening" chorus:

Been Listening All The Day- Joe Taggart circa late 1920s

[fiddle]

Dark was the night and cold the ground
On which my Lord was laid
His sweat like drops of blood ran down
In agony he prayed

CHORUS 2X: I've been listening all the night long,
I've been listening all the day
I've been listening all the night long,
To hear some sinner pray.

Father, remove this bitter cup,
If such Thy sacred will;
If not, content to drink it up
Pleasures I fulfill

CHORUS 2X: I've been listening all the night long,
I've been listening all the day
I've been listening all the night long,
To hear some sinner pray.

If this is OK I'll add some info on the songs,

Richie

Subject: Re: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 05:16 PM

The Fisk Jubilee Singers version, No. 20 in Marsh, is posted above; Hampton had an early version as well:

I've Been a-List'ning All de Night Long

Chorus:
I've been a-list'ning all de night long,
Been a list'ning all de day
I've been a-list'ning all de night long,
To hear some sinner pray.

1
Some say that John de Baptist,
Was nothin' but a Jew,
But the Bible doth inform us
Dat he was a preacher too.
2
Go read the fifth* of Matthew,
An' a-read de chapter thro',
It is a guide to Christians,
An' a-tells dem what to do.
Cho.- I've been a-list'ning, etc.
3
Dere was a search in heaven,
An' a-all de earth around,
John stood in sorrow hoping
Dat a Saviour might be found.
Cho.-

*Versions differ; third or fifth.

R. N. Dett, 1927, "Religious Folk-Songs of the Negro as sung at Hampton Institute;" editions by Fenner, 1874, Ludlow, 1891, Moton, 1909, and Dett.

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 03:24 PM

Is this project complete now?

~S~

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 05:12 PM

Posting of all spirituals in The Story of the Jubilee Singers; with Their Songs, by J. B. T. Marsh, is complete.

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Jul 10 - 12:50 PM

Thanks. I plan to list not only the songs in the Spirituals Index, but also the thread as one of the resource threads. (Ditto your St. Helena group.)

Great work!

~S~

Subject: RE: Jubilee Songs, Fisk Jubilee Singers
From: Richie
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 02:01 PM

Hi Q,

I'm doing some youtube video of spirituals. Here's one I arranged and did of Chilly Water, one of the Fisk Jubilee Singers songs (see above)

YouTube(Richard Matteson with Jessica Kastor):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRZtDLR9J2A

The volumes a bit low but you can hear it.

Richie