BRIGHT SPARKLES IN DE CHURCHYARD

May de Lord- He will be glad of me,
May de Lord- He will be glad of me,
May de Lord- He will be glad of me;
In de Heaven He'll rejoice.
In de heaven, once, in de heaven, twice,
In de heaven He'll rejoice,
In de heaven, once, in de heaven, twice,
In de heaven He'll rejoice.

Bright sparkles in de church-yard,
Give light unto de tomb,
Bright summer, spring's over,
Sweet flowers in de'r bloom.
Bright sparkles in de churchyard,
Give light unto de tomb,
Bright summer, spring's over,
Sweet flowers in de'r bloom.
My mother, once, my mother, twice,
My mother, she'll rejoice.

In de heaven, once, in de heaven, twice,
In de heaven she'll rejoice.
Mother, rock me in de cradle all de day.
Mother, rock me in de cradle all de day.
Mother, rock me in de cradle all de day.

All de day, all de day,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day,
All de day, all de day,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day.
Oh, mother, don't ye love yer darlin' child,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day.

Oh, mother, don't you love yer darlin' child?
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day,
Mother, rock me in de cradle,
Rock me in de cradle,
Rock me in de cradle all de day,
All de day, all de day,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day.

All de day, all de day,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day.
You may lay me down to sleep, my mother dear,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day,
You may lay me down to sleep, my mother dear,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day.

T. P. Fenner, Cabin and Plantation Songs, p. 200-205, in electronic edition, M. F. Armstrong and H. W. Ludlow, 1874; reprinted in Dett, 1927. Also in Negro Spirituals, or The Songs of the Jubilee Singers, ed. T. F. Seward.
The imagery of the bright sparkles as well as the simplicity of the added last four verses are appealing. Fenner noted that "This peculiar but beautiful medley was a great favorite among the hands in the tobacco factories in Danville, VA."

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