Nancy-Jean
Date: 19-Oct-99 - 08:34 PM wrote:

"I believe at the Getaway there was for sale a CD of Shape Note singing done by Washington Folks. (Some one can give you more specifics.) There are lots of recordings around, mostly sold where there's a convention or big supply of music."

I am the "Someone!" who was selling "Present Joys/Blessings Past" at the Getaway. Sorry I didn't find this thread until today, when I was looking for the origin of the "second verse" of "DAVID'S LAMENTATION" (see below)

The two-CD set I was selling is "Present Joys/Blessings Past" - produced by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington (perpetrators of "The Getaway"). If you don't see me at a Singing, you can order on directly from my website:
http://www.shapenotes.com/sale/presentjoys.asp

From there you will find links to many other shape note recordings, and a database where you can look up the song you want and find out who recorded it. Almost all the songs in The Sacred Harp are so listed. In some cases, my site tells you where to purchase the recording on line. After you have searched using my website, write to me if you still need help finding something specific.

miriam@risingdove.com

Here's the URL for the database (which still has some bugs in it, but we're working on it):
http://www.shapenotes.com/shapenotes/recindex.html

Please keep reading. since "RW said he probably won't answer email questions:


DAVID'S LAMENTATION
(William Billings) [He's the composer - but did he also write the words?]

David the king was grieved and moved;
He went to his chamber, his chamber and wept,
And as he went, he wept and said, "Oh my son!
Oh my son! Would to God I had died!
Would to God I had died for thee!
Oh Absalom, my son, my son!"

Vict'ry that day was turned into mourning
When the people did see how the King grieved for his son.
He covered his face, and in a loud voice cried, "Oh my son!
Oh my son! Would to God I had died!
Would to God I had died for thee!
Oh Absalom, my son, my son!"

RW wrote:
William Billings, c. 1800. An almost verbatim use of 2 Samuel 18:33, 19:2. Absalom, the oldest living son of David, had rebelled against his father. When the final battle between the two sides came, David gave orders for Absalom to be spared, but Joab, David's general, had the prince killed. This was David's response when he heard the news. Found in many shape note hymnals, but usually with only the first verse. Sally Rogers recorded it (with "When Jesus Wept") on "The Unclaimed Pint;" the full text is found on The Watersons' "Sound, Sound Your Instruments of Joy."

USUALLY only the first verse? Where can I find one with the second verse? (The 1958 Christian Harmony has a different second verse that doesn't scan and doesn't fit into the story properly.)

Tim had the words stuck into his Sacred Harp Book. Somebody gave them to him years ago. We're trying to find out who wrote the lyrics. Yes, I know it's a paraphrase of Scripture; I want to know who wrote the paraphrase, where it first appeared, etc.