Lyr/Origin: Happy in the Prison

Subject: Lyr/Origin: Happy in the Prison
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 12:19 PM

Does anyone have the lyrics to "Happy In the Prison" by Earnest Phipps Holiness Quartet? You can listen on-line at Juneberry 78.com Seems like it is sung to "Will the Circle be Unbroken." What do you think?

I assume this is similar to Carter family version which is not in the DT. Maybe the carter family used the melody for WTCBU?

Is this white spiritual a take-off on "When I lay my Burden/s down"? Is this African American in origin? Anyone have Blind Roosevelt Graves lyrics from 1929? Is this same as "Since I Laid My Burden Down"?

Thanks,

Richie

Richie

Subject: Lyr Add: HAPPY IN THE PRISON
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 12:37 PM

Her's what I have so far:

Happy In the Prison
Earnest Phipps Holiness Quartet

Well I am happy, in this prison
Yes I'm happy, everywhere
In my heart the Savior's risen
Of ten thousand, he was spared.

CHORUS: Glory, glory, *hallelujah
Sinners lay that burden down
Glory, glory, hallelujah
For a cross receive a crown

(fiddle)

Oh Pentecostal reign is falling
And its coming draweth nigh
Well I can hear the Savior calling
Go in heaven or you die. CHORUS

(Fiddle)

Oh thousands bless the (loving Leader?)
Who've never felt the touch of power.
And they'd love to (?)
Oh Jesus told us of that hour. CHORUS

(Fiddle)

Oh the season is (?)
Oh will you talk to Him for good (?)
Oh it is a joyful healing,
When you know your heart is pure. CHORUS

*pronounced "hallelujer"

Subject: Lyr. Add: HAPPY IN PRISON (Carter Family)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 01:56 PM

Lyr. Add: HAPPY IN PRISON
(Carter Family version)

I am happy in a prison
Yes, I'm happy anywhere
In my soul my savior's risen
Of 10,000 he is fair.

Chorus:
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Sinners lay your burdens down
Glory, glory, hallelujah
For a cross receive a crown.

When the food is low and falling
And the children bare for clothes
I look up to my Father's healing
For I know my savior knows.

Any cost, a fire is burning
And it's coming draweth nigh
But I'm happy, always happy
Though in prison I must die.

http://www.bluegrasslyrics.com/carter_song.cfm-recordID=c073.htm

A couple of the words above may be wrong, since I haven't heard the recording.
I will check the Af-Am references I have for anything similar. The chorus, of course, is used in unrelated songs. The first verse (10,000) probably will be the key.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin: Happy in the Prison
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 02:53 PM

Carter Family version-

The last verse should be-

Pentacostal fire is burning
And it's coming, draweth nigh
But I'm happy, always happy
Though in prison I must die.

1938
http://www.icdc.com/fmoore/carterfamily/happy_in_prison.htm

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN I LAY MY BURDEN DOWN (Fred McDowell)
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 10:51 PM

Here's a different song that uses the lyric "When I Lay My Burden Down," a blues version that is similar to the early spirtuals:

WHEN I LAY MY BURDEN DOWN by Mississippi Fred McDowell

recording of February 13 1964, at his house near Como, Mississippi
from You Gotta Move (Arhoolie 304)

Hallelujah, when I lay my burden down
Oh glory, glo', hallelu', when I lay my burden down

I'm goin' home to, oh, when I lay my burden...
Oh, I'm goin' home

Live with Jesus, when I lay my burden down
All my troubles will be...
Oh, when I lay my...
Mmm, my troubles, when I lay my burden down

I'm gonna meet my lovin' mother, when I lay my burden down
I'm gonna meet my..., when I lay my burden down
Glory, glory, mmm, when I lay my burden down
Glory, glory, when I lay my burden down

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin: Happy in the Prison
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 10:54 PM

Here's a similar bluegrass version from the Abbott Family Collection:

LYR ADD: When I Lay My Burden Down

Glory glory, hallelujah, When I lay my burdens down
Glory glory, hallelujah, When I lay my burdens down

All of my troubles will be over, When I lay my burdens down,... (x2)

I'll go home to meet my Savior, When I lay my burdens down,... (x2)

I will see, see my mother, When I lay my burdens down,... (x2)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin: Happy in the Prison
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 11:04 PM

Roy Acuff's "When I Lay My Burden Down" is similar to the Carter Family's version.

Anyone have Acuff's lyrics?

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN I LAY MY BURDENS DOWN (Roy Acuff)
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 07:37 AM

Acuff's version is a simplified rendition of "Happy in Prison." Here, the tune is clearly "Circle Be Unbroken" and in fact, Acuff recorded "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" on the flip side. Must have been an easy session!

WHEN I LAY MY BURDENS DOWN
Roy Acuff; Tune "Circle Be Unbroken"

Banjo/fiddle

I'll go home to meet my Savior
When I lay my burdens down
I'll go home to meet my Savior
When I lay my burdens down

CHORUS: Glory, glory, hallelujah
When I lay my burdens down
Glory, glory, hallelujah
When I lay my burdens down

Fiddle

I will give my heart to Jesus,
When I lay my burdens down
I will give my heart to Jesus,
When I lay my burdens down.

CHORUS Fiddle

I will tell him all my troubles
When I lay my burdens down
I will tell him all my troubles
When I lay my burdens down
CHORUS

I'm gonna tell my Jesus, "Howdy,"
When I lay my burdens down
I'm gonna tell my Jesus, "Howdy,"
When I lay my burdens down
CHORUS

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN I LAY MY BURDEN DOWN (Joe Taggart)
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 07:58 AM

Blind Joe Taggart recorded this version with guitar accompaniment. He plays a slide lead between the vocal parts. The melody is similar to "Will the Circle" (first line of melody only- Will the circle be unbroken by and by, Lord, by and by). The melody of the last verse is different.

WHEN I LAY MY BURDEN DOWN Blind Joe Taggart Vol. 2 (1929-1934)

CHORUS: Glory glory, hallelujah, When I lay my burdens down
Glory glory, hallelujah, When I lay my burdens down

(Slide guitar break)

One day, one day, I'll.. walk a little longer
When I lay my burdens down
I heard a voice but I saw no one
When I lay my burdens down

I'm gonna meet Jesus up in the air
When I lay my burdens down
In judgement day he shall declare
When I lay my burdens down

(Slide guitar break)

CHORUS: Glory glory, hallelujah, When I lay my burdens down
Glory glory, hallelujah, When I lay my burdens down

Slide guitar break

I'm goin' on down 'bout Jordan
Ain't gonna make no written note
When I get on the other side
Devil says, "No he's gone."

Subject: Lyr Add: GLORY, GLORY, HALLELUJAH
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 02:03 PM

As noted before, "Glory, glory, hallelujah" has been used in a chorus in spirituals, white hymns and labor songs since its appearance with the tune in 1858.

Later, it was combined into simplified versions with the 'titles' or themes of old spirituals. This is shown by the following from McClain, Cleveland and Nix, ed., "Songs of Zion," 1981, Abingdon Press; Hymnbook Project for United Methodist Churches and initiated by the Black Church of Atlanta, GA.
(The same occurred in songs by whites, such as those given above by Richie).

98
GLORY, GLORY, HALLELUJAH
Harm. J. Jefferson Cleveland and Verolga Nix
1.
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Since I laid my burden down.
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Since I laid my burden down.
2.
I feel better, so much better.....
3.
Feel like shouting "Hallelujah!" .....
4.
I am climbing Jacob's ladder .....
5.
Ev'ry round goes higher and higher ....

"Lay down my burden" probably was a development from "I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield, down by the riverside," of "Study War No More."

"Glory, glory, hallelujah," from "John Brown's Body" and "Glory Hallelujah" appeared in the songs of the freed slaves soon after 1861. Heard in Tennessee in the 1860's was the song "We Are Free" with the chorus:
Glory, glory, hallelujah (3x)
We are free today.
See Epstein, Sinful Tunes and Spirituals, p. 300.

The tune for "Glory, glory, hallelujah!"..." appeared in 1857 and "Brothers, Will You Meet Us" in 1858 contained the chorus, "Glory, Glory, hallelujah!" It became a Methodist hymn. "John Brown's Body" appeared in 1861 and was immediately popular.
Oliver Ditson music publishers, also copyrighted the song in 1861 under the title, "Glory, Hallelujah!"
"Battle Hymn of the Republic" was published in 1862, also by Oliver Ditson.
(Much or the above from Fuld, "The Book of World-Famous Music...")

None of this helps with the origin of "Happy in Prison," one of the songs borrowing or incorporating the "Glory..." chorus, and in this case "Lay my burden...."

I know that there is a hymn or gospel song naming Jesus as one of the ten thousand, but I haven't found it yet. The verse referring to "Pentacostal" also may help find the origin of this song.