Lyr Add: What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?
From: masato sakurai
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 09:12 PM

From Songs of Zion (1981, no. 63):

WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN HEAVEN?

1. I am thinking of friends whom I used to know
Who lived and suffered in this world below;
They've gone up to heaven; but I want to know,
What they are doing now.

REFRAIN: What are they doing in heaven today?
Where sin and sorrow are all done away,
And peace abounds like a river, they say;
Oh, what are they doing there now?

2. There were some whose hearts were burdened with cares,
They passed their moments in sighing and tears,
They clung to the cross in trembling and fears,
But what are they doing now? REFRAIN

3. There were some whose bodies were full of disease,
Medicine nor doctor could give them much ease;
They suffered till death brought a final release,
But what are they doing now? REFRAIN

4. There were some who were poor and often despised;
They looked to heaven thruh tear-blinded eyes,
While people were heedless and deaf to their cries,
But what are they doing now? REFRAIN

Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN HEAVEN TODAY?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 06:50 PM

I heard Andy Cohen sing this at a Sean Blackburn memorial concert last night.

Lyrics copied from Judy Cook's web site:

WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN HEAVEN TODAY?
Charles Albert Tindley, 1901.

I'm thinking today of some friends that I know
Who lived and suffered in this world below.
They're gone off to heaven, but I want to know
What are they doing there now?

CHORUS: Oh, what are they doing in heaven today,
Where sin and sorrow are all gone away?
Peace abounds like a river, they say.
Oh, what are they doing there now?

There's some whose minds were burdened with care.
They paid for their moment with fighting and tears,
But they clung to the cross in trembling and fear.
Oh, what are they doing there now? CHORUS

And there's some whose bodies were full of disease.
Physicians and doctors couldn't give them much ease.
They suffered 'til death brought a final release.
Oh, what are they doing there now? CHORUS

There's some who were poor and often despised.
They looked up to heaven with tear-blinded eyes
While others were heedless and deaf to their cries.
Oh, what are they doing there now? CHORUS

[From Judy Cook's CD "If You Sing Songs…" Also recorded by The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet, and The Lilly Brothers, The Dixie Hummingbirds, The Fairfield Four, George Washington Phillips, The Staple Singers, and several others.]