Lyr Add: It's Cool Down Here at the River Jordan

Subject: IT'S COOL DOWN HERE AT THE RIVER JORDAN
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 12:18 AM

IT'S COOL DOWN HERE AT THE RIVER JORDAN

Cho.
It's cool down here at the river Jerdan*,
Oh, it's cool down here at the river Jerdan,
It's cool down here at the river Jerdan,
But my Lord says come on anyhow.

Well, I went down in the valley,
And I did not go to stay,
But my soul got happy (in Jesus),
And I sure did stay all day.
Cho.
I would not be a sinner,
And I tell you the reason why,
I fear my Lord might call on me
And I wouldn't be ready to die.

Cho. (twice)

Rev. John R. Gipson and Family, Merryville, LA. *Jordan usually pronounced "Jerdan" by Southerners, black or white.
John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip. Click on Links at top of page and go to Lomax Collection to access details.
@religion @gospel @spiritual

Subject: RE: Add: IT'S COOL DOWN HERE AT THE RIVER JORDAN
From: masato sakurai
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 09:17 AM

Odum and Johnson (The Negro and His Songs, 1925, p. 280) collected this related song (no title is given):

I'm goin' to heaven an' I don't want to stop,
An' I don't want to be no stumblin' block.
  All my sins done taken away.

I went down in de valley to pray;
My soul got happy an' I stayed all day.

I'm goin' to ride on mornin' tarin,
All don't see me goin' to hear me sing.

I wouldn't be sinner, tell you the reason why;
God might call me an wouldn't be ready to die.

Ever since my Lord done set me free,
This ole worl' been a hell to me.

I went down in de valley, I fell upon my knees,
I begged an' cried for pardon, de Lord did give me ease.

On other songs containing the "down in [or to] the valley to pray" stanza, see this thread (Down to the Valley to Pray). Newman I. White (American Negro Folk-songs, 1928, p. 71) says, the stanza "occurs sometimes as

I went down in the valley, didn't go for to stay My soul got happy and I stayed all day"

~Masato

Subject: RE: Add: IT'S COOL DOWN HERE AT THE RIVER JORDAN
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 01:15 PM

The 2nd verse (I went down to the valley... is the 1st verse in Tryin' to Cross the Red Sea (Work, American Negro Songs and Spirituals, p. 208), posted under add lyr.