Origin: I Am a Pilgrim of Sorrow

Subject: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Richie
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 09:48 AM

I stumbled on these lyrics will search for info about another song:

I am a poor pilgrim of sorrow.
I'm in this world alone.
No hope in this world for tomorrow.
I'm trying to make heaven my home.

Sometimes I am tossed and driven.
Sometimes I don't know where to roam.
I've heard of a city called heaven.
I've started to make it my home.

This African-American song appeared to be the source of the popular "I am a Pilgrim" sung by Doc Watson and many others. I posted the lyrics on the Spiritual permathread hoping they would be identified.

Any suggestions?

I'll post more info and two responses.

Thanks,

Richie

Subject: Lyr Add: I AM A PILGRIM OF SORROW
From: Richie
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 09:51 AM

Here's one response:

Hi Richie,
I saw your Post on the Permathread.
I thought 'I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow" was a southern Appalachian Mountain song but I could be wrong.
I am sure someone will know more about this than I do!.
I have included the words below this message as I know them.
Hope this is of some help to you and good luck with the search for more info.
Best of Wishes
Jude

I AM A PILGRIM OF SORROW

I am a pilgrim, a pilgrim of sorrow
Tossed in this wide world
This wide world alone
(I ain't got no hope, I ain't got no hope, I ain't got no hope)
Ain't got no hope in
(I ain't got no hope in this world for tomorrow)
This world for tomorrow
('Cause Lord, I'm trying, I'm trying to make heaven)
Trying to make it
(I wanna make heaven my home)
Heaven my home

You know sometimes, I get a little troubled
I get a little tormented and worried, Lord Jesus
By all of my so-called friends, all of my so-called friends
Who just won't, who just won't leave me alone
But I'm gonna keep on tryin' and keep on prayin'
That one day it'll all be over
'Cause Lord, I'm trying to make it
I wanna make heaven my home

(Sometimes) Sometimes I'm tossed
(Sometimes I'm tossed and driven) And driven Lord
(And I just don't know, said I just don't know, well I don't know which way to roam)
Just don't know which way to roam (I'm going home)
(Which way to roam)

(You see, I am a poor) I am a pilgrim
(I'm a poor pilgrim of sorrow) A pilgrim of sorrow
(Lord, You know that I'm tossed, tossed in this wide world)
Tossed in this wide world
(In this wide world alone) This wide world alone
(I ain't got no hope, I ain't got no hope)
Ain't got no hope in
(I ain't got no hope in this world for tomorrow)
This world for tomorrow
('Cause Lord, I'm trying, I'm tryin' to make heaven)
Trying to make it
(I'm gonna make heaven my home)
Heaven my home

(Sometimes) Sometimes I'm tossed
(Sometimes I'm tossed and driven) And driven Lord
(And I just don't know, said I just don't know)
(Well, I don't know which way to roam)
Just don't know which way to roam (I'm going home)
(Which way to roam)

(I've heard of a city)
Ain't got no hope in
(I've heard of a city, a city called heaven)
This world for tomorrow
(Lord, I'm trying, I'm trying to make it)
Trying to make it
(Trying, said I'm trying to make it)
Trying to make it
(Lord, I'm trying to make it)
Trying to make it
(Said I wanna make heaven my home)
Heaven my home

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Richie
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 09:54 AM

Here's a response from Azizi from the other thread:

That song is called "I heard of a city called heaven" or at least that's how I learned it.

I heard of a city called heaven
I'm tryin to make it
my home.

I am a poor pilgrim of sorrow.
I'm in this world alone.
No hope in this world for tomorrow.
I'm trying to make heaven my home.

Sometimes I am tossed and driven.
Sometimes I don't know where to roam.
I've heard of a city called heaven.
I've started to make it my home.

Sometimes I am toss-ed and driven, Lord.
Sometimes I don't know where to go.
I heard of a city called heaven.
I'm tryin to make it my home.

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Ron Davies
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 09:59 AM

This is a wonderful song. Tim and Mollie O'Brien do a haunting duet version of it with, I think, one fiddle. They don't do anywhere near all these verses.

Sound like a happy meeting of black and white gospel traditions.

Subject: Lyr Add: I AM A PILGRIM (Bill Monroe)
From: Richie
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 09:59 AM

Here are some standard bluegrass/country lyrics for "I Am a Pilgrim" by Bill Monroe:


I AM A PILGRIM
As recorded by Bill Monroe on "The Gospel Spirit" (2004)

CHORUS: I am a pilgrim and a stranger
Trav'lin' through this worrisome land,
And I've got a home in that yonder city, good Lord,
And it's not (good Lordy, it's not) not made by hand.

I'm goin' down to that river of Jordan
Just to soothe my wearied soul.
If I could touch but the hem of His garment, good Lord,
I do believe (good Lordy, I believe) it would make me whole.

I've got a mother, a sister, and a brother
Who has gone on before.
I'm determined to go and see them, good Lord,
Over on (good Lordy, over on) that other shore. CHORUS

[The following verse is not on the above recording:]

Now when I'm dead, laying in my coffin
All of my friends all gather round
They can say that he's just laying there sleeping, good Lord
Sweet peace (Lordy sweet peace) his soul is found

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Ron Davies
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 10:05 AM

"Sounds like"

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Alba
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 10:06 AM

I have heard Tim and Mollie O'Brien's version of this Song Ron.
I totally agree with you. It is haunting rendition.
My best to you as always,
Jude

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Richie
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 10:16 AM

Called "Po' pilgrim of sorrow" or, "A city called Heaven" there is a sound clip on this site:
http://www.thenegrospiritualworkshop.com/song5.htm

Here are the lyrics:

PO' PILGRIM OF SORROW/ A CITY CALLED HEAVEN

I am a po' pilgrim of sorrow, I'm tossed in this wide world alone

No hope have I for tomorrow I started to make heaven my home.

Sometimes I am storm-tossed an' driven

Sometimes I don't know where to roam

I heard of a Heaven called an' I started to make it my home.

My mother has reached that pure glory,

My father is still walking in sin

My brothers and sisters won't own me

Because I am tryin' to get in

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 10:17 AM

Richie, I responded to your post late last night {actually early this morning}, and made several typo and memory mistakes.   

Here's the corrected song that I remember:

I heard of a city called heaven
I'm tryin to make it
my home.

I am a poor pilgrim of sorrow.
I'm lost in this wide world alone.
No hope have I for tomorrow.
I'm tryin' to make heaven my home.

Sometimes I am toss-sed and driven, Lord
Sometimes I don't know where to roam.
I've heard of a city called heaven.
I've tryin to make it my home.

-snip-

Also, here are the [typo corrected] comments that I had included in one of my previous posts that responded to your query on the African American Permathread:

"I can't find it on YouTube and its lyrics aren't included in the negrospiritual.com songs archive.

The song has a slow or moderate tempo. Sorry, I don't read or write music so I can't give you the notes, even as a guess."

**
   
I found "Heard Of A City Called Heaven" online at:
http://www.altnet.com/store/file/38048/Gospel/Life__Passion_of_Jesus_Christ_According_to_Gospel_Disc_2/Heard_of_a_City_Called_He

There's no sound clip of that song on that site, though there are these sound clips of the great Roland Hayes singing several other spirituals.

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: John Hardly
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 10:25 AM

A long, long time ago (in dog years) I hear Jubilant Sykes do his incredible version on Prairie Home Companion. He brought down the house with a very spare voice-and-piano arrangement.


I like the Tim & Mollie version as well, though, like much of O'Brien's arrangements, he has sort of made a "Frankensong" out of bits lyrics from many different takes on it.

The two melodies are quite different -- the Sykes closer to what most folks are used to hearing, I believe. If you scroll down on the two links there are samples to listen to.

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 10:26 AM

Thanks for the correction Richie to my statement that this song isn't included in the negrospiritual.com archive of song lyrics.

As it was so late {or so early} when I responded to you, I didn't look under the name 'Po [poor] Pilgrim of Sorrow".

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Richie
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 11:38 AM

Here's a link to a clip of "I am a poor pilgrim of sorrow" (City Called Heaven) Performed by Defeated Creek Church (Linefork, Ky.) , Performed by Indian Bottom Association.
http://www.smithsonianglobalsound.org/trackdetail.aspx?itemid=41845

Lyrics are found in "The Old Regular Baptist Songbook."

Old Regular Baptists: The oldest English-language religious music in oral tradition in North America, the lined-out, congregational hymnody of the Old Regular Baptists, is heard in the heart of the coal-mining country of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. This music of worship once was the common way of singing sacred song in the American Colonies.

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 02:36 PM

"Po' Pilgrim of Sorrow, and "City Called Heaven," African-American hymns, were posted by me in thread 63779: Po'Pilgrim

These Spirituals have not yet been posted in the Spirituals Permathread.

Masato posted the white hymn from Pullen's books in thread 42490; other versions from southern Civil War hymnals posted in the same thread.
hymn stories

Subject: RE: Lyr and origin: I am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: Richie
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 06:19 PM

Here's the ballad index info:

Tossed and Driven (The Poor Pilgrim)

DESCRIPTION: "I am a poor pilgrim of sorrow, I am left in this wide world to roam... I've started to make Heaven my home." "Sometimes I'm so tossed and driven. Sometimes I know not where to roam." The singer has left his family; after death he hopes to see them again
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1926 (Randolph)
KEYWORDS: religious death travel
FOUND IN: US(Ap,So)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Randolph 610, "Tossed and Driven" (2 text plus a fragment, 1 tune)
BrownIII 643, "Tossed and Driven" (1 text, a seemingly-simplified form with the same chorus but the verses consist of advice from relatives: "(Father/Mother/Sister/Brother) told me when he was dying... Dear daughter, live for Jesus; This world is not my home")
Roud #5425
RECORDINGS:
I. D. Beck & congregation, "Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow" (on LomaxCD1704)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "I Am a Pilgrim"
Notes: This song instantly made me think of "Man of Constant Sorrow," and also of "Wayfaring Stranger," but I cannot tell if there is any connection. And "pilgrim" songs all sound alike somehow. - RBW
George Pullen Jackson sees a resemblance between this song and the one we've indexed as "Green Mossy Banks of the Lea". Maybe. - PJS
File: R610

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Subject: RE: Origin: I Am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: GUEST,THE Origin and Author of this Hymn
Date: 03 Feb 22 - 05:44 PM

The answer to this question.

https://hymnary.org/text/i_am_a_poor_pilgrim_of_sorrow_cast_out

Subject: RE: Origin: I Am a Pilgrim of Sorrow
From: keberoxu
Date: 06 Feb 22 - 11:58 AM

Maya Angelou has recalled -- during a television documentary --
how one of her blood relatives would always sing this hymn.