Lyr Req: You Must Come In at the Door

Subject: You MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR
From: Jeep man
Date: 02 May 02 - 10:47 PM

I have this good old song by Doc Watson, but I used to hear a lot more verses than Doc sings.

Any more lyrics out there? Jeep

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 02 May 02 - 11:09 PM

Please post the lyrics. I thought it was Confucius: "The way out is via the door - why is it no-one will use this method?"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 May 02 - 11:20 PM

It's on his album "On Praying Ground," 1990, Sugar Hill, SH-CD-3779. Looks like a good one-- wish I had it.

If you post what you have, it may be in an old hymnal around here, and sometimes these are titled differently that how they were recorded. If I have the lyric I might be able to spot it better. Do the album notes say anything more about it?

~Susan

Subject: Lyr Add: SO HIGH (sung by Elvis Presley)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 May 02 - 02:00 AM

Well, I think it's the one called "So High" on this site (click), which claims to have a complete collection of Elvis Presley lyrics. The Doc Watson "Praying Ground" album is wonderful, although I haven't been able to find it since I moved in January.
-Joe Offer-

---

SO HIGH

Well, He's so high (so high you can't get over Him)
So wide (so wide you can't get around Him)
So low (so low you can't get under him)
Great God Almighty (you must come in at the door)

Oh well, He's high (so high you can't get over Him)
He's wide (so wide you can't get around Him)
So low (so low you can't get under him)
The mighty lamb (you must come in at the door)

Well I went down in the valley
You know I did over there ever stay
My soul got happy in the valley
You know I stayed right there all day

Well, He's high (so high you can't get over Him)
And he's wide (so wide you can't get around Him)
I know he's so low (so low you can't get under him)
The mighty lamb (you must come in at the door)

Well I ain't been to heaven but I'm, I'm told
The streets the streets are pearls
You know the mighty mighty
Mighty gates are gold

And He's high (so high you can't get over Him)
So wide (so wide you can't get around Him)
He's so low (so low you can't get under him)
The mighty lamb (you must come in at the door)

Well, He's high (so high you can't get over Him)
And he's wide (so wide you can't get around Him)
I know he's so low (so low you can't get under him)
The mighty lamb (you must come in at the door)

Arranged by Elvis Presley

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 May 02 - 09:10 AM

I bet it's in one of my books of spirituals somewhere.... I think I have heard a black gospel version... I do know that the "stayed all day" verse is a floater I have heard in other songs... hmmm.... remind me after the MudGathering if Masato or Dicho or Jerry don't clear it up first....

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 May 02 - 09:56 AM

... and with floating verses, that would mean that you could have heard just about anything, Jeep, at one time or another, because they get made up on the spot or recalled from memory of other songs.... with floating verses that would mean there is no "official" version or "right" or "complete" version.

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR
From: Jeep man
Date: 03 May 02 - 10:16 AM

Thanks, folks. Susan I am sending the words I copied from his song.(On Praying Ground). I don't have the CD, just a copy on tape.

Check your email for a download. Only way I know to send it. Jim

Subject: ADD: So High (YOU MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 May 02 - 10:31 AM

Thanks, Jeep, and I am sending you back the text version so you can see how to post them with line breaks that will show at Mudcat.

Below is the version Jeep sent me.

~Susan

=================================================

SO HIGH (YOU MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR)

Oh, the Baptists go by water
And the Methodists go by land
But I'll get there by the grace of God
And we'll all go hand in hand

CHORUS
That door is so low you can't get under it
So high you can't get over it
So wide you can't get around it
You must come in at the door

As Jesus taught the people
By the sea of Galilee
He said I'm the door that leads to Heaven
And you must come in by me

You may talk about me my brother
As much as ever you please
When I talk about you it'll be to the Lord
And I'll be down on my knees

Old satan he's a liar
And he wears the hypocrite's shoes
And if you don't watch your step my friend
He will slip them right on you

Don't let old satan fool you
Or brother you'll find out
When the day of judgement comes around
Your sins are gonna lock you out

He can talk just like an angel
But don't you believe a word
As a matter of fact he'll steal your soul
If you don't put your trust in the Lord
You must come in at the door

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 May 02 - 10:38 AM

In the last verse of Jeep's version above, it looks like there's an extra line, probably spoken as an interjection like Doc does sometimes.

I've seen that line about the Baptists and Methodists too, in my John Work book of spirituals and elsewhere. So this definitely has roots as a Negro spiritual.

I'll try to add more after the MudGathering but people are due soon and I have venison stew to wrassle up, so see ya later alligator!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR
From: Jeep man
Date: 03 May 02 - 12:42 PM

I think I can get a good education by listening to Mudcatters. Jim

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 May 02 - 01:50 PM

This is one of them "Zipper" songs. Every verse, and even the chorus can easily be zipped in and out of other gospel songs. There are a ton of "zipper" verses, and when black singers are "improvising," they are often just pulling the zipper verses out of a bag.

Some others are:

The Jordan river is chilly and cold
It chills the body, but not the soul


I went down to the river to pray
My soul got happy and I stayed all day


My hands got stuck to the gospel plow
I won't take nothin' for my journey now


You can talk about me just as much as you please
I'm goin' to talk about you down on my knees.

There must be dozens of them.

The Mariners had a hit recording of this song back in the early 50's. They were a rarity for their time... an inter-racial quartet.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 May 02 - 02:19 PM

Yeah, zippers and floating verses-- same thing. I always like to think of the floaters as miscellaneous holy thoughts circulating around in the air to settle down around the head of the singer....

~S~

Subject: Lyr Add: TOO HIGH, TOO WIDE, TOO LOW
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 May 02 - 03:05 PM

The Sons of the Pioneers and Tim Spencer gave the best (Well, my opinion) version of this gospel tune.

TOO HIGH, TOO WIDE, TOO LOW

1. Good morning, brother pilgrim
How do!
Tell me where you're bound
Do tell!
Tell me if you're heading for some far enchanted ground.

Chorus I
My Lord, it's so high
You can't get over it
So wide
You can't get 'round it
So l-o-oo-ow
You can't get under it
You must come in at the door.

2. Now the Baptists go by water
Ships ahoy!
The Methodists go by land
Can't sail!
I'll get there by the grace of God
And we'll all go hand in hand.

Chorus II
My Lord, it's too high
You can't get over it
Too wide
You can't get 'round it
Too low
You can't get under it
You must come in at the door.

3. Now the heavenly crew's at work
Hard work!
Morning, noon and night
No rest!
If you see a sinner on the wrong road, brother
Put him on the road that's right.

Chorus I

4. I told you once, fool sinner
Yes, sir!
And now I tell you twice
Two times!
You can't get to heaven through the open door
Playing cards and dice.

Chorus II

5. Don't you hear me, brother pilgrim?
Uh huh!
Keep it well in mind
Will do!
Lift your heart and don't look back
And up to the bright door climb.

Chorus I and II

From Too High
(www.caulleycorner.com/dadssongs.html#toohigh)
Verses from old spirituals are often added to this gospel song, as noted by WYSIWYG above. Others who have done this song are Wally Flowers and Chet Atkins.
The two "Old Satan" verses in Jeep man's take are floaters from spirituals as well. There is nothing I can find that takes the basic song back to the spirituals, but it is possible.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Must Come In at the Door
From: GUEST,Timothy wright
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 11:28 PM

Subject: ADD Version: You Must Come In at the Door
From: Azizi
Date: 14 Aug 08 - 07:49 AM

I know this song from my childhood {early 1950s, Atlantic City, New Jersey; African American Baptist church]

YOU MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR

Chorus:
My Lord is so high
You can't get over Him.
So low
You can't get under Him.
So wide
You can't get around Him.
You must come in at the door.

Verse 1
Some people go by water.
Some people go by land.
But IF you want
to go to Heaven
Well, you must go hand in hand.

Chorus

[I can't remember any other verses to this song, but presumably, there were other verses; The word "If" is emphasized; We were told that "the door" meant Jesus Christ]

Here are some stream of thought comments related to my childhood church experiences and "Negro" spirituals:

"You Must Come In At The Door" was a song that I learned as a member of the little children's choir at my church, Union Baptist Temple Church. The tempo of the song was moderately fast. We only learned one verse, singing the chorus first and last. Our choir director did not "believe" in handclapping while singing. Consequently, when I sing this song to myself or when I used to sing it to my children during my "private recital" sessions [when I feel the urge to sing], I don't accompany it with any body movements. Also, for what it's worth, when I sing it, I sing other spirituals after it {like "I Got Shoes" or "Ride On, King Jesus", rather than add any other floating verses to that song. {Incidently, some of those floaters for other spirituals are mentioned by Jerry Rasmussen in his post to this thread]

The director of the children's choir, Mrs. Henrietta Burke, was also the director for what I and other's called the church's "old peoples'" choir, the church's men's choir, and the church's mass choir {the choir that was made up of members of all the adult choirs who also wanted to sing in this choir}. Mrs. Burke was known to teach spirituals, and anthms [such as the Hallelujah Chorus]. I don't recall spirituals being sung at my "aspiring to be/or actually was" economically middle class church at any other time except for when a choir sang them or when our singing pastor wove them into one of his sermons. This is to say, "Negro" spirituals weren't selected as congregational songs {songs sung by the entire congregation during the church service and before the pastor's sermon}.

"Negro Spirituals" {I now call them "African American spirituals"} were certainly not sung by the Spiral chorus that my mother belonged to. That choir, which was diected by the church's pianist Mrs. Vincie Winstead, was initially made up of the "young and middle age adults" and was known to sing gospels. I recall that Mrs. Burke {the organist/choir director} and Ms. Winstead, the church pianist and director of the Spiral chorus had a friendly rivalry {or maybe that was just my sense} as whose instrument sounded the best. The organ was in the front of the church on the left side, and the piano was in the front of the church on the right side. Both instruments played during the processional-when the choirs entered the main room of the church at the start of the church service, singing some uptempo song. I still love this part of the service. The best way I can describe it to those who haven't experienced it is that it's movement is like a marching band, Mardi Gras style-after the funeral.

During church services on Sunday morning & evening, the pianist and the organ played together during the congregational songs {which were from a hymnal and weren't "Negro spirituals"}. In rotation order, different choirs sung on specific Sundays. I preferred the Sundays when the gospel choir sung. I also liked Youth Day-when the children's choir and the youth choir sung. The Youth choir was also under the direction of Mrs Burke. I remember when I was in that choir we wanted to sing more uptempo songs like the Spiral chorus sung, but instead we sung those anthms, and other songs from the hymnal, or we sang a medley of spirituals. In later years the Spiral chorus became an old persons choir, and they still sung the now "old" gospel songs. That choir disbanded when more and more members passed on, and some of the remaining members joined the mass choir {which was essentially an old persons choir}. That choir sings some anthms, and some old gospels like "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" and some Rev. James Cleveland songs. However, a new "young adult & middle age choir was formed. That choir which is named the "Voices of Hope" sings the newer gospel songs, like songs from Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams, and other younger composer/ choir directors.

Things change, and some things remain the same.

I've mentioned in another Mudcat thread that when people "felt the spirit" in my church, they weren't supposed to "get happy" in ostentatious ways. For instance, in my childhood, youth, or young adult life, I rarely saw anybody do any "feel the spirit" dance in the aisles of that church, or leave their seats and walk up to the front of the church, and walk around the church while they were "happy", or "speak in tongues". The members of my church were much too sedate for any of that. I only saw behavior such as that when I visited other churches, particularly what we called fundamentalist Christian churches {Church of God In Chris; COGIC; we called these congregations "holy roller churches". During the few occassions in my youth that I attended concerts at these churches, I felt as though I was in a whole 'nother culture-and in essence I was.

For what it's worth, I attended my home church last Sunday while visiting my mother, and in my opinion, that church is even more reserved about the congregation publicly showing that they "feel the spirit" except for silent or somewhat controlled crying, raising one or two hands in confirmation of what the minister/s or deacons are saying, saying interjections such as "That's right!"; "Amen!" "Preach, pastor!". Also, members of the congregation or another minister might repeat a word or phrase that the minister has just said during his sermon. For instance, the minister might say something like "Our God is a God of Mercy" and someone might say right afterwards something like "God of Mercy". These affirmations and remarks aren't usually acknowedged by the minister, but I get the distinct sense that they are expected as a sign that the minister is getting his points across. Especially towards the end of the sermon-when the sermon can be said to be "heating up", the minister expects there to be such affirmations, and signs of people "feeling the spirit" [even if these signs are subdued like the custom is in my church]. If there are no such signs, then people would think that the sermon wasn't a good one.

I remember that at the ending of the sermon, the pianist and/or the organist would play chords to accompany the minister's words. I missed that this Sunday when I returned to my hometown to visit family. Mrs. Burke was seriously ill, and no other organist was available to play. Mrs. Winstead had died some years ago. There were two other very good pianist, and there were also a snare drummer, and an electric guitarist. {The drummer happenied to be a young female}. There was also a trumpet player only accompanied the congregational songs. It was only in the late 1990s that this church introduced a drummer, guitarist or trumpet player. That would have been absolutely frowned upon when I was growing up in that church. I know that COGIG churches had drummers, if not electric guitarist, but not certainly not middle class Baptist churches.

The one point that I started to make in this post is that, regretfully, I don't think that we {African Americans} know many African American spirituals anymore.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Must Come In at the Door
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 14 Aug 08 - 09:20 AM

Thank you for that, Azizi. Personal remembrances like this help to capture a place and time for all of us.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Must Come In at the Door
From: Azizi
Date: 14 Aug 08 - 10:04 AM

And thank you, DWR, for your thank you :o}

I started to delete those comments since they technically aren't on-topic. But your comment made me glad that I kept them.

Of course, I meant to write "Church of God In Christ" instead of "Church of God in Chris"...