Yes, I agree that the African American Spirituals Permathread is a great resource. And I applaud the work that WTSISYG has done to compile that resource.
But your question stroke my curiousity. I wondered how many of these verses that appear in African American religious songs would come to mind without looking them up in that resource. So here goes:
"If you get to heaven before I do just tell my friends I'm comin too".
"River of Jordan is chilly and cold. Chills my body but not my soul"
"I went to the valley but I didn't go to stay my soul got happy and I said all day"
If you don't believe I been redeemed just follow me down to Jordon's stream"
"King Jesus rides a milk white horse the Jordon river he did cross"
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Okay...I KNOW I know more than that. But these pesky children's floating verse from children's rhymes keep popping in my mind. Come to think of it, this thread doesn't have to only be about "zipper verses" from spirituals, does it?