Lyr Req: Daniel Prayed (from Red Clay Ramblers)

Subject: Daniel Prayed- lyrics
From: Foundwood (inactive)
Date: 08 Feb 99 - 02:47 PM

I am looking for the lyrics to Daniel Prayed as performed by the Red Clay Ramblers on their Twisted Laurel album

Thanks in advance.

Subject: RE: Daniel Prayed- lyrics
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 12 Feb 99 - 12:44 PM

Foundwood-- My group performed that song for years, and I believe that we even recorded it, but I was not singing lead, and I'm not certain I can recall the words. E-mail me if you're still searching, and I'll try to come up with them.

Bill

Subject: RE: Daniel Prayed- lyrics
From: Foundwood (inactive)
Date: 12 Feb 99 - 03:56 PM

Bill, Thanks for the reply, I am still interested.

Please send me your e-mai address. Mine is: [e-mail]

Subject: Lyr Add: DANIEL PRAYED^^
From: foundwood
Date: 15 Feb 99 - 08:25 PM

With thanks to Bill Foster who sent:

As I recall them--

I heard about a man one day who wasted not his time away.
He prayed to God, every morning, noon, and night.
He cared not for the king's decree, but trusted God to set him free.
Old Daniel prayed every morning, noon, and night.

CHORUS: Old Daniel served the living God while here upon this earth he trod.
He prayed to god every morning, noon and night.
He cared not for the things of Baal, but trusted God who'll never fail.
Old Daniel prayed every morning, noon and night.

They cast him in the lion's den because he would not honor men.
He prayed to God every morning, noon and night.
Their jaws were locked. It made him shout, and God soon brought him safely out.
Old Daniel prayed, etc. CHORUS

Oh, brothers let us watch and pray, as Daniel did from day to day.
He prayed to God, etc.
We too can gladly dare and do the things of God; He'll see us through.
Old Daniel prayed every morning, etc.

Bill Foster
Formerly of The Foster Family String Band

Thanks Bill,
Bill Flather

Subject: RE: Daniel Prayed- lyrics
From: Artful Codger
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 06:56 PM

The Red Clay Ramblers rendition sounds just like the one sung by Fred Price, Clint Howard and Doc Watson, which can be found on the Smithsonian Folkways collection Classic Mountain Songs The liner notes say it was a spiritual learned in childhood, and was composed by G.T. "Dad" Speer, leader of The Speer Family gospel group (no date given.)

You can find a set of lyrics on the liner notes to the New World collection Hills and Home: Thirty Years of Bluegrass (PDF), where it is performed by the Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys (from a 1959 recording). The copyright notice reads:
(c) Copyright A 312668 La-Car Publishing Company
I suspect that the vocal arrangement used by all three of these groups originated with the Speer Family.

A solo rendition can be found online at the John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection of Ozark Folksongs (click), including an MP3. It's rather abridged in comparison.

Subject: RE: Daniel Prayed- lyrics
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 08:05 PM

My bluegrass group plays Daniel Prayed. It's difficult because in two places there are two extra beats added.

The lyrics on-line are generally wrong. The lyrics in the PDF file liner notes to the New World collection are also wrong.

The lyrics above (by Bill Foster) are basically right.

Commonly misheard "We too can gladly dare and do" and "things of Baal."

Bruce Dix in his Mel Bay on Fred Price, Clint Howard and Doc Watson, the Smithsonian Folkways collection's "The original Recordings" calls Daniel prayed an 'wonderful shape note hymn arrangement' but I don't think he knows the origin.

I have the CD and they don't sing the last verse with the correct lyrics.   

Any more info about the origin would be helpful. Anyone?

Richie