Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes

by Howard Washington Odum

As Jesus is the Rock so the negroes have sung “Dere’s no one lak’ Jesus”. The chorus-line was common in the old songs; the verses of the song of to-day are different.

I think I heard a rumblin’ in de sky,
Dar’s no one lac Jesus.
It mus’ be mer Lord passin’ by,
Dar’s no one lac Jesus.
Stan’ still, walk study, keep de faith,
Dar’s no one lak’ Jesus.
Sister Mary went up on de mount’n top,
Dar’s no one lak’ Jesus.
She sung a li’l song an’ she never did stop,
Dar’s no one lak’ Jesus.
She argued wid de Fadder an’ chatter’d wid de Son,
Dar’s no one lak’ Jesus.
She talk’d erbout the ole worl’ she cum frum,
Dar’s no one lak’ Jesus.

The song “Gi’ me Jesus” was said to have been the product of “over-free spirit and super-religiousness” just after the war. The negro claims that the white man took him at his word when he sang, “Gi’ me Jesus, You may have all this worl”, and has left him nothing in this world but Jesus. At least this is one view of the song, which is represented as a bargain which the white man wants the negro to keep. The song is a typical and well known one, said to have been first sung by a blind negro preacher.

In de mornin’ when I rise,
In de mornin’ when I rise,
In de mornin’ when I rise,
Giv’ me Jesus.
Giv’ me Jesus,
Giv’ me Jesus,
You may hab’ all dis worl’,
Giv’ me Jesus.
Ef it’s midnight when I rise,
Ef it’s midnight when I rise,
Ef it’s midnight when I rise,
Giv’ me Jesus.
Jes’ fore day when I cried,
Giv’ me Jesus.
When I wade death’s cold stream,
Giv’ me Jesus.

The negro says that if you love Jesus, it seems to him that you “can’t keep it”, and that you are duty bound to let the world know it. The custom is a common one of asking “members” at the class meeting and revival services whether or not they “love the Lord”. It is the duty of the class leader to see to the religious welfare of the members. The song “Love the Lord” represents this phase of worship.

Well, did you say that you love Jesus?
Did you say that you love the Lord?
Yes, I say that I love Jesus.
Yes, I say I love the Lord.
All I wants to know is, “Does you love Jesus?”
All I wants to know is, “Does you love the Lord?”
Yes, I say that I love Jesus,
Yes, I say I love the Lord.
If you love Jesus, you can’t keep it,
All I want to know is, “Does you love the Lord?”
Yes, my mother, I love Jesus,
Yes, my mother, I love the Lord.

The chorus then varies from “Yes, I say” to “Yes, my mother”, “Yes, my sister”, “Yes, my brother”.

In striking contrast to his earthly life, the negro sings of his heavenly home. It will be seen in the study of his social songs that home plays a small part in their subject matter. It is true that the negro has little love of home or devotion to loved ones. Perhaps for this very reason he expects to have a better home in the beyond. He wants that which is ideal and impractical; he wants that which will come without effort. If in slavery days he had no home, it was natural that he should look to Heaven for his home. This conception, intensified by the negro’s emotional nature and self-pity, is still prominent. Not only is his home to be a happy one, but it is to be exclusive; only the fortunate, of whom he is the chiefest, may go there. This class of songs—of Heaven and home—is perhaps as large as any. The negro sings:

I got a home where liars can’t go,
Don’t you see?
Jus’ between the heaven an’ earth,
Where my Saviour bled an’ died,
I got a home where liars can’t go,
Don’t you see?

I got a home where sinners can’t go,
Don’t you see?
Jus’ between the earth an’ sky,
Where my Saviour bleed an’ die,
Don’t you see?
When the earth begin to shake,
Don’t you see?
You better get a ticket or you’ll be late,
Don’t you see?

In the same way the singers repeat, using the words “drunkards,” “hypocrits”, and other sinners. Sometimes instead of saying “I got a home where the drunkards can’t come”, the sinner will say “where the drunkards can’t find me”. Another version of the same song is found in different localities: