Origins: This World Is Not My Home

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Origins: This World Is Not My Home

20 Nov 00 - 07:56 AM (#343869)
Subject: this world is not my home
From: GUEST,Hunter

Hi,
In James Ages book "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men", he quotes a song

"This world is not my home, I'm, only passing through,
My treasures and my hopes, are, all, beyond the sky,
I've many, friends, and kindreds, that's gone, along before,
And I can't, feel, at home, in this world, any, more."

I haven't been able to find quite this same version anywhere on the internet, anybody know the rest of the verses?
Thanks

20 Nov 00 - 08:15 AM (#343875)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: GUEST,lonesome ed

Hear this piece sung by the Two Gospel Keys in a 1930s (?) recording included on Fred Ramsay's Folkways History of Jazz Volume 1.

20 Nov 00 - 08:22 AM (#343878)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: catspaw49

The song was the base for Woody's "I Ain't Got No Home" and the Carter Family version is in the DT under the title "I Can't Feel At Home In This World Anymore." That's probably not much help, but check it out and we'll keep looking.

Spaw

20 Nov 00 - 08:35 AM (#343884)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Jon Freeman

I found the ones you mentioned spaw but I can't get the supersearch to work. It could well be that this version does exist in a thread even though it is not in the DT.

Jon

20 Nov 00 - 09:06 AM (#343907)
Subject: Lyr Add: THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME
From: Nathan in Texas

Here's the version I grew up singing in a little country church.

THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME

This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through
My treasures are laid up, Somewhere beyond the blue
The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world any more

CHORUS:
O Lord, you know, I have no friend like you
If Heaven's not my home, then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world any more.

They're all expecting me, and that's one thing I know;
My Savior pardoned me and now I onward go
I know he'll take me through, though I am weak and poor
And I can't feel at home in this world any more.

I have a loving mother up in Gloryland.
I don't expect to stop until I shake her hand.
She's waiting now for me in Heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Just up in Gloryland we'll live eternally,
The saints on every hand are shouting victory;
Their song of sweetest praise drifts back from Heaven's door
And I can't feel at home in this world any more.

20 Nov 00 - 09:42 AM (#343919)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson

Nathan, that's pretty close to the way I ahve heard it, which is a conglomerate of the Monroe Brothers and the Blue Sky Boys. Wonderful song!

20 Nov 00 - 10:01 AM (#343931)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: GUEST,Gene

SEARCH DATA BASE for -

* CLICK/I CANT FEEL AT HOME *

20 Nov 00 - 10:41 AM (#343946)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Mrrzy

Kinda reminds me of the Weaver's I Don't Want To Get Adjusted (To This World, To This World) - I got a home that's so much better I'm gonna go to sooner or later I don't want to get adjusted to this world!

20 Nov 00 - 10:54 AM (#343952)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: catspaw49

Well rats!!!!

After I posted the DT thing and the other note, I couldn't get it out of my mind and it suddenly hit me, "Hey!!! The Monroe Brothers....that might be it!" So I come back and head off on a search only to find I am once again a day late and a dollar short.

GUEST HUNTER---- Are we getting close or is it "Close, but no cigar?"

Spaw

20 Nov 00 - 05:11 PM (#344160)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Rick Fielding

From all the meta-reading I've done, the folks who always CLAIM to have had the BIG record of this were The Morris Brothers...with Wade Mainer. 'Course they also claim to have WRITTEN Salty Dog Blues as well...and they get VERY mad when it's pointed out that the song was much older than them.

Rick

20 Nov 00 - 06:34 PM (#344202)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Stewie

Charles Wolfe says the Monroes learned the song from the 1935 'hit' record by the Prairie Ramblers on ARC, but the song had its roots deep in the black gospel tradition. In his liner notes to vol 5 of the Rounder set of Carter RCA material, Wolfe said it had been recorded before the Carter's 1931 recording by several black gospel groups - unfortunately, he doesn't say which - and 'had appeared in a number of white gospel songbooks as "arranged" by one composer or another'.

--Stewie.

21 Nov 00 - 06:07 AM (#344357)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: GUEST,hunter

Well thanks, I had no idea it had been recorded so often, though I knew " I ain't got no home". The book was written around '36, so he could have gotten it from some of the recordings mentioned. He does talk about Mitchell's Christian singers, maybe they did it? He could have heard it in some church in Alabama, where he was. Also, he might not have quoted it correctly.

22 Nov 00 - 01:09 AM (#344963)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Dale Rose

I found This World Is Not My Home in three books, all crediting the arrangement to Albert E. Brumley. The oldest of the three books was only from 1939 though.

09 Apr 03 - 06:21 PM (#929952)
Subject: Lyr Add: THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME
From: Burke

I found the version Nathan posted as no.1 in "Favorite Songs and Hymns" with a copyright date of 1937, Arr. by Albert E. Brumley. I guess the question is, what was he arranging? Did he learn it from the recordings, or some other way? The Carter Family recording was 1931.

"Heavenly Highway Hymns" has a different version that says Arr. for the words and music J.R. Baxter, Jr. copyright 1946 in "Sentimental Songs". The tunes are about the same, with the Brumley being more like what I know. The chorus has a couple of small word changes: you-me; will-can. The 1st & 3rd verses are about the same. The 4th seems similar but is considerably reworked. The 2nd seems new. I like the way all the verses end with "heaven's open door." I'd also rather clasp than shake Mother's hand. I guess Baxter could be responsible reworking the words, or maybe there's an Ur text out there still to be found. The music is not changed enough for Baxter to claim anything more than arranging credit.

Here's Baxter's version:

THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME
(I'M JUST A PASSING THRU)
Arr.
J.R. Baxter Jr. c1946

This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing thru,
My treasures are laid up, Somewhere beyond the blue;
The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world any more.

CHORUS:
O Lord, I know, I have no friend like you,
If heaven's not my home, O Lord what can I do?
The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world any more.

My Savior pardoned me from guilt and shame I know,
I'll trust His saving grace while trav'ling here below;
I know he'll welcome me at heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world any more.

I have a precious mother up in glory land,
I don't expect to stop until I clasp her hand;
For me she's now in heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

The saints in gloryland are shouting victory,
I want to join their band and live eternally;
I hear the sweetest praise from heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world any more.

Source: "Heavenly Highway Hymns" compiled by Luther G. Presley. Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, c1956. No. 63.

09 Apr 03 - 07:42 PM (#930015)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Burke

According to the The Online Discographical Project "This world is not my home" was recording
OKEH 8546 by Jesse May Hill 12/17/27. This series is subtitled: Race series.

With this information, I've found it was reissued by Document (DOCD-5190) in 1993. Gospel classics (1927-1931): complete recorded works of Jessie May Hill, Laura Henton, Blind Willie Davis, Louisville Sanctified Singers & unknowns. Anyone have it?

In searching on Google, I've also found lots of variant words as well. The version at Carter Family Songs, in particular, is not the same as that in DT.

09 Apr 03 - 08:30 PM (#930040)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: masato sakurai

There're two black gospel recordings of "This World Is Not My Home" before World War II listed in Blues and Gospel Records 1890-1943 (Oxford): Golden Echo Quartet (rec. Atlanta, Ga; 1 April, 1927) and Jessie May Hill (rec. Chicago; 5 May, 1927). Hill's version (backed by Sisters of Congregation ("The Church of God in Christ") and probably accompanied by Arizona Dranes on the piano) is a variant.

~Masato

09 Apr 03 - 08:43 PM (#930044)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Stewie

Meade et alia 'Country Music Sources' give it under the generic title 'I Can't Feel At Home' #95, at p 602. They do not normally list black artists (except within their reference notes), but the first listing in this case is Stovepipe No 1 (Sam Jones) 'Lord Don't You Know, I Have No Friend Like You' recorded 19 August 1924 in NYC and issued as Co 210-D in November 1924. This is followed by The Kentucky Thorobreds 'This World Is Not My Home' recorded in April 1927 in Chicago and issued as Paramount 3014 (no date given), and then the Carters' 1931 recording. J.E. Mainer's Mountainers, with vocal by Zeke Morris, recorded it on 6 August 1935 in Atlanta, issued as Bluebird B60288 - several months before the Monroe Brothers 17 February 1936 recording (Bluebird B6309).

--Stewie.

09 Apr 03 - 08:55 PM (#930050)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Haruo

Hunter's initial post has "sky" where both the rhyme and everything in my experience call for "blue". Was "sky" intentional here? It would explain why Hunter couldn't "find quite this same version anywhere on the internet"...

Haruo

09 Apr 03 - 09:01 PM (#930053)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: masato sakurai

Stovepipe No. 1's sound clip can be heard HERE.

~Masato

09 Apr 03 - 09:18 PM (#930060)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Burke

Jesse May Hills is HERE

The Golden Echo Quartet's version is on Document DOCD-5539 Vocal Quartets v. 3, 1927-1936. I can't find a sound clip.

10 Apr 03 - 01:17 AM (#930214)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: masato sakurai

Golden Echo Quartet's sound clip is HERE.

~Masato

10 Apr 03 - 07:23 PM (#930742)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Burke

How intriguing to listen to those short bits! I don't think a single one had angles at the open door. I could'nt quite tell, but I think at least one was 'loved ones beckon me.' What I could hear of the verses seemed completely different.

Most did not have much of the verses, but what I could catch of Jesse May Hill's was:
[omitted line]
I like talk about him, and I love thy holy way,
I'm expecting to make my home on heaven's happy shore,
I just can't feel at home in this world anymore.

The chorus is much the same, but the next to last line is:
[unclear] beckons me from heaven's welcome door...

The Two Gospel Keys recording mentioned in one of the old messages is later, but sounds much more like these other 3, than the hymnal versions.

It's on Document DOCD-5221 Country gospel: great postwar recordings 1946-1953 : the complete recorded works of the Two Gospel Keys and Sister O.M. Terrell in chronological order. You can hear a bit HERE (there are 2 takes)

I can't find any samples of the Kentucky Thorobreds' version.

15 Feb 18 - 03:05 PM (#3905974)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: GUEST,Lapaget

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HKrP1RZB6Ss

Stovepipe n 1 original recording

On february 2018

With all the story

15 Feb 18 - 09:51 PM (#3906047)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: this world is not my home
From: Joe_F

This world is not my home.
This world is not my home.
This world's a howling wilderness.
This world is not my home.

Seems to be an independent song. It's all over the Web.

17 Feb 18 - 01:28 AM (#3906267)
Subject: ADD Version: This World Is Not My Home
From: Joe Offer

I'd agree with Joe that this appears to be an older and completely different hymn. But for completeness, here it is:

THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME

REFRAIN
This world is not my home.
This world is not my home.
This world's a howling wilderness.
This world is not my home.

Did Christ o'er sinners weep?
And shall our cheeks be dry?
Let floods of penitential grief
Burst forth from every eye.

The Son of God in tears
The wondering angels see.
Be thou astonished, O my soul,
He shed those drops for thee.

Source: Old Plantation Hymns - Google Books (click) (by William E. Barton, 1899, page 9)

Traditional Ballad Index entry:

This World Is Not My Home (II)

DESCRIPTION: Chorus: "This world is not my home"(2x) This world's a howling wilderness, This world is not my home" Verses: Since Christ wept for sinners, astonishing even the angels. "Let floods of penitential grief Burst forth from every eye"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1899 (Barton)
KEYWORDS: nonballad religious Jesus
FOUND IN: US(SE)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Barton, p. 9, "This World Is Not My Home" (1 text, 1 tune)
File: Bart009

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Go to the Ballad Index Song List

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Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

17 Feb 18 - 01:48 AM (#3906268)
Subject: Origins: this world is not my home
From: Joe Offer

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry for the better-known song:

This World Is Not My Home (I)

DESCRIPTION: "This world is not my home; I'm just a passing through." "Oh Lord, you know, I have no friend like you. If Heaven's not my home, then, Lord, what will I do? Angels beckon me to Heaven's open door, And I can't feel at home in this world any more."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1924 (recording, Stove Pipe No. 1)
KEYWORDS: religious nonballad
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Warner 135, "The World Is Not My Home" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber-FSWB, p. 354, "I Can't Feel At Home In This World Any More" (1 text)
DT, CANTHOME*
Roud #7481
RECORDINGS:
Alphabetical Four, "I Can't Feel At Home In This World Anymore" (Decca 7840, 1941; on AlphabFour01)
Carter Family, "Can't Feel at Home" (Victor 23569, 1931; Montgomery Ward M-4736, c. 1935; Bluebird B-6257, 1936)
Pete Cassell, "I Can't Feel At Home in this World" (Decca 6077, 1942; rec. 1941)
Kentucky Thorobreds, "This World Is Not My Home" (Paramount 3014, 1927)
Collins Bros. "I Can't Feel At Home In This World" (Decca 5635, 1939; rec. 1938)
Golden Echo Quartet, "This World Is Not My Home" (Columbia 14572-D, 1931; rec. 1927)
Jessie May Hill, "This World Is Not My Home" (OKeh 8546, 1927)
J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers, "This World Is Not My Home" (Bluebird B-6088/Montgomery Ward M-4714, 1935)
Monroe Brothers, "This World Is Not My Home" (Bluebird B-6309/Montgomery Ward M-4745, 1936)
Prairie Ramblers, "This World Is Not My Home" (Banner 33449/Melotone 13416/Conqueror 8503, 1935)
Claude Sharpe & Old Hickory Singers, "This World Is Not My Home" (Columbia 20450, 1948; rec. 1946)
Southern Sons Quartette, "I Can't Feel At Home Any More" (Trumpet 143, n.d.)
Stove Pipe No. 1, "Lord Don't You Know I Have No Friend Like You" (Columbia 210-D, 1924)
Hank Thompson, "Can't Feel At Home In The World Anymore" (Capitol 1163, 1950)
Frank Welling & John McGhee, "This World Is Not My Home" (Champion 16585, 1933; rec. 1932)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "I Ain't Got No Home" (structure, lyrics, tune)
NOTES: This is really a group or cluster of songs with verses that float effortlessly between them. - PJS
Last updated in version 4.2
File: Wa135

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
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And here are the lyrics from the Digital Tradition:

I CAN'T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE (from DT)

This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through
My treasures and my hopes are all beyond the blue;
Where many Christian children have gone on before,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

cho: Oh Lord, You know I have no friend but you
If Heaven's not my home, Oh Lord what would I do?
Angels have taken me to Heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Over in glory land there is no dying there
The saints are shouting Vict'ry and singing everywhere.
I hear the voice of Nell that I have heard before
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Recorded by the Carter Family
@religion
filename[ CANTHOME
TUNE FILE: CANTHOME
CLICK TO PLAY

17 Feb 18 - 02:11 AM (#3906270)
Subject: ADD Version: This World Is Not My Home (Proffitt)
From: Joe Offer

Warner 135 is from Frank Proffitt, so we'd better have it.

THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME

This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through
My pleasure and my hopes done passed beyond the view,
Many friends and kindred have gone on before,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

CHORUS
It's O Lord, you know,
I have no friend like you.
If Heaven’s not my home,
O Lord, what will I do?
Angels beckons me to heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

I've got a loving mother over in the glory land.
I never expect to stop until I grab her hand.
She has gone to live and rest forevermore,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Heaven's expecting me, that's one thing I know.
I fixed it up with Jesus a long time ago.
He will aid me through, though I'm weak and poor,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Singer: Frank Proffitt, 1941

#135 in Traditional American Folk Songs from the Frank & Anne Warner Collection, by Anne Warner, 1984 - page 312-313

17 Feb 18 - 02:35 AM (#3906272)
Subject: ADD Version: Can't Feel At Home (Carter Family)
From: Joe Offer

CAN'T FEEL AT HOME
(as sung by the Carter Family)

[Verse 1]
This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through,
My treasures and my hopes are all beyond the blue;
Where many Christian children have gone on before,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Over in glory land, there is no dying there,
The saints are shouting Victory and singing everywhere;
I hear the voice of them that I have heard before,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

[Chorus]
Oh Lord, You know I have no friend like you,
If Heaven's not my home, Oh Lord what would I do?
Angels beckon me to Heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

[Verse 2]
Heaven's expecting me; that's one thing I know,
I fixed it up with Jesus a long time ago;
He will take me through though I am weak and poor,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Oh I have a loving mother over in glory land,
I don't expect to stop until I shake her hand;
She's gone on before just waiting at heaven's door,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.
[Chorus]

My transcription from the Carter Family recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE3kW9-tjO8

17 Feb 18 - 02:39 AM (#3906273)
Subject: ADD Version: This World Is Not My Home
From: Joe Offer

I don't really like the version in the Folksinger's Wordbook (page 355), but here it is. It's more-or-less the Carter song, with the second verse missing.

I CAN'T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE

[Verse 1]
This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through,
My treasures and my hopes are all beyond the blue;
Where many Christian children have gone on before,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Over in glory land there is no dying there,
The saints are shouting Victory and singing everywhere;
I hear the voice of nELL that I have heard before,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Oh Lord, You know I have no friend like you,
If Heaven's not my home, Oh Lord what would I do?
Angels taken me to Heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Silber & Silber, Folksinger's Wordbook (Oak Publications, New York, 1973) page 355

17 Feb 18 - 10:50 AM (#3906283)
Subject: RE: Origins: This World Is Not My Home
From: topical tom

Woody Guthrie's version:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTnVMulDTYA