I went to an Andrew Calhoun house concert this evening, and one of the songs he sang was "Mary Wore Three Links of Chain," which he had found in Sandburg's 1927 American Songbag (page 474). I promised a friend the lyrics, so I might as well post them here, too.

MARY WORE THREE LINKS OF CHAIN

Mary Wore Three Links of Chain
Mary wore three links of chain,
Mary wore three links of chain,
Mary wore three links of chain,
Ev'ry link bearin' Jesus' name;
All my sins been taken away, taken away.

Mary weeped and Martha mourned,
Mary weeped and Martha mourned,
Mary weeped and Martha mourned,
Gabriel stood and blowed his horn;
All my sins been taken away, taken away.

I don't know but I've been told,
I don't know but I've been told,
I don't know but I've been told,
The streets in heaven are paved with gold;
All my sins been taken away, taken away.

Can't you hear dem horses' feet?
Can't you hear clem horses' feet?
Can't you hear dem horses' feet
Slippin' and slidin' on de golden street?
All my sins been taken away, taken away.

My feet got wet in de midnight dew,
My feet got wet in de midnight dew,
My feet got wet in de midnight dew,
An' de mornin' star was a witness too;
All my sins been taken away, taken away.

I'm go'n home on de mornin' train,
I'm go'n home on de mornin' train,
I'm go'n home on de mornin' train,
All don't see me go'n to hear me sing:
All my sins been taken away, taken away.

Sandburg's notes: One of the sublime creations of the negro race in America...mystic, simple, poetic, elusive, tinted with the shadings of the light that never was on land or sea..."I'm" is "Ahm," "wore" is "woh," and so on.

-Joe-