Just wanted to add:
1st point
Q's post on 04 Nov 04 - 01:53 PM is very much how I remember church choirs in my home town singing "Down By The Riverside" . The bass voices sang the first "Down" and other voices then sang "Down by the Riverside".

The bass voices would also sing the "Down Down" part or the "Way Down" phrase. I can't remember anyone singing it like "Way-ay down" but that might have occurred. And it wasn't only the men who sang the first phrases. Because of my deep voice, I would also sing the bass part!

2nd point:
Lighter's post about Marine Corps fighter pilots in 1943-44 singing something called, "I'm Gonna Lay Down My F4UI" reinforces my observation that a number of call & response military cadences {Jodies} were based on spirituals.

I hope someone posts the words to the song or chant that goes with the title that Lighter remembers.