Another version, functionally a worksong, sung by Bessie Jones and Group B in 1960, on St. Simons Island, Georgia, is on Lomax's Southern Journey, V. 12: Georgia Sea Islands -- Biblical Songs and Spirituals (Rounder CD 1712).

I'M GONNA LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR MY LORD
[Bessie Jones recreates with the group a favorite spiritual of her grandparents. She recollected that they often sang this song as they worked, and grew happy with its spirit of determination, shouting right out in the corn fields.]

Chorus:
I'm a-gonna lay down, lay down,
I'm a-gonna lay down, lay down,
I'm a-gonna lay down my life for my Lord.
Yes -- (Repeat.)

O when them gamblers ge together,
How they can gamble like one another,
But I'm a-gonna lay down my life for my Lord.
O when them drunkards get together,
How they can drink like one another
But I'm a-gonna lay down my life for my Lord.
(Chorus)

Then John said to lay down my life,
Yes, he said, "Lay down, lay down."
John said to lay down my life for my Lord.

Then Luke said to lay down, lay down,
O Luke said to lay down, lay down,
Yeah, Luke said to lay down my life for my Lord.

O when them dancers get together,
How they can dominize one another,
But I'm a-gonna lay down my life for my Lord.

O when them liars get together,
How they can lie like one another,
But I'm a-gonna lay down my life for my Lord.
(Chorus)

[Jones: Yes, that's way back, way in them old corn fields, pullin' fodder, Lawd. Lemme tell you, to hear 'em say they're gonna lay down they life!
Lomax: Did they sing that while they were working?
Jones: In them fields pullin' fodder and flowers, what not. It sound good, too.
Peter Davis: It's like they touched me.]

~Masato