John Anthony Scott (The Ballad of America, Bantam, 1966, p. 202) says:

"Bound to Go," collected by C.P. Ware and W.F. Allen on St. Helena Island, is another example of a spiritual that served a practical purpose both as boat song and as marching song. Its rousing melody is that of an old sea shanty, "A Long Time Ago." The combination of this with the slave lyric produces a song of great spiritual as well as rhythmic impact.

The music of "Bound to Go" is HERE (p. 22). "A Long Time Ago" has been discussed at this thread. The tune of "A Long Time Ago" in Lomax's Folk Songs of North America (p. 55) is not similar to that of "Bound to Go."

~Masato