Lyr Add: Rockin' (She Rock'd Him in a Weary Land)

Subject: Lyr Add: Rockin' (She Rock'd Him in a Weary Land)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 10:26 AM

From a tape: Sister Thea, 'Round the Glory Manger Christmas Spirituals.

~S~

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ROCKIN' (She Rock'd Him in a Weary Land)
Traditional Negro Spiritual

1. Mary had a little baby,
Born in Bethlehem.
Every time the little Baby cried,
She rock'd him in a weary land.

REFRAIN:
Ain't that rockin' all night?
Ain't that rockin' all night?
Ain't that rockin' all night,
All night long.

2. Wise men came from the East,
Guided by the Star,
With gold, myrrh and frankincense
While she rock'd him in a weary land.

3. Herod heard the news;
The Baby he did seek.
The Lord told Mary
Just to rock him in a weary land.


SH

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rockin' (She Rock'd Him in a Weary Land)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 09:03 PM

Well, I had to modify this one a bit, structurally and then textually, to fit a new way of teaching the spirituals to people. Also I wanted it to convey more of the Christmas story, since we use these things in weekly worship at our church. So our version will be as shown below.

~S~

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ROCKIN'
Adapted by Susan O. Hinton

Mary had a little baby,
Growin' just below her heart.
As she rode a donkey they journeyed,
She rocked him in a weary land.

Ain't that rockin' all night (3x)?
All night long.

They came to Bethlehem inn,
The rooms and beds all full.
The baby tossed inside her, as
She rocked him in a weary land.

Joseph made her bed in a stable,
A crib from a manger and straw.
And when her baby breathed his first,
She rocked him in a weary land.

The night so long and dark,
Her heart so full of joy.
And every time the little baby cried,
She rocked him in a weary land.

Their baby slept at last;
Her husband Joseph looked on,
Still Mary, wrapped in Joseph's arms,
She rocked him in a weary land.

That baby grew to a man, and died...
The stories I could tell!
His Spirit lives inside me now,
He rocks me in a weary land.