Lyr Req: O Death (from Ralph Stanley)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Apr 05 - 09:45 PM

Also see thread 38207, Death, Oh Death, linked by Paul M, above, and here: Death Oh Death
Other versions and similar song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Apr 05 - 09:38 PM

Lyr. Add: O Death! 2

Sinner, I come to you by Hebbin's decree;
This very night you must go wid me.

O-o death! O-o death!
How kin I go wid you?
"Jes' like a flower in its bloom,
Why should you cut me down so soon?
O-o death! O-o death!
How kin I go wid you?

"Eastern North Carolina Negroes; MS of W. O. Scroggs; 1908"
E. C. Perrow, "Songs and Rhymes from the South," 1911-1915, [2] 1913, Jour. American Folklore, v. 26, pp. 123-173, IV Religious Songs and Parodies of Religious Songs, no. 24.
On line at Mehlberger website, www.immortalia.com

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 05:54 PM

Lots of versions, PaulM. Because of the film and soundtrack, the version by Ralph Stanley has revived interest in this old spiritual-gospel song. I will put a link in the other thread if you haven't already done so.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: PaulM
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 05:29 PM

Dicho

See this thread

Subject: Lyr Add: O DEATH (Ralph Stanley)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 05:20 PM

I have checked (until I got tired) but couldn't find "O Death," as sung by Ralph Stanley in O Brother, requested by Guest Ray. Here 'tis:

Lyr Add: O DEATH

Oh, death-
Oh death-
Won't you spare me over til another year?

Well what is this that I can't see
With ice cold hands taking hold of me?
"Well I am death, none can excel
I'll open the door to heaven or hell."

Whoa, death, someone would pray.
Could you wait to call me til another day?
The children pray, the preacher preached;
Time and mercy is out of your reach.

"I'll fix your feet til you can't walk,
I'll lock your jaw til you can't talk,
I'll close your eyes so you can't see-
This very hour come and go with me."

"In death I come to take the soul.
Leave the body and leave it cold;
To drop the flesh off of the frame;
The earth and worms both have a claim."

Oh, death-
Oh, death-
Won't you spare me over til another year?

My mother came to my bed,
Place a cold towel upon my head,
My head is warm, my feet are cold,
Death is a-movin' upon my soul.

Oh death, how you're treatin' me,
You close my eyes so I can't see.
Well, you're hurtin' my body, you make me cold.
You run my life right out of my soul.

Oh, death, please consider my age.
Please don't take me at this stage.
My wealth is all at your command
If you'll remove your icy hands.

"Oh the young, the rich or poor
All alike to me you know.
No wealth, no land, no silver or gold.
Nothin' satisfies me but your soul."

Oh, death-
Oh, death-
Won't you spare me over til another year?
Won't you spare me over til another year?
Won't you spare me over til another year?

Ralph Stanley, soundtrack of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and Stanley's original recording.
@religion @gospel @bluegrass @traditional
Taken from bluegrasslyrics.com. Oh Death

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: Stewie
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 06:34 PM

Many of the recordings of the song are very bleak indeed, and appropriately so. However, for an almost jaunty version (thanks to banjo, drums etc), have a listen to the one on Mary McCaslin and Jim Ringer 'The Bramble and the Rose' album. It has been reissued on CD: Philo CD PH 1055.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 12:27 PM

Often I do provide direct links, but when I've already done it somewhere else, I like to explain to people how they can find the information for themselves.  We were all new here at one time or another, and have all benefitted from having the sometimes confusing facilities that are available here explained to us, where we haven't always been able to work them out for ourselves; mind you, it should be a lot easier, now that we have a far more sophisticated search engine and an extensive FAQ, than it used to be.  Showing somebody how to use a set of tools is, in the long run, far more helpful than simply doing the job for them.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 10:29 PM

Or, Malcolm, you could be helpful and link the URLs for someone who may be new here. Like you did on the "Lyr Req: Conversation With Death" thread last December.

Lyrics from the DT.

A couple of threads: Lyr Req: Conversation With Death. Conversation With Death.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 09:08 PM

The Dock Boggs set is in the DT, and may easily be found by doing what I suggested in my earlier message.  There is a good chance that it derives from an English song which may be traced back several hundred years, but that's been discussed in some of the previous threads which may be found in the same way.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 08:16 PM

Correction! Dock Boggs did record this song back in 1963 for Folkways but did not write it; he said that he learned it from a Lee Hunsucker some 25-30 years before; notes and recording done by Mike Seeger. Anyway, I could punch in the seven verses if you are still interested.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 08:12 PM

Haven't seen the film, but if you were to type oh death into the very useful "Digitrad and Forum Search" box on the main Forum page, you would find several sets of lyrics and some useful background information.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Death
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 07:56 PM

Could be the sung that Dock Boggs wrote and sang. I should have the lyrics around here somewhere on an old Folkways Record. The chorus runs:

Oh death, oh death, can't you spare me over till another year?
Oh death, oh death, please spare me over till another year.

Is this the song you remember from the movie?

Subject: O Death
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 07:45 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to the song " O Death" sung by Ralph Stanley on the soundtrack of the movie "O Brother, Where art Thou? Also any history of the song would be helpful