Lyr Add: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over

Subject: Lyr Add: MY WARFARE WILL SOON BE OVER
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 30 Nov 03 - 10:24 AM

My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
As recorded by Ginny Hawker

Does anyone have any information about this song?

A
My Lord was a wayward pilgrim
He traveled around from door to door
His chiefest occupation
            G                A
Was administering to the poor.

They say my Lord had a devil
They thought his saints the same
I don't expect nothing here
But sorrow, grief and pain.

(Chorus)
A
My warfare will soon be over
My race will soon be run
My warfare will soon be over
            G       A
Then I'm going home.

God bless them Holiness people
And the Presbyterians too
And the good ole shouting Methodists
And the prayin' Baptists too.

And when I get to heaven
I want you to be there too
And when you hear me say "Amen"
I want to hear you say so too.

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 08:57 AM

Doesn't anyone know anything about this song? Ginny Hawker does an amazing job on it and it has a haunting power.

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Gern
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 04:11 PM

Yes, this is a nice tune; a good singer's song. I know it with somewhat modified lyrics by the Freight Hoppers, sung by Cary Fridley. The liner notes mention a version by Estil Ball.

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Burke
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 05:33 PM

This is already in DT twice: Here and Here, from the singing of Sarah Ogan Gunning. It's on Folk Legacy FSA 26, so Sandy may have more info. MMario is still looking for the tune.

Your title made me think of Desire for Piety in the Sacred Harp. "Then I'm going home" really sounds like it should be Sacred Harp, but it's not.

I'd suspect it has its roots in Camp or Revival Meetings. The Chorus really having very little relation to the verses & probably having floated around being independently attached to any number of verses is pretty characteristic. I see it's on Ginny's album for her father, but the verses don't seem Primitive Baptist to me.

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 06:01 PM

I think I saw somewhere that the Carter Family also recorded this. It's the kind of quirky gospel song I love. Anybody got the melody for this one so I can learn it? MIDIs & scans gladly accepted.
-Joe Offer-
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Burke
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 06:15 PM

Barbara, I apologize. I should have said another version is in DT.

I did a Google search & found 3 Christmas Carol sites with the words but no music. I think these folks must just copy from each other without even thinking about it.

I do want to hear Sarah Ogan Gunning's version because it's unaccompanied.

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 06:37 PM

I guess that Sara Ogan Gunning Folk-Legacy album isn't available on CD. I wonder if it will be.
Here's the blurb describing the album:

GIRL OF CONSTANT SORROW - C-26

It would be difficult to over-estimate the importance of this recording, made for us by Archie Green, who is surely the nation's leading authority on the music and folklore of the labor movement in America. Sarah Gunning was the sister of the better-known Aunt Molly Jackson. They were both active in the struggle to organize the mine workers in the Kentucky coal fields, a long, bitter, and often bloody battle. As in the civil rights struggle, songs proved to be an important element in the struggle, helping to educate the workers and encouraging them to maintain their solidarity. Sarah created some of those songs, several examples of which are included here. Powerful!

Anybody know of other recordings of My Warfare Will Soon Be Over/Christ Was a Wayworn Traveler?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Burke
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 07:03 PM

Hawker, Ginny on "Angels Are Singing: A Women's Bluegrass Gospel Collection" "Letters From My Father" and "Rough Guide to the Music of the Appalachians"

I've stumbled on another song that was done by the Carter Family, that has a similar title and looks good as well, but is different. "The Wayworn Traveller" with the chorus: Palms of Victory. There are online field recordings at Max Hunter and The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection (Almeda Riddle)
Also found in Randolph, Vol. IV, #626, "Palms of Victory."

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: GLoux
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 11:58 AM

E.C.Ball recorded Warfare on a County recording in 1967. I have it on a reissue/compilation on Copper Creek CCCD-0141, E.C.Ball and Orna, "Through The Years 1937-1975". I'm not familiar with a Carter Family version, but in the liner notes it says that E.C. met the Carter Family when he was about twelve or thirteen years old..."Most any of the Carter Family songs were kindly up my alley. I liked 'em."

I also see that John Cohen recorded E.C. (Estil) Ball and included Warfare on Rounder CD 0028 High Atmosphere.

From the notes of High Atmosphere:

"In this church song, we see the problem posed by the chorded guitar as applied to the older modes of music. The guitar acts as a leveling force against the modal inclinations of this music, trying to smooth out its rough edges and craggy peaks. No wonder so few of the ballads are accompanied in any but a linear fashion. Yet Estil Ball's beautiful singing makes a charming reconciliation between these conflicting forces, while his guitar chords shift from major to minor to find a fitting accompaniment. Sarah Ogan Gunning and Wade Mainer have also recorded this song."

-Greg

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 01:47 PM

Interesting posts. Thanks, everyone. (I actually searched the DT and did not find the song because I looked for "warfare will" rather than "warfare'll" I guess).

So true, what is said above about the chorded guitar with modal songs like this. I abdicate by just switching between A and G, but I think my husband tunes his banjo to some special tuning for this song.

Now I want to hear all the other versions...

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Burke
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 05:41 PM

I found it in DT by searching "warfare" all by itself.

It's also just called "Warfare" on the Freight Hoppers' "Waiting on the Gravy Train."

The sound clip online for the E.C. Ball version sounds really interesting to me.

Anyone know what title the Carter family used for it? I can't find it in the Folk Index.

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 08 Oct 04 - 10:05 AM

Still need the tune cos I found it?

Regards, John

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: GLoux
Date: 08 Oct 04 - 02:10 PM

Sure.

Subject: RE: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Francy
Date: 08 Oct 04 - 02:15 PM

Iit has its origins in North Carolina, at least the ginny Hawker version.....the original arrange she uses is from Wilma Milsaps.......Frank of Toledo

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: GUEST,Faretheewell
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 11:46 AM

Anyone know about the wade mainer version? What is it called, when was it recorded, where can i find it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: GUEST,diplocase
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 08:30 PM

Album: High Atmosphere: Ballads and Banjo Tunes from Virginia and North Carolina collected by John Cohen in November 1965

Singer: E.C. Ball

WARFARE

Refrain:       My warfare will soon be ended
                   My race is nearly run
                   My warfare will soon be ended
                   And I am a-going home

My Lord told His disciples
"After I'm risen and gone
You will meet with troubles and trials
But bear your rebukes and scorn"
    Refrain

You can rebuke me all you want to
I'm traveling home to God
I'm well acquainted with the crosses
And all my ways are hard

They say my Lord is a devil
They call his saints the same
I'm not expecting any more down here
Than grief and scorn and shame

God bless them holiness people
The Presbyterians too
The good ol' shouting Methodists
And the praying Baptists too

And when you get to Heaven
I want to see you there
And when I say "Amen"
I want you to say so too.
      Refrain

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: My Warfare Will Soon Be Over
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Sep 12 - 11:50 AM

Girl of Constant Sorrow, Gunning, is availablle on cd, several sellers, as low as $11.50.
Look under Amazon.com