Lyr Add: Ezekiel (swing down)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ezekiel
From: GUEST,Victoria
Date: 01 Dec 10 - 05:31 PM

Brother Ezekiel was in the Valley, it was on the Lord's day and then God told Ezekiel to prophesy saying here ye the word of the Lord. Praise God

He called Ezekiel the son of man to preach the gospel to the sinful man, but the children of Isreal would not hear and my God said the time is near; I going to buld me a city in my own way with a nation of people that will obey..

Well then God he came in the middle of the night and destroyed the city with all his might, he put Ezekiel in the vally prophsey saying "Hear ye the word of the Lord" the walk they talk them dry bones, they walk they talk them dry bones, they walk they talk them dry bones. The foot bone connects to the ankle bone, the ankle bone connects to the leg bone...etc.


This is the lead in that aired on the Johnny Carson show many years ago, this is the version that I grew up with as the lead in to Dry Bones.

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Azizi
Date: 16 Sep 07 - 09:44 PM

Here's two YouTube videos of "Swing Down Chariot" {Lord and let me ride} :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHu0R-9_NGU&mode=related&search=
Herman Stevens Singers - "Swing Down Chariot"

Added: May 12, 2007
From: ArchieB9876
1960's

**

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRqO_lGDk78
Gospel Harmonettes - "Swing Down Chariot"
Added: March 07, 2007
From: ArchieB9876

One commentator to this video clip's "thread" identified the lead singer as Dorothy Love Coates.

Another commentator wrote this comment:
"...I believe this is from the Newport Folk Festival in 1966!"

-snip-

I don't think either of these renditions of this song has any "Ezekiel" verses, but I could be wrong since it's particularly difficult to hear the words of the Gospel Harmonette's version.

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Jun 03 - 06:25 PM

I believe I have it with the Blackwoods also.

~S~

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Megan L
Date: 24 Jun 03 - 04:49 PM

your request for Ezekiel brought back memories. I heard Tennessee Ernie Ford sing it many many years ago.

Subject: Lyr Add: SWING DOWN SWEET CHARIOT (from E Presley)
From: GUEST,David Neale
Date: 24 Jun 03 - 03:50 AM

"Swing Down Sweet Chariot" (the title of the first song listed in this thread) is available at perhaps a surprising source (unless you know that the singer won three Grammy awards for his gospel recordings): Elvis Presley! He recorded it in 1960 for the "His Hand In Mine" collection, where it was simply credited as having been arranged by Elvis.
The lyrics used by Elvis closely match those printed above:

SWING DOWN SWEET CHARIOT

Chorus:
Why don't you swing down sweet chariot
Stop and let me ride
Swing down chariot
Stop and let me ride
Rock me lord, rock me lord
Calm and easy
Well I've got a home on the other side                     

Repeat chorus

Well, well, well, well, well, well
Ezekial went down in the middle of a field
Saw an angel working on a chariot wheel
Wasn't so particular 'bout the chariot wheel
Just wanted to see how a chariot feel

Repeat chorus

Well Ezekial went down and he got on board
Chariot went a bumpin' on down the road
Zeke wasn't so particular 'bout the bumpin' of the road
Just wanted to lay down his heavy load

Repeat chorus                  

Well I've got a father in the promised land
Ain't gonna stop until I shake his hand
Rock me lord, rock me lord
Calm and easy
I've got a home on the other side

Repeat chorus

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Susan A-R
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 10:10 PM

It's interesting, we have done the old Ezekiel saw the Wheel, and have overlaid Swing Low Sweet Chariot at the beginning and end. Sounds like the song driving this thread is a bit of a blend of the two. What a coincidence. I would love to hear the tune and will look for it.

Susan

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Stewie
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 12:56 AM

That first 'Chet' in my previous posting was meant to be 'Dale' - my apologies.

Subject: Lyr Add: VALLEY OF THE DRY BONES
From: Stewie
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 09:09 PM

Chet, sorry I can't be of assistance to you. I have several versions of 'Ezekiel Saw the Wheel', but not the one you want.

However, I can satisfy Chet's request. This is my transcription of the song:

VALLEY OF THE DRY BONES

Well Ezekiel was in the valley
On the Lord's day
Well God told Ezekiel to prophesy
Now hear ye the word of the lord

Verse 1 repeated

My lord he called Ezekiel as the son of man
(Mmmmm)
To preach the gospel to the sinful man
(Mmmmm)
The people of Israel they got so wicked
(Mmmmm)
My God stopped and he calls Ezekiel
Sayin', hey Ezekiel got to prophesy
The wicked man is born to die

Ezekiel went down into Israel land
To preach the gospel to the sinful man
But the people of Israel they would not hear
So my God says the time is near
Gonna make me a city in my own way For a nation of people that will obey
So God he came in the middle of the night
Destroyed that city with all his might
He put Ezekiel in the valley prophesying
Saying, hear ye the word of the lord

Now the toe and the foot bone join together
And the foot and the ankle bone join together
And the ankle and the leg bone join together
And the leg and the knee bone join together
And the knee and the thigh bone join together
And the thigh and the hip bone join together
Now hear ye the word of the lord
Ezekiel in the valley (of dry bones) (x 4)
Now hear ye the word of the lord

Now Ezekiel he raised up his head
(Now the finger and the hand bone join together)
He found he was lying among the dead
(Hand and the wrist bone join together)
Well God said Ezekiel can these bones live
(Wrist and the arm bone join together)
Ezekiel said, God if it is thy will (all)
Then he began to prophesy
(Arm and the (?) bone join together)
They tell me that the bones began to rise
( (?) and the muscle bone join together)
He prophesied high up to the wind
(Muscle and the shoulder bone join together)
Blow your breath in the bones that they might live (all)
(Shoulder and the collar bone join together)
And then the bones began to walk
(Collar and the neck bone join together)
Oh they stood on the ground and began to talk
(Neck and the skull bone join together)
Ezekiel, he said – said ye dry bones
Won't ye hear ye the word of the lord
Ezekiel in the valley (of dry bones) (x4)
Now hear ye the word of the lord (x2)

The parts in brackets are sung almost simultaneously with the lead singer. I can't decipher what they're singing for the 'elbow' line - could be 'bow bone, but sounds like moe bone. No attribution is given for the song except 'From The Little Wonders'. My source is Red Clay Ramblers 'It Ain't Right' Flying Fish CD FF70334.

Regards, Stewie.

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Mary
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 12:45 AM

maybe I should start a new thread but I have become very curious about this Jubilee stuff...it being the Year of Jubilee in some major religions coming up.....I did not I am sad to say realize the religious or historical significance....but it is supposed to be a year in which slaves are freed and land is left fallow and debts are forgiven in certain cases of hardship....so I didn't realize what the Jubilee in those old songs was but now I think I do....I find new depths to my ignorance all the time...so does anyone have any more information on this or could they name some songs that are Jubilee songs....

mg

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Night Owl
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 12:45 AM

Dale...I had the song on an old Buck White album called "That Down Home Feeling". The chorus you posted is the same, but I'm not sure that the verses are...can't remember. In any case...I learned it as a Bluegrass tune. (BTW-your clicky thing does still work...found Buck White at CDNow-but not the right album.

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: harpgirl
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 12:32 AM

...Dale, Bryan Bowers sings a version of this on one of his albums...let me see if I have it for words...might be tomorrow...I'm falling asleep after returning from the ancestral condo...harpgirl

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Dale Rose
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 12:19 AM

Every now and then it seems worthwhile to try again on requests that have not been answered. It is possible that someone new to the forum has exactly the information that I have been looking for. (as usual the CDNow link no longer works)

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Dale Rose
Date: 07 Feb 99 - 10:37 PM

Here is another stab at this one. I still have no clues as to its origins, though one of my sources did say that he had heard it by the Stanleys.

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Chet W.
Date: 16 Oct 98 - 07:03 PM

Thanks, Joe. This is not exactly the one, but I like this one a lot. The one they did had sort of a chorus like; "Ezekiel in the valley of the dry bones (3x), Now hear ye the word of the Lord" and the the part about the toe bone connected to the foot bone etc. Many of their spiritual numbers (like "I'll be ready when the great day comes") they said came from an old Yale Chorus songbook that somebody in the band's father had. I'd sure love to find one of those, or a book of Jubilee style spirituals and gospel songs in general. I will learn the one you sent.

Chet W.

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Oct 98 - 08:25 PM

It it this one, Chet?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Chet W.
Date: 15 Oct 98 - 06:42 PM

I'd post a tune if I could. Instead I have another request. Does anybody remember the words for the song that the Red Clay Ramblers used to do called "Ezekiel in the Valley of the Dry Bones"? I'd sure appreciate it.

Thanks, Chet W.

Subject: RE: Ezekiel: (insert jazzy attention getter here)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Oct 98 - 12:43 PM

Can anybody post a tune?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: EZEKIEL
From: Dale Rose
Date: 15 Oct 98 - 10:30 AM

This might be a good time to put in a request of my own. The version of Ezekiel that I recently put in another thread and am repeating here, comes from Karen Kraft of Southern Missouri and until this year, the banjo player of the Dixie Darlins. She in turn learned it from a gentleman in Mountain Grove, MO who says he learned it from the Stanley Brothers. I have been unable to verify this information, or indeed to find out anything anywhere about the version. Has anyone out there run across it in their musical journeys? I would appreciate any additional or corrected verses, background or sources for the song that you can come up with.

EZEKIEL

Ezekiel went down in the middle of the field,
saw an angel workin' on a chariot wheel.
He wasn't particular 'bout the chariot wheel,
he wanted to know how the chariot'd feel.

Chorus:
Why don't you swing down sweet chariot, stop, and let me ride
Swing down sweet chariot, stop, and let me ride,
Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy,
I've got a home on the other side.

Ezekiel went down and he got on board,
the chariot started bumpin' on down the road.
He wasn't particular 'bout the bumpy road,
he wanted to lay down his heavy load.

chorus

I've got a father in the promised land,
don't mean to stop until I shake his hand.
I've got a mother that has gone before,
waiting for me at Heaven's door.

chorus

The verses I have never seen elsewhere, but the chorus and at least a close relative of the tune are found in Ian and Sylvia's Swing Down, Chariot from their Northern Journey album from 1964. Here is a 30 second RA sound clip of Swing Down, Chariot, compliments of CDNow.