The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #19551   Message #200746
Posted By: Fountainfox
24-Mar-00 - 12:10 PM
Thread Name: Gospel Origin-Civil Rights & Labor Songs
Subject: Lyr Add: IN THE PIT FROM SIN SET FREE^^
How about a song that's almost union and gospel in one?

IN THE PIT FROM SIN SET FREE

1. In the pit from sin set free, sudden death would glory be,,
That is why we sing with glee, "Jesus saves.",
We black diamonds for them get, though they cause us all to sweat,,
There's salvation for them yet, Jesus saves.,

CHORUS: Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves,
from the fear of pit explosion, Jesus saves.,
When our work on earth is done and our race on earth is run,
We'll go singing 'round the Throne, Jesus saves.,

2. In spite of all their rubs, and the deputy who snubs,,
As we wait for empty tubs, Jesus saves.,
Whether the coal be soft or hard, working by by the hour or yard,,
perfect peace is our reward, Jesus saves.

I Xeroxed this at our library seven or eight years ago, but am pretty much quoting it here from memory. (I think quoting from memory is one way songs accrete variations over the years) The notes accompanying the song, which was in a book in the Christian rather than folk music section, said it had appeared in at least one Baptist Hymnal in the earlier twentieth century. The coal-mining connections and sentiments are obvious.

I have no facility for putting the melody in. In fact, this is my first venture with HTML breaks and I'm curious to see whether I understood it.