Lyr Req: Warfare (E.C. Ball ?)

17 Jan 05 - 03:34 AM (#1380333)
Subject: Lyr Req: warfare
From: manu

Hello. I'm searching for the lyrics of "warfare" as sung by E.C.Ball from Rugby, Va, on the superb "High atmosphere" album. Thanks

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17 Jan 05 - 10:28 AM (#1380584)
Subject: Lyr Req: warfare
From: manu

Hello! I am searching for the "warfare" lyrics as sung by E.C.Ball on the compilation "High Atmosphre"

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17 Jan 05 - 10:35 AM (#1380589)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: warfare
From: Peace

Place for you to start:

www.factorybelt.net/covers_released.htm

or google

Released covers

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17 Jan 05 - 10:36 AM (#1380590)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: warfare
From: Peace

www.factorybelt.net/covers_released.htm

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17 Jan 05 - 11:25 AM (#1380639)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: warfare
From: Joe Offer

Here's the information from factorybelt:

The version of "Warfare" on High Atmosphere was done on guitar and vocals by E.C. Ball, who lived in the mountains on the North Carolina/Virginia border. There are a number of compilations of E.C.'s work with his wife Orna, including one on Rounder Records and another on Copper Creek records. It's also been recorded by Sarah Ogan Gunning and Wade Mainer. More recently, it was released in the late '90s by The Freight Hoppers.

I think I have the "High Atmosphere" CD but I can't find it just now. If I recall, the E.C.Ball recording is not particularly easy to understand. Maybe a number of us can work out a transcription.
Be sure to take a look at the factorybelt site.
-Joe Offer-

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17 Jan 05 - 06:27 PM (#1380921)
Subject: ADD: Warfare
From: Joe Offer

Warfare

My Lord told his disciples
After I'm risen and gone
You will meet with troubles and trials
But bear your rebukes and scorn

My warfare will soon be ended
My race is nearly run
My warfare will soon be ended
And I am a-going home

You can rebuke me all you want to
I'm travelling home to God
I'm well acquainted with the crosses
And all my ways are hard

They say my Lord is the devil
They call his saints the same
I'm not expecting any more down here
Than grief and scorn and shame

God bless them Holiness people
The Presbyterians too
The good old shouting Methodists
And the praying Baptists too

And when you get to heaven
I want to see you there
And when I say Amen
I want you to say so too

My warfare will soon be ended
My race is nearly run
My warfare will soon be ended
And I am a-going home

transcribed by ear from the Rounder High Atmosphere compilation CD.

Collected by John Cohen, November, 1965
sung by Estil C. Ball, at Rugby, Virginia

The notes say the song was also recorded by Sarah Ogan Gunning and Wade Mainer.

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21 Jun 23 - 11:59 PM (#4175206)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Warfare (E.C.Ball ?)
From: GUEST,The guy from the iron giant

absolute godsend bless that man, ive never gone into this kinda music but its like ear candy I love it, just don't quite know the meaning of it yet :/

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13 Feb 24 - 06:31 PM (#4197141)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Warfare (E.C.Ball ?)
From: Pappy Fiddle

This is a very amazing song. After Jesus was gone, the Christians were persecuted. Hugh Nibley wrote on this subject: Jesus had told his disciples they would be insulted, beaten, brought before magistrates, jailed, lied about, and executed. It was a grim, depressing outlook.

Then, after a century or two, Christianity became very popular, even the state religion of the Roman Empire. This was regarded as a great triumph. But there was a caveat: there were no more miracles, healings, revelations, visions, like in the early days. Christianity had lost its power. The Apostles had been murdered, usually using the law as a weapon. The church became corrupt, is why the wicked world loved it. Wicked men became the leaders, false doctrines and practices were adopted, and the writings of the Apostles were redacted of many things that would indict these goin's on. But there are still traces in the New Testament of Jesus' predictions about the rough lives his disciples would have. Like this song sez.

Here's a performance of it w/ banjo, by Murphy Campbell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJMaurxuJpE

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14 Feb 24 - 02:23 PM (#4197189)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Warfare (E.C.Ball ?)
From: cnd

Thanks for sharing Murphy's recording, Pappy Fiddle, it's a good one. Your explanation is also perceptive, though I would be wary of saying there are "no more miracles" -- just a minor nitpick.

Joe, I don't believe Ball himself wrote the song. Here's an example of the text from a 1920 religious book: The Heavenly Gateway: Jubilee Songs composed by Rev. Richard T. Trent. Though included in the book, several songs around it include the subtext "composed by" Rev. Trent, while this one does not. It was sung by Rev. N. L. Martin during the hours leading up to his death in 1917 (Church of God Evangel 1917-01-20: Vol 8 Iss 3)

The song was also attested to in the Frank C. Brown collection, under the title "William Shackleford's Farewell Song," collected 1920 by Southgate Jones of Durham, NC (link).

So perhaps Trent wrote the song, but perhaps not -- it's hard to say for certain. Though one reference predates his printing (and the other matches its age), it wasn't uncommon for folk preachers to sing songs for years before publishing them commercially, if at all. Though he was a songwriter, Estil would have been 7 at the time of this publication, or 4 at the time of its first reference I found.

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14 Feb 24 - 03:30 PM (#4197193)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Warfare (E.C.Ball ?)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny

Estil & Orna Ball were natives of Grayson County, Virginia.

Currently there is a series of short Videos on You Tube "Legends of Grayson County" which honour a number of musicians from the area. The first in the series was Wade Ward. Another was Thornton Spencer. Each year a concert is given in the county featuring the work of a musician and videos are made featuring photographs and music.

The clips are well worth watching.

This year some time in April The musician to be featured is Estil Ball and his wife Orna.

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