Nelson's Blood Scottish Fiddle Tune/Spiritual

10 Nov 02 - 12:31 PM (#822736)
Subject: ADD: Roll the Old Chariot Along (Negro Spiritual)
From: Ship'scat

The chorus for the pumnping shanty, Nelson's Blood comes from the the "Roll the Old Chariot Along" a black spiritual. Both allegedly get their tune from a Scottish fiddle tune. Can anyone name that tune? For bonus points is the a link to ABCs or MIDIs?

If this turns out to be true, isn't it a wonderful cultural "crossroad"? Many thanks, KC

ROLL THE OLD CHARIOT ALONG   Roll de ol' chariot along, yes Roll de ol' chariot along yes Roll de ol' chariot along Ef you don't hang on behin'. O Christians Roll de ol' chariot along, yes Roll de ol' chariot along yes Roll de ol' chariot along Ef you don't hang on behin'. Ef yo Mother want to go She shall wear a starry crown Ef yo Mother want to go She shall wear a starry crown An' she must hang behin' O Christians Roll de ol' chariot along, yes Roll de ol' chariot along yes Roll de ol' chariot along Ef you don't hang on behin'. Ef de Devil's in the way Jus' roll right over Ef de Devil's in the way Jus' roll right over An' you must hang behin'

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11 Nov 02 - 11:28 AM (#823384)
Subject: RE: Nelson's Blood Scottich Fiddle Tune?
From: Kim C

The tune sounds very similar to The Rights of Man.

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11 Nov 02 - 07:23 PM (#823742)
Subject: RE: Nelson's Blood Scottich Fiddle Tune?
From: Snuffy

See the recent thread on Origin: Johnny Come Down to Hilo for another marriage of words from the plantations and an Irish tune.

WassaiL! V

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11 Nov 02 - 10:58 PM (#823906)
Subject: RE: Nelson's Blood Scottich Fiddle Tune?
From: GUEST,Richie

Don't have much on it-

Related to: Breach Of Killicranky: Highland/ Reel (Drunken Sailor- Kate Lay Sleeping etc.)

Same melody: Roll the Union On (Greenway)- I'm not sure if this is correct.

Richie

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13 Nov 02 - 04:11 PM (#825515)
Subject: RE: Nelson's Blood Scottich Fiddle Tune?
From: denise:^)

The tune in the Digitrad database isn't the tune I learned for this song...
but that's okay, 'cause some of the words are different, too! ;^)

(Verse 1 & CHORUS)
We'll roll the old chariot along (3x)
And we won't drag on behind.

If the sinner's in the way, we'll stop and take him in, (3x)
And we won't drag on behind.

If the devil's in the way, we'll roll it over him (3x)
And we won't drag on behind.

I originally saw it in Laura Ingalls Wilder's "The Long Winter," and later learned the tune from "The Laura Ingalls Wilder Songbook." (A large songbook, with lots of great, obscure tunes in it--not the little-kiddy one they sell now, I think with the same name, and it has "Oh Susanna" and a couple of other really basic songs for kids from her books. The other book is currently out of print.

Some folks have confused the "Nelson's Blood" song with the spiritual Laura mentioned, although she gave all of the lyrics in her book! The songs have the title and some lyrics in common.

The version I know makes a decent sing-along/spiritual--but would make a pretty crummy fiddle tune...

denise:^)

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