Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes

by Howard Washington Odum

A number of other versions are common. Instead of “Mary wept all ’round the throne” is sung “all ’round God’s hebbenly throne.” Instead of the morning star as a witness the old songs have it “angels witness too.” Instead of in the valley, the old songs also had “on de mountain” and also inserted “I didn’t go dere to stay.” This version is sung in some of the songs still. “The Sabbath has no End” is the name of a favorite somewhat similar to “All my sins done taken away.” It has a number of forms for the chorus.

I went down in de valley,
I didn’t go ter stay,
My little soul got happy
An’ I like to a stayed all day.
I thought I had religion, I b’lieve
I thought I had religion, I b’lieve.
I thought I had religion, I b’lieve,
Dat Sabbath hath no end.
I wouldn’t be a sinner,
Tell you de reason why—
Feard de good Lord might call me,
An I wouldn’t be ready ter die.
Gwine rock trubbel over, I b’lieve,
Rock trubbel over, I b’lieve,
Rock trubbel over, I b’lieve,
Dat Sabbath has no end.
Ole Satan’s mighty busy,
Fixin’ up his snares,
He’ll ketch all dem mourners,
If dey don’t keep deir prayers.
Yer better get ready, I b’lieve
Yer better get ready, I b’lieve,
Yer better get ready, I b’lieve,
Dat Sabbath has no end.

The singer is a little more definite in his convictions in “I am de light uv de Worl’”. He is no longer a sinner and looks forward to the time when he will “cross de ribber.”

Hallaluyer, good Lord,
I am de light uv de worl’,
Halleluyer, good Lord,
I am de light uv de worl’.
Ever since my Lord done sot me free,
Dis ole worl’ bin a hell to me,
I am de light uv de worl’.
I looked toward dat Northern pole,
I seed black clouds of fier roll,
I am de light uv de worl’.

I gwine ’clare de word,
I am de light uv de worl’,
I’m gwine ’clar de word,
I am de light uv de worl’.
Der ain’t but one train on dis track,
Goes straight to heaven an’ run right back.
I am de light uv de worl’.
Ever since I bin in de worl’,
I am de light uv de worl’,
Ever since I been in de worl’,
I am de light uv de worl’.
When I cross Jordan I’ll be free,
Gwine a slip an’ slide dem golden streets,
I am de light uv de worl’.
’Way up in de kingdom, Lord,
I am de light uv de worl’,
’Way up in de kingdom, Lord,
I am de light uv de worl’.

The negro is not troubled because he cannot see his Lord; he has heard Him speak and believes that He has gone “on to glory.” His personal relation with Jesus is satisfactory and he sings His praises often as he tells of his own experiences. Says he:

One day, one day, while walkin’ along,
Jesus done bless my soul;
I heard a voice an’ saw no one,
Jesus done bless my soul.
O go an’ tell it on de mountain,
Jesus done bless my soul;
O go an’ tell it in de valley,
Jesus done bless my soul.
He done bless my soul an’ gone on to glory, Good Lord,
Jesus done bless my soul;
Done bin here an’ bless my soul an’ gone on to glory.
Jesus done bless my soul.

In one of the old plantation songs a similar idea is given of the blessing, but in a different version.

One day when I wus walkin’ along, Oh yes, Lord,
De element opened, an’ de Love came down, Oh yes, Lord,
I never shall forget dat day, Oh yes, Lord,
When Jesus washed my sins away, Oh yes, Lord.

Another chorus inquired: “O brothers where were you? O sisters where were you? O sinners, O Christians, O mourners, etc., where were you?” for “My good Lord’s bin here, bin here, bin here; My good Lord’s bin here, An’ he blessed my soul an’ gone.” So the negro exhorters often conclude their services, saying that the Lord has been to the meeting and gone. Said one deacon who was exhorting for a large collection: “De good Lord’s done bin with us to-night—I knows he has, done been here an’ gone, an’ now we wants to git down to bizness, I wants some money.”

Again, the negro fresh and enthusiastic from his religious experience and having “come through” sings with some relief: