113. Dusr an' Ashes

1
Dust dust and ashes fly over on my grave,
Dust dust and ashes fly over on my grave,
Dust dust and ashes fly over on my grave
An' de Lord shall bear my spirit home
An' de Lord shall bear my spirit home.
2
Dey crucified my Saviour
An' nailed him to de cross
Dey crucified my Saviour
an' nailed him to de cross
Dey crucified my Saviour
an' nailed him to de cross
An' de Lord shall bear my spirit home
an' de Lord shall bear my spirit home.

Chorus- (sung after 5th and 6th verses)
He rose, He rose, He rose, He rose,
He rose from de dead,
He rose, He rose, He rose, He rose,
He rose from the dead,
He rose, He rose, He rose, He rose,
He rose from de dead
an' de Lord shall bear my spirit home
an' de Lord shall bear my spirit home.

3
Oh, Joseph begged his body
And laid it in de tomb
An' de Lord shall bear my spirit home.
(repetitions as above)
4
De Angel came from hebben
An' roll de stone away
An' de Lord shall bear my spirit home.
5
De cold grave could not hold him
Nor death's cold iron band
An' de Lord shall bear my spirit home.
6
Oh Mary came a-runnin'
Her Saviour for to see
An' de Lord shall bear my spirit home.
7
De Angel say he is not here
He's gone to Galilee
An' de Lord shall bear my spirit home.

"Note: The 1st verse is sung to a different melody, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th verses are sung to the same melody.
The Chorus is sung after the 5th & 7th verses."

Dust an' Ashes was sung at the Hampton Institute, and was added to Religious Folk-Songs of the Negro sometime after Thomas P. Fenner's death. The volume edited by Dett contains an extended score with notes of the version sung formally "at the church service each Easter Sunday at Hampton Institute, under the direction of the editor [R. Nathaniel Dett]."

Also sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers