Lyr Add: O Watch de Stars (Spiritual)

Subject: Lyr Add: O Watch de Stars (Spiritual)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Sep 12 - 08:30 PM

Lyr. Add: O Watch de Stars
St. Helena Island, SC

1
O watch de stars see how dey run
O watch de stars see how dey run
de stars run down at de setting ob de sun
O watch de stars see how dey run
2
Jis watch de stars see how dey run
De stars run down at de setting of the sun
Jis watch de stars see how dey run
3
Oh God's leetle army goin' to shine
De stars run down at de setting of the sun
O watch de stars see how dey run

No. 71, with two musical scores, as sung by Rina Miller, and by Viginia Brown, pp. 58-59. Nicholas George Julius Ballanta-(Taylor), 1924, "Saint Helena Island Spirituals," Recorded and transcribed at the Penn Normal Industrial and Agricultural School, St. Helena Island, South Carolina.

Some groups sing the song in medley with "Bright Morning Star."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: O Watch de Stars (Spiritual)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 27 Sep 12 - 10:07 AM

Q

You posted the lyrics in the thread: Lyr Req: Watch the Stars (spiritual).

HergaKitty and I used to do version of this which Kitty got from Dorris Henderson (see also mudcat thread: Obit: Dorris Henderson 3 March 2005"). It was substantially the same as the version posted by Bill but with a few differences:

WATCH THE STARS

Watch the stars, see how they run.
Watch the stars, see how they run.
Well the stars run down at the setting of the sun.
Watch the stars, see how they run.

Watch the wind, see how it blows.
Watch the wind, see how it blows.
Now the wind sure blows when the sun goes down.
Watch the wind, see how it blows.

Watch the moon, see how it glows.
Watch the moon, see how it glows.
Now the moon sure glows when the sun goes down.
Watch the moon, see how it glows.


Source: Kitty Vernon from Dorris Henderson.


I don't know Dorris' source for the song, but Kitty may be able to tell from the record sleeve. (It was recorded 1967 and rereleased in 2007 I think).

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: O Watch de Stars (Spiritual)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Sep 12 - 12:47 PM

I searched for "Watch de Stars," no luck- Didn't try watch the stars.

Who was first to add the verses aboout the wind and moon? Not in the collected version from St. Helena. (The Patons?)