Lyr Req: Blood-Strained Banders / -Stained Banners

Subject: Blood Strained Banders
From: Dave White
Date: 04 Nov 98 - 12:49 AM

On "A Treasury of Lib. of Congress Field Recordings", there is a song by Jimmie Strothers called "Blood-Strained (stained?) Banders. If anyone knows where I might find the lyrics, I would be grateful.

Thanks

Subject: RE: Blood Strained Banders
From: Art Thieme
Date: 04 Nov 98 - 03:31 PM

"GOOD SHEPHERD" is an alternate name for this song. Jorma Kaukonen & Hot Tuna do it that way I believe. Several others have recorded various re-workings of "BLOOD STAINED BANDERS"

I've always felt it should've been transcribed as "BLOOD STAINED BANNERS"---meaning a nation's FLAG. In that sense this would most certainly be an anti-war song.

I think it's something like this:

If you want to get to heaven, over by the other shore,
Stay away from the blood stained banner--good shepherd, feed my sheep.

Chorus)
One for Silas, two for Paul, three for to make my heart rejoice,
Can't you hear my sheep a cryin',good shepherd, feed my sheep.

If you want to get to heaven, over by the other shore,
Stay away from the gun shot devil--good shepherd,feed my sheep.

...stay away from the painted women, good shepherd, feed my sheep...

Anyhow,that's how I used to do it maybe 20 years ago. Stuart Halliday, who was, supposedly, Jorma's roommate in college, was our source around Chicago even before it was done by Hot Tuna. Jorma's earlier rock band, the Jefferson Airplane, did this song too---if I remember right.

Art

Subject: RE: Blood Strained Banders
From: Art Thieme
Date: 04 Nov 98 - 03:49 PM

In the chorus, it should be "LAMBS a-cryin'" instead of "sheep". sorry-------Art

Subject: RE: Blood Strained Banders
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 04 Nov 98 - 06:37 PM

I hate to keep harping on this, but if you do a search for blood-stained (or blood-strained you'll find it in the DT database.

Subject: RE: Blood Strained Banders
From: rich r
Date: 04 Nov 98 - 07:32 PM

Dick, Thanks to some of us you are getting to be a really good harpist.

rich r

Subject: RE: Blood Strained Banders
From: Barbara
Date: 04 Nov 98 - 07:46 PM

Jeez, rich, that's 'harper!

Subject: RE: Blood Strained Banders
From: Sean Ruprecht-Belt
Date: 05 Nov 98 - 12:53 PM

Funny! I always sang this "Blood stained bandits", figuring it meant bad guys and low-lifes in general. The folk process at work, eh?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blood-Strained Banders / -Stained Banners
From: Allan C.
Date: 05 Feb 20 - 06:03 AM

For many years I have pondered the significance of “Stay out of the way of the Blood-Stained Banders.” But now, after reading this, I think I might have a clue. The spelling is different, but I still think the song might refer to this bunch of murderers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blood-Strained Banders / -Stained Banners
From: Allan C.
Date: 05 Feb 20 - 06:07 AM

Jimmie Strothers singing "Blood-Stained Banders"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blood-Strained Banders / -Stained Banners
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 05 Feb 20 - 12:46 PM

Good info about the song at

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Shepherd_(song)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blood-Strained Banders / -Stained Banners
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 11:56 AM

I believe they were a murdering ,thieving gang, like in the gangs of New York or Pinky Blinders

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blood-Strained Banders / -Stained Banners
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 02:31 PM

"Pinky"
Peaky blinders surely - so called for lining the peaks of their caps with razor blades to slash the faces of they opponents
Jim

Subject: Lyr Add: BLOOD-STRAINED BANDERS (Jimmie Strothers)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Jun 20 - 12:01 AM

My transcription from YouTube:


BLOOD-STRAINED BANDERS
As recorded by Jimmie Strothers.

If you want to go to heaven, [just] over on the other sho',
Keep out the way of {the blood-strained banders.}*
O good shepherd, feed my sheep.
Some for Paul, some for Silas,
Some for to make-a my heart rejoice.
Don't you hear lambs a-crying?
O good shepherd, feed my sheep.

[* On subsequent verses substitute:]

...the gunshot devils.

...the long-tongued liars.

- - -
Other recordings:
BLOOD-STAINED BANDERS recorded by Mike Seeger and Peggy Seeger on "Fly Down Little Bird" (2011)
BLOOD-STRAINED BANDERS recorded by The Folksmiths on "We've Got Some Singing to Do" (1958)