Lyr Add: There'll Be A Light for Me At the River

Subject: Light on the banks of the river
From: GUEST,meg
Date: 06 Feb 09 - 06:27 PM

Iam looking for the words to this song .It is old probably in the 1940's .Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: There'll Be A Light for Me At the River
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Sep 08 - 06:35 PM

Thanks, Nathan, much appreciated. I thought that they might lead me to the hymn or possible previous source.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: There'll Be A Light for Me At the River
From: Nathan in Texas
Date: 27 Sep 08 - 06:00 PM

To answer "Q"

The lyrics I quote are how I sing it. I basically took Watson's, added the additional verse from Cathy & Dave's, and used the last two lines of Joe Offer's first version above. It would be informative to find the original.

Here's Jim Watson's version:

Soon I'll be standing down by the river
Bidding farewell to friends left below.
Nothing to harm me, nothing alarm me.
While I am sailing close to my home.

Chorus:
There'll be a Light for me at the river
Guiding my soul over the foam.
Leading my lifeboat past the dark shadows
Jesus, my Light, will carry me home.

When I reach the banks of the river,
Where the chill waters murmur their song;
Nothing to harm me, nothing alarm me.
While I am sailing close to my home.

Cathy & Dave sing these words:

There is a river we must cross over.
Where the sun goes to sleep in the west.
There'll be a Light for me at the crossing
Guiding me safe to my home of sweet rest.

Chorus:
There'll be a Light for me at the river
Guiding my soul over the foam.
Down through the valley, past the dark shadows
I know my Light will guide me safe home.

When I shall reach the banks of the river,
Where the chill waters murmur their song;
Nothing to harm me, nothing alarm me.
While I am sailing close to my home.

Down by the river, soon I'll be standing
Bidding farewell to friends left below.
As loved one grieve me, old friends shall greet me,
Shining their light at the river for me.

Subject: ADD Version: A LIGHT AT THE RIVER
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Sep 08 - 07:29 PM

One more version at: http://www.calvinclark.com/Lyrics/A005.TXT

A LIGHT AT THE RIVER

1. There is a river we must cross over
When life's sun goes to sleep in the west.
There'll be a light for me at the crossing.
Guiding me to the home of sweet rest.

CHORUS: There'll be a light for me at the river
Guiding my soul across the dark foam.
Down through the valley past the dark shadows
Jesus the light will carry me home.

2. When I shall reach the banks of the river
Where the chilled waters murmur their song
Nothing can harm me nothing can alarm me
While I am sailing across to my home.

The Digital Tradition has various songs on the theme of "Light at the River," but they're quite different. I put them in the crosslinks group above, but they probably won't stay there. Click here for a YouTube recording of the DT version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: There'll Be A Light for Me At the River
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Sep 08 - 07:24 PM

I found slightly different lyrics at http://www.pine-net.com/babcocksstore/lightat.htm.


LIGHT AT THE RIVER


There is a river we must cross over,
When life's sun goes to sleep in the west;
There'll be a light for me at the crossing,
Guiding me to that home of sweet rest.

CHORUS:
There'll be a Light for me at the river,
Guiding my boat across the dark foam.
Down thru the valley, past the dark shadows,
Jesus, my Light, will guide me safe home.

When I reach the banks of the river,
Where the chilly waters murmur their song;
Nothing to harm me, nothing alarms me,
While I am sailing to my new home.
CHORUS

Down by the river soon I'll be standing,
Bidding farewell to friends left below.
Sailing with Jesus, I know that He will
Be the Light at the river for me.
CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: There'll Be A Light for Me At the River
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Sep 08 - 07:18 PM

Are the lyrics you quote from the Watson cd or?

(? Light at the River- William Burton Walker)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: There'll Be A Light for Me At the Riv
From: maeve
Date: 26 Sep 08 - 06:53 PM

I like the lyrics, Nathan in Texas. I can't do YouTube, but I'll watch for the tune. Thanks for posting the song, and the sources you know.

Subject: Lyr Add: There'll Be A Light for Me At the River
From: Nathan in Texas
Date: 26 Sep 08 - 06:38 PM

Here's a song I learned from Jim Watson's CD, "Willie's Redemption." The liner notes list it as "traditional." It's also on the "Sabbath Home" CD by Cathy Barton and Dave Para. They list C.N. Henderson as the composer. Both albums credit Alice Gerrard's singing as their source. I wonder if anyone has any more information on its origins. You can listen to my take on it here.

I used the title "Light for Me At the River" to differentiate it from other songs with Light At the River as their titles.

Light For Me At the River

There is a river we must cross over.
When Life's sun goes to sleep in the west.
There'll be a Light for me at the crossing
Guiding me to that home of sweet rest.


Chorus:
There'll be a Light for me at the river
Guiding my soul over the foam.
Leading my lifeboat past the dark shadows
Jesus, my Light, will guide me safe home.

Soon I'll be standing down by the river
Bidding farewell to friends left below.
Nothing to harm me, nothing alarm me.
While I am sailing close to my home.

When I reach the banks of the river,
Where the chill waters murmur their song;
Sailing with Jesus, I know that He will
Be the Light at the river for me.