Thanks, Jim. I spent quite a bit of time looking, too, while Mudcat was down. I did find a short clip by the Barnes Family which the HGQ credit as their source.

I do have the song on tape (CLICK), but PHC sound quality makes some of the words unclear. Here's what I worked up from it, though, for our church band. The 4th verse is mine.

~S~

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CLIMBING UP ON THE ROUGH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN
Learned from the singing of The Hopeful Gospel Quartet; they learned it from Barnes Family.

Heard on "A Prairie Home Companion," which is produced by Prairie Home Productions, presented by Minnesota Public Radio and distributed nationwide by Public Radio International. The weekly Saturday evening live webcast is archived online, and contains audio clips, photos, scripts and guest information from every performance of A Prairie Home Companion since the fall of 1996.

Adapted and arranged for the Good News-Goodtime Band by Susan O. Hinton.

The lead singer sings the verses and, in the refrain, the material in parens.


REFRAIN:
I'm climbin' up (climbing up on the rough side)
On the rough side (oh yeah) of the mountain (what I gotta do)
I must hold to God (His most powerful hand)
It's a powerful hand (yes I'm a-climbin')
I'm climbin' up (climbing up on the rough side)
On the rough side (oh yeah) of the mountain
Lord, I'm doin' my best to make it in.

1. Oh Lord, Lord, Lord you know I'm strivin';
Trying to make it through this barren land.
As I go from day to day I can hear my Savior say,
"Trust in Me, child, I'll hold your hand."

2. I'm climbing up, oh yes, I'm climbin' up!
Oh my burdens, sometimes, they press me down.
If I can keep the faith I'll have strength to run the race;
I'm looking, yes I'm lookin' for my crown.

3. Now one day this old race will soon be over.
There'll be no more races to run.
When I stand before God's throne all my heartaches will be gone
And I'll hear my Savior say, "Welcome home."

4. We're climbin' up, still climbin' up
Though narrow and rocky be the trail.
With His light along the way, you know we cannot go astray;
If we follow Him I know we cannot fail.


SH