Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road (Don McCrossan)

Subject: On the Jericho Road
From: jofield
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 12:07 AM

Howdy all. Does anyone here write in about songs anymore?? But I digress...

I'm looking for the lyrics -- and the original bluegrass artists, if you know them -- for "On the Jericho Road". Nothing in the databases, and only a mention as a title in a Tennesee Ernie Ford album in an old thread. Me needum words.

Merci bien,

James.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road
From: bbelle
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 12:09 AM

Look in any Baptist hymnal and you'll find it... moonchild

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 11:11 AM

The earliest recording of it that i know is Jim and Jesse in 1953 "sacred songs of the Virginia Trio" (I believe the 3rd man was Jim Roll) If nobody else posts it and you can't find a Baptist Hymnal, I'll write down the words as I remember them. I don't think J&J wrote them but I don't know the copyright or author

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road
From: Dale Rose
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 11:26 AM

I just checked. It's in Favorite Songs and Hymns, Stamps Baxter, 1939. Copyright 1933 by Donald S. McCrossan, arranged by Luther G. Presley. I'll get to it later today, or at least as soon as I can. The first recording I remember hearing was by The Chuckwagon Gang. (the original CWG, not one of the later versions) Rose, Anna, Jim and Dad ~~ boy, what music they could make!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road
From: Jack The Lad
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 03:56 PM

Well, i don't know the words to a specific song, but i often sing on the jericho bypass. It is a new wide highway and can get pretty boring if you don't sing. Jack The Lad-Israel

Subject: Lyr Add: ON THE JERICHO ROAD (Don McCrossan)
From: Dale Rose
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 05:55 PM

Here it is, #94. Don't think I ever remember hearing the second verse, at least no part of it still exists in my memory. Semi-useless info of the day ~~ Luther Presley was from Pangburn, Arkansas, and is best known for being responsible for the version of When The Saints Go Marching In which is used in churches and as the editor of the Heavenly Highways hymnbook.

On The Jericho Road
Words and music by Donald S. McCrossan, Arr. by Luther G. Presley
Copyright, 1933 by The Stamps-Baxter Music Company., in "Boundless Joy"
From Favorite Songs and Hymns, Stamps-Baxter, 1939

As you travel along . . . . . . . . on the Jericho road,
Does the world seem all wrong . . . . . . . . and heavy your load?
Just bring it to Christ . . . . . . . . your sins all confess,
On the Jericho road . . . . . . . . your heart he will bless.

Chorus
On the Jericho road (on the Jericho road) there's room for just two (there's room for just two)
No more and no less (no more and no less) just Jesus and you (just Jesus and you)
Each burden He'll bear (each burden He'll bear) each sorrow He'll share (each sorrow He'll share
There's never a care (there's never a care) for Jesus is there. (For Jesus is there)

On the Jericho road . . . . . . . . blind Bartimaeus sat,
His life was a void . . . . . . . . so empty and flat;
But Jesus appeared, . . . . . . . . one word bro't him sight,
On the Jericho road . . . . . . . . Christ banished his night.

Chorus

O brother to you . . . . . . . . this message I bring,
Tho hope may be gone, . . . . . . . . He'll cause you to sing;
At Jesus' command . . . . . . . . sin's shackles must fall,
On the Jericho road . . . . . . . . will you answer His call?

Chorus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road
From: Pete Peterson
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 11:00 PM

THANKS for saving me the work! Exactly as I remember it and I did know that verse-- Bartimaeus was a mystery name to me but I found him thatnks to a Bible concordance. . . I've learned some great bible stories through first learning the gospel song!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road
From: Dale Rose
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 11:15 PM

Just encouraged me to check out a bit more on Bartimaeus. I remembered the story after reading the info at this link.

Now if I could just find that Chuck Wagon Gang recording . . . It would predate the Jim and Jesse, likely by a good number of years, as they recorded from 1936 to 1953. CWG recordings AFTER that year did not feature the original quartet, and of course, it eventually became something else altogether. Only the name remained.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road
From: jofield
Date: 27 Apr 00 - 12:33 AM

Yup, that's it. Merci beaucoup. I've heard it done locally many times by the Charles River Valley Boys, whom I assume were copying Jim & Jesse. The chorus does one of those high-low exchanges, if I'm not mistaken:

[High tenor] On the Jericho road,[bar and lead repeat]
[Bass] There's room for just two.[bar and lead repeat]
[HT] No more, no le-ess,[etc.]
[B] Just Jesus and you.

Nice, but you gotta practice...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson (at work)
Date: 27 Apr 00 - 09:29 AM

Jofield-- It's a little more complicated than that-- you can do it with just two voices but it's more fun with three. Let's call them Tenor Lead Baritone (as you have done)and the general pattern is the other two voices answer whatever the soloist sings, then T: On the Jerico road
B: There's room for just two
T: No more no less
B: Just Jesus and you
L: Each burden he'll bear
L: Each sorrow he'll share
T: There's never a care
B: For Jesus is there
(and the repeat includes slowing down)
Dale, thanks for that link. It always amazes me what commentaries and symbolism can be found in one small reference. . . well I guess they learned that from Talmud!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road
From: GUEST,David Neale
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 11:00 AM

The earliest recording that I have been able to find (predating the Chuck Wagon Gang, incidentally), is by the Propes Quartet, recorded on 1 August 1934 and released on Bluebird 5612. The Chuck Wagon Gang's recording was made on 8 March 1941.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 07:56 PM

go to Favorite Songs & Hymns Shape Notes
page 94

Stamps, Baxter Music & Printing Co., Inc.
copyright 1939 by this company.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road (Don McCrossan)
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Mar 09 - 10:13 AM

for a recording contact [e-mail] or [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road (Don McCrossan)
From: GUEST,Marines Daughter
Date: 07 Feb 13 - 11:43 PM

Probably nobody will read this because the posts are so old but figured I would post anyways. My Dad was friends with Don McCrossan when my Dad was in the Marine Corp and stationed in San Diego. Don married my parents on base and I have the pictures. I was looking for song lyrics because I wanted to print a picture of my folks with Don on their wedding day on the song lyrics for their 54 wedding anniversary. Thought it would be cool.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Jericho Road (Don McCrossan)
From: Megan L
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 03:15 AM

Marines Daughter it is suprising how often old threads are resurected sometimes by someone trying to sell us stuff but ocassionally by someone like yourself who has a wonderfull little snippet of information to add to the story. Congratulations to you parents from a rather windy Orkney Scotland.

awra best
frae
Meg