Lyr Add: Draw Lebel (SC Low-Country spiritual)

Subject: Lyr Add: Draw Lebel (SC Low-Country spiritual)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 02:53 PM

Lyr. Add. Draw Lebel
Edisto Island, SC

Chorus-
Draw Lebel*, de ainjul am a-comin' down,
Comin' down, comin' down,
Draw lebel, de ainjul* am a-comin' down,
Down tuh duh groun'.

1
Draw membuhs, draw,
Draw roun' duh haltuh*,
Fraw, membuhs, draw,
Draw tell de break ob day.
2
Draw, deacon, draw, etc.
3
Draw, preacher, draw, etc.
4
Draw, sistuh, draw,
Draw roun' duh haltuh,
Draw sistuh, draw,
Draw tell de break ob day.

Etc., etc., etc.

draw lebel- draw level. Supposed to have been originated to accompany the motion of levelling the rice-measures.
ainjul- angel
haltuh- altar

Interesting in that the comparison is to a motion in their work. Beaufort area dialect, pre-WW2.

Augustine T. Smythe et al., 1931, The Carolina Low-Country, the Macmillan Company. "Spirituals, Words and Music," Music edited by K. C. Hutson et al., pp. 229-327.
Spirituals not listed in Cleveland Index.