Part 16
I recorded this song from the singing of Donald Davidson, Vanderbilt University, June, 1935. Joseph Hart published this poem in 1759. The refrain text is probably of camp-meeting origin. The tune has been immensely popular for certainly more than a hundred years in the South. Found also SOH 5, HH 217, WP 25, PB 342, OSH 312 (tune with other words), OSH 81 (words with another tune).
The tune is typical of a traditional trend. Many other songs show either close relationship throughout or use single phrases of this melody. The tunes in this collection which are close to the 'I Will Arise' type (mentioned in the Introduction, p. 14) are 'Humble Penitent', and 'Be Gone Unbelief'. Others making use of the second phrase only, marked _a_, are 'Bozrah' and 'New Orleans'. A secular tune in the 'I Will Arise' form is 'The Bird Song', Sharp, ii., 304; and among the secular tunes employing phrase _a_ as their tune beginnings are 'Oh Love It is a Killing Thing' and 'When I first Left Old Ireland', Petrie, Nos. 469 and 863; and 'The Cruel Mother', Cox, p. 522. Thomas gives the beginning of a lullaby which doubtlessly belongs to this tune group, see _Devil's Ditties_, p. 17.
No. 240 I WANT A SEAT IN PARADISE or NORTH PORT, OSH 324
Hexatonic, mode 2 A (I II 3 IV V -- 7)
[Music]
Jesus, my all, to heav'n has gone, Glory hallelujah, He whom I fix my hopes upon, Glory hallelujah. I want a seat in paradise, Glory hallelujah, I love that union never dies, Glory hallelujah.
The recording of this tune is credited to Dr. R. R. Osborne, a Georgian. The core of the words is by John Cennick, a text which is given more fully under 'River of Jordan'.
The tune is built up easily on the theme of the first two measures which is similar to the beginning of 'Henry Martin', see Rickaby, p. 161, and Sandburg, p. 176. 'Henry Martin' is based on an incident in British marine history which took place in the year 1476. See S. Baring-Gould, _Songs of the West_, song No. 53, and note. Another old relative of the tune seems to be 'There were Three Ravens' which was recorded in 1611 as follows:
[Music]
There were three ra'ens sat on a tree, Down a down hey down a down.
See Jackson, _English Melodies from the 13th to the 18th Century_, p. 24. German tunes with practically the same opening phrase and dating from the sixteenth century are in Erk-Böhme, _Deutscher Liederhort_, vol. iii., p. 718.
No. 241 MORNING TRUMPET, OSH 85
Hexatonic, mode 2 A (I II 3 IV V -- 7)
[Music]
O when shall I see Jesus And reign with him above, And from the flowing fountain Drink everlasting love, And shall hear the trumpet sound in that morning.
Shout O glory, for I shall mount above the skies When I hear the trumpet sound in that morning.
This is one of the best examples of the revival spiritual song. It has the John Leland words of matchless popularity in the southern song region, a refrain in clarion tones, a chorus with rare swing, and a primeval melodic mode.
For a negro version and the black man's story of the song's source see _White Spirituals_, pp. 254-255. Found also SOH (1854) 195, SOC 111, HOC 99. Further stanzas of the text are given under 'Faithful Soldier'. A later and simplified version of 'Morning Trumpet' is 'To Hear the Trumpet Sound' in this collection.
No. 242 GREAT PROVIDER or HE'S PROMISED TO BE WITH YOU, UHP 112
Heptatonic aeolian, mode 2 A + b (I II 3 IV V 6 7)
[Music]
Peace, troubled soul, thou need not fear, Jesus says he will be with you to the end. The great provider still is near, Jesus says he will be with you to the end. _Chorus_ Hallelujah, hallelujah, And he's promised to be with you to the end.
The Lord who built the earth and sky, In mercy stoops to hear our cry; His promise all may truly claim, Ask and receive in Jesus' name.
The tune from the start to the chorus is practically the same as the chorus tune in 'With Us to the End' in this collection. It is claimed by S. M. Denson and dated 1908. Mr. Denson recorded many revival tunes. For data as to his life see _White Spirituals_, 107ff. He died 1936. See 'Cruel Mother', Sharp, i., 61, tune K, for melodic similarities.
No. 243 WARFARE, SWP 130
Hexatonic, mode 2 A (I II 3 IV V -- 7)
[Music]
Children of the heavenly King, Till the warfare is ended, hallelujah! As ye journey sweetly sing, Till the warfare is ended, hallelujah! Shout glory, children, Till the warfare is ended, hallelujah!
Sing your Savior's worthy praise, Till _etc._ Glorious in his works and ways, Till _etc._
We are travelling home to God In the way the fathers trod.
They are happy now, and we Soon their happiness shall see.
O ye banished seed, be glad! Christ our advocate is made.
Us to save, our flesh assumes, Brother to our souls becomes.
Shout, ye little flock, and blest You on Jesus' throne shall rest.
There your seat is now prepared, There your kingdom and reward.
Fear not, brethren; joyful stand On the borders of your land.
Christ, your Father's darling son, Bids you undismayed go on.
Lord, submissive make us go, Gladly leaving all below.
Only thou our leader be, And we still will follow thee.
See 'Till the Warfare is Over', OSH 76, for melodic and textual relationships.
No. 244 GENERAL ROLL CALL, REV 356
Pentatonic, mode 2 with cadentially raised seventh (I -- 3 IV V -- VII)
[Music]
If you get there before I do, When the gen'ral roll is call'd We'll be there; Look out for me I'm coming too, When the gen'ral roll is call'd We'll be there. We'll be there, we'll be there, we'll be there, When the gen'ral roll is call'd we'll be there.
We're pressing on to Canaan's land, We'll join the blood-wash'd pilgrim band.
Then we'll go up the shining way, And praise the Lord through endless day.
The tune is attributed, in the _Revivalist_, to J. Baker. Two negro spirituals based melodically and textually on this song are in Dett, pp. 121 and 166.
No. 245 SHOUTING PILGRIM, SWP 163
Hexatonic, mode 2 A (I II 3 IV V -- 7)
[Music]
The trumpets are a-sounding And calling for more volunteers, The armies are in motion, Behold in front their officers. Shout Oh! glory, for the battle is begun, And I'll shout glory while the Israelites go on.
I love to live rejoicing, I cannot bear to live lukewarm, Although there's many blames me for trusting in the Lord alone. Shout Oh! glory, for I love to praise the Lord, And I'll shout glory while I hear the gospel word.
I love to live a-shouting, I feel my Savior in my soul, Sweet heaven drawing nigher, I feel the living waters roll. Shout Oh! glory, for the glory is begun, And I'll shout glory while the work is going on.
The time is fast approaching when all religion will be tried, When Jesus with his jewels will ornament his lovely bride. Shout Oh! glory, for my soul is full of love, And I'll shout glory when I meet you all above.
I see the flame arising.--Had I the pinions of a dove, My soul would then realize the wonders of redeeming love. Shout Oh! glory, for there's glory in my soul, And I'll shout glory while I feel the current roll.
The current is a-spreading and sinners coming home to God, A-weeping and a-mourning, and finding favor in the Lord. Shout Oh! glory, and my song shall never end, And I'll shout glory to the sinner's dearest friend.
No. 246 BOUND FOR THE PROMISED LAND, OSH 128
Hexatonic, mode 2 A (I II 3 IV V -- 7)
[Music]
On Jordan's stormy banks I stand And cast a wishful eye, To Canaan's fair and happy land Where my possessions lie. I am bound for the promis'd land, I'm bound for the promised land; Oh, who will come and go with me, I am bound for the promised land.
Further stanzas of the text are given under 'Jordan'. The combination here of the widely sung words of Samuel Stennett and an especially folkish revival phrase has resulted in an enormously well liked spiritual. Found also SOH 51, HH 154, SOC 114, HOC 47, WP 53, GOS 512. Its first appearance in the fasola books seems to have been in the _Southern Harmony_ of 1835 where it is attributed to Miss M. Durham. The tune is like 'I'll Go and Enlist for a Sailor', Sharp, _Morris Dances_, Set viii, No. 6.
No. 247 LISBON or I CAN NOT TARRY HERE, SOC 182
Pentatonic, mode 2 (I -- 3 IV V -- 7)
[Music]
Farewell, dear brethren in the Lord, And I can not tarry here; Yet we believe his gracious word, And I can not tarry here. And I can not tarry here, And I can not tarry here; The gospel sounds the jubilee, And I can not tarry here.
This song is attributed to Henry F. Chandler and dated 1854. 'The Irish Girl', as sung in Virginia, shows a similar rhythmic trend but is less closely related tonally. See Sharp, ii., 254. Greater melodic resemblance is seen in 'Our Goodman' Sharp, i., 269, tune "D".
No. 248 I WANT TO GO TO GLORY, SWP 168
Hexatonic, cannot be classified (I II 3 IV V 6 --)
[Music]
Jesus, my all, to heav'n is gone, I want to go to glory; He whom I fix my hopes upon, I want to go to glory. I want to go, I want to go, I want to go to glory; We've so many trials here below, They say there are none in glory.
The full text, by Samuel Medley (1738-1799), may be found under 'River of Jordan' in this collection. The _Southern and Western Pocket Harmonist_ gives this tune "as sung by Rev. M. L. Little". An old Irish song in Petrie, No. 1164, shows noteworthy similarities. See also 'I Want a Seat in Paradise', in this collection, for further tune relationships.
No. 249 CHRISTIAN RACE, REV 76
Heptatonic dorian, mode 2 A + B (I II 3 IV V VI 7)
[Music]
The Christian race is now begun, O, glory, glory, hallelujah! We're striving for a heav'nly crown, O, glory, glory, hallelujah! _Chorus_ For the prize it lies at the end of the race, O, glory, glory, hallelujah!
We'll run the race and gain the prize, O, glory _etc._ Our heav'nly mansion in the skies, O, glory _etc._ _Chorus_
We'll lay aside our every weight, The way is narrow and straight the gate.
In earnest cry we'll wrestle along; Then on a kingly throne sit down.
Omnipotence is on our side, And God himself will be our guide.
Then when the race we've nobly run, He'll count us worthy of a crown.
The form of the above is "as sung by Rev. G. C. Wells".
No. 250 I YIELD, REV 443
Heptatonic, minor (I II 3 IV V 6 VII)
[Music]
Alas! and did my Savior bleed, And did my Sov'reign die? Would he devote that sacred head For such a worm as I?
I yield, I yield, I yield, I can hold out no more; I sink by dying love compell'd, And own thee conqueror.
I suggest the possibility that the editor of the _Revivalist_ made his tune over from one which was originally in the dorian mode.
Footnotes
[1]John Powell's article "In the Lowlands Low", in the _Southern Folklore Quarterly_, Vol. i., No. 1, provides a corrective for those who think loosely of our American music tradition as one observable in the highlands only.
[2]The churchman's frown on the early intrusion of the folk into hymn making may be seen in _The English Hymn_ by Louis F. Benson, pp. 291ff.
[3]See Warren A. Chandler, _Great Revivals and the Great Republic_, pp. 109ff. and 138f.
[4]Samuel E. Asbury tells me that the camp meetings at Rock Springs, Lincoln County, North Carolina, which he attended in his youth in the 1880's had been the "mating grounds" for that state for fifty years.
[5]Compare my article on this subject in _The American Mercury_ of June, 1932.
[6]Anne G. Gilchrist, in her article cited above, assumes this song-book recognition of the revival tunes to have _begun_ in 1842. The _height_ of this activity was, to be sure, around that date, that is, from a decade earlier to a decade later. See JFSS, viii., 63 f.; and compare p. 11 of this work.
[7]The new edition of _The Original Sacred Harp_, 1936, was not used in making the present collection.
[8]All these books use the country people's own shape notation, described at length in _White Spirituals_. See also my article "Buckwheat Notes," in the _Musical Quarterly_, xix., No. 4, and the Preface of this book.
[9]In Chapter xxi of _White Spirituals_ is the story of how the city-controlled denominations have shown uniformly and increasingly an aversion to the old revival type of song.
[10]The following is a comment made in this connection by John Powell.
"It may be well to remember here that only in comparatively recent times has any distinction been made between the use of already existing material (melodic and thematic) and the use of material created by the composer. The Contrapuntists relied very largely on folk-music for their basic material. Bach followed this example to a great extent; Handel not only did this but took material composed by others at his own sweet will with no thought of deception and with no contemporary reproach of plagiarism. Haydn, Beethoven, Schumann and Brahms followed frequently the same practice. In the literary field in Elizabethan times it would be difficult to find a play the fundamental material of which was not drawn from already existing sources. The word _composer_ literally means the one who puts together a piece. The material of this piece may, or may not, be invented by such composer. These reflections would seem to explain and to justify the modest claims of the American singing-school book compilers to authorship of songs, and such thoughts should make us approach their labors, not with caviling, but with gratefulness for their invaluable service to American traditional song."
[11]On examining the first 50 tunes of the Folk-Hymns in this collection, I find _within_ their melodic phrases a total of only 17 jumps of a fifth and 10 of a sixth. Sevenths and octaves--I found but two each--appeared only as the intervals between the end note of one phrase and the beginning note of the following one.
[12]My own hearing of these tunes at the southern country singings has convinced me that the dorian mode is far more widely used than the above statistics, based on the notation, indicate. That is, I have heard the sixth clearly _raised_ in numbers of songs where the key signature called for a flatting.
[13]Observations made in recent years of the folk-tunes in the British Isles show modality to be on the decline. In Germany the modes are already practically gone, with the regular major and minor scales taking their places.
[14]From this statement it will be seen that I hold with those who look on the full diatonic scales as having evolved from the gapped ones, rather than the other way around. This however is still a matter of controversy.
[15]To those who desire to follow in more detail the problem of the essence of the folk-tune, I commend Cecil Sharp's _English Folk-Song, Some Conclusions_, especially chapters VI and VII. Despite Sharp's having come to his "conclusions" thirty years ago and even though they are concerned with the folk-songs of the British Isles only, they have not, to my knowledge, been essentially altered by subsequent thought on the subject; and they apply, by and large, to American folk-tunes as well.
[16]A real defect of this system of cataloguing inheres in the difficulty, sometimes the impossibility, of determining the proper key signatures of gapped tunes. And the difficulty is augmented by the tendency of all the old recorders to regard dorian tunes as natural minor ones (or aeolian). I have reproduced all such doubtful tunes here just as I found them. I have catalogued them, however, (and inserted them here serially according to that catalog arrangement) in an order which is determined by what has seemed to be their proper modal form. Among the songs which are touched by this modal (and hence key-signature) uncertainty are Nos. 20, 21, 22, 37, 51, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 97, 115, 144, 148, 236, 237, 249, and 250.
[17]Author of Southern Harmony.
Bibliography