Oh, good old way, how sweet thou art,
All the way ’long it is Jesus.
May none of us from thee depart,
All the way ’long it is Jesus.
Jesus, Jesus,
Why, all the way ’long it is Jesus.
But may our actions always say,
We’re marching in the good old way.
This note above the rest shall swell,
That Jesus doeth all things well.
Related songs in this collection are ‘Good Old Way (A)’, ‘Good Old Way (B)’, and ‘’Tis a Wonder’.
Hexatonic, mode 3 A (I II III — V VI VII)
O ’tis a glorious mystery,
’Tis a wonder, a wonder, a wonder;
That I should ever saved be
’Tis a wonder, a wonder, a wonder.
No heart can think or fully tell,
’Tis a wonder, a wonder;
My God has sav’d my soul from hell,
’Tis a wonder, a wonder, a wonder.
Two further stanzas of the text taken from Good Old Songs, No. 511, are:
Great mystery that God should place,
’Tis a wonder etc.
His love on any of Adam’s race,
’Tis a wonder etc.
That I should also share a part,
’Tis a wonder etc.
And find a mansion in his heart,
’Tis a wonder etc.
Great mystery, I can’t tell why
That Christ for sinful worms should die;
Should leave the boundless realms of bliss,
And die for sinners on the cross.
The song is accredited in the Social Harp to Henry F. Chandler and dated 1854. A North Carolina variant, recorded in 1916, is in Sharp, ii., 294. A variant in the present collection is ‘Look Out’, which see for references to related secular tunes. The earliest American recording of this melody known to me is that in Jeremiah Ingalls’ Christian Harmony of 1805, p. 15. It begins:
When converts first begin to sing, wonder, wonder, wonder,
Their happy souls are on the wing, wonder, wonder, wonder.
Their theme is all redeeming love, glory hallelujah,
Fain would they be with Christ above, sing glory hallelujah.
Pentatonic, mode 3 (I II III — V VI —)
My soul’s full of glory,
Inspiring my tongue,
Could I meet with angels,
I’d sing them a song;
I’d sing of my Jesus
And tell of his charms,
And beg them to bear me
To his loving arms.
To his loving arms,
To his loving arms;
And beg them to bear me
To his loving arms.
John G. McCurry places his name as composer at the top of the page where this song is found in the Social Harp and dates it 1852. A note at the bottom says: “This tune was arranged as sung by William Bowers, Eagle Grove, Georgia.” Eagle Grove is a few miles south of Hartwell. The tune is a clear borrowing from ‘Wearing of the Green’. See also ‘Our Goodman’, Sharp, i., 269, for melodic similarities. Further stanzas of the text are given under ‘Glorious Prospect’. In The Musical Quarterly, vol. xxii., No. 2, I have called attention to melodic similarities between the above tune (with its variants ‘Oh For my Soul’s Happy’, ‘We’ll Wait Till Jesus Comes’, and ‘O When Shall I see Jesus’ in this collection) and Stephen Foster’s ‘Annie My own Love’ and ‘Hard Times Come Again No More’.
Hexatonic, mode 3 A (I II III — V VI VII)
Come, all my dear brethren and help me to sing,
I’m going to Jesus, he’s heaven’s great King;
He died to atone for the sins of the world,
His banner is flying his sails are unfurled.
Heaven’s my home, heaven’s my home;
I’m going to Jesus for heaven’s my home.
While here in the valley of conflict I stay,
Oh, give me submission and strength as my day;
In all my afflictions to thee I would come,
Rejoicing in hope of my glorious home.
I long, dearest Lord, in thy beauties to shine,
No more as an exile in sorrow to pine;
And in thy dear image arise from the tomb,
With glorified millions to praise thee at home.
The song is ascribed in the Original Sacred Harp to Dr. R. H. Davis and J. S. Terry. This is a re-make of an older tune in four-four time called ‘Old Troy’ in this collection, and ‘Old Troy’ in turn is almost identical with, and probably made out of ‘Wearing of the Green’.
Heptatonic ionian, mode 3 A + b (I II III IV V VI VII)
The news of his mercy is spreading abroad,
And sinners come crying and weeping to God.
Their mourning and praying is heard very loud,
And many find favor in Jesus’es blood.
In Jesus’es blood,
In Jesus’es blood,
And many find favor in Jesus’es blood.
For tune relationships see ‘Heaven’s My Home’ and ‘Happy Souls (B)’ in this collection. John G. McCurry claims the tune in the Social Harp. It is taken bodily from ‘Wearing of the Green’. A very similar negro spiritual tune is in Dett, p. 42.
Hexatonic, mode 3 b (I II III IV V VI —)
Judgment day is rolling on,
Judgment day is rolling on,
Judgment day is rolling on
As fast as time can move.
Oh, there will be mourning,
Mourning, mourning, mourning,
Oh, there will be mourning
At the judgment seat of Christ.
Wives and husbands there shall part, etc.
Shall part to meet no more.
Chorus
Brothers and sisters there shall part, etc.
Pastors and people there shall part, etc.
Parents and children there shall part, etc.
This old air and its words portray, as the Olive Leaf author declares, “the gloomy side” of the Last Day. But, he adds consolingly, “Now sing the joyous side, with every verse,” thus:
The judgment day is rolling on, etc.
And we shall all be there.
Oh, there will be shouting
Shouting, shouting, shouting,
Oh, there will be shouting
At the judgment seat of Christ.
Wives and husbands then shall meet, etc.
Shall meet to part no more.
Chorus
and so on also for the “parents and children,” and the rest. ‘Parting Hymn’, in this collection, uses a similar chorus but has a different verse and tune. A negro version is in Slave Songs, p. 52.
Pentatonic, mode 1 (I II — IV V VI —)
You may tell them, father, when you see them,
I’m a poor mourning pilgrim, I’m bound for Canaan’s land.
I weep and I mourn, and I move slowly on,
I’m a poor mourning pilgrim, I’m bound for Canaan’s land.
The text is probably a parody of ‘Rebel Soldier’ or ‘Poor Stranger’, Sharp, ii., 212ff. Especially the refrain verses of the two songs show textual and tonal resemblances. The secular refrain runs:
I am a rebel soldier and far from my home.
The cowboys, too, made use of the ‘Rebel Soldier’ or ‘Mourning Pilgrim’ in the song ‘Poor Lonesome Cowboy’, Sandburg, p. 273, which reads:
I’m a poor lonesome cowboy, and a long way from home.
The spiritual song appeared first in the 1859 edition of the Sacred Harp.
Hexatonic, mode 3 A (I II III — V VI VII)
O may I worthy prove to see
The saints in full prosperity,
Then my troubles will be over.
To see the bride, the glitt’ring bride,
Close seated by my Savior’s side,
Then my troubles will be over.
I never shall forget the day
When Jesus wash’d my sins away,
And then my troubles will be over;
Will be over, will be over and rejoicing,
And then my troubles will be over.
I’ll praise him while he gives me breath,
I hope to praise him after death.
Then my troubles will be over.
I hope to praise him when I die,
And shout salvation as I fly,
Then my troubles will be over.
Chorus
I soon shall pass the vale of death,
And in his arms resign my breath.
O then my happy soul shall tell,
My Jesus has done all things well.
Chorus
Then shall I see my blessed God,
And praise him in his bright abode.
My theme to all eternity
Shall glory, glory, glory be.
Chorus.
I have no information as to the tune excepting that it appeared in the earliest edition of the Sacred Harp, that is, in 1844. The tune and the words of its chorus have served the negroes in the construction of ‘Almost Over’, SS, No. 97.
Pentatonic, mode 3 (I II III — V VI —)
My father’s gone to view that land,
My father’s gone to view that land,
My father’s gone to view that land
To wear a starry crown,
Away over yonder, away over yonder,
Away over yonder to wear a starry crown.
Seaborn M. Denson, widely known fasola country singing-school teacher and musical editor of the 1911 edition of the Original Sacred Harp, and author of this song, told me he had heard this song sung in camp meetings around Civil War times in northern Alabama. He recorded it from memory and published it first in the Union Harp in 1909. The tune is a member of the ‘Roll Jordan’ group. See Introduction, page 14, and the song by that name in this collection. Further stanzas read “My mother’s gone”, “My sister’s gone” etc.
The wide spread of this song in the American oral tradition and especially at the time when Mr. Denson heard it in northern Alabama, is indicated by the variant and musically somewhat inferior recording in the Revivalist, Albany, New York, 1868. It is there called ‘Away over Jordan’. It runs:
My brother’s going to wear that crown etc.
To wear that starry crown.
Away over Jordan, with my blessed Jesus,
Away over Jordan, to wear that starry crown.
My father’s gone to wear that crown etc.
My mother’s gone etc.
John Wesley’s gone etc.
You must live right etc.
Pentatonic, mode 3 (I II III — V VI —)
O thou almighty Father,
Come help me now to praise thy glory
(These words lacking in my recording)
Oh, had I the wings of the morning,
I’d fly away to Canaan’s shore;
Bright angels should convey me home
To the new Jerusalem.
The tune trend of the chorus is found also in ‘Rocky Mountain Top’, Sharp, ii., 110; and it is the whole tune of ‘My Home is Over Jordan’ in this collection.
Heptatonic ionian, mode 3 A + b (I II III IV V VI VII)
O brethren, will you meet me
On that delightful shore?
O brethren, will you meet me
Where parting is no more?
And we’ll march around Jerusalem,
We’ll march around Jerusalem,
We’ll march around Jerusalem
When we arrive at home.
Subsequent stanzas use instead of brethren, sister, leader, preacher, young convert, and backslider, with the conclusion:
Yes, bless the Lord, I’ll meet you, etc.
The above tune, with some alterations, is found as a negro spiritual in Dett, p. 78.
Hexatonic, mode 3 A (I II III — V VI VII)
Fare-well, vain world, I’m going home,
I belong to this band, hallelujah,
My Savior smiles and bids me come,
I belong to this band, hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
I belong to this band, hallelujah.
The above melodic trend will be recognized as that of ‘Roll Jordan’ and Stephen Foster’s ‘Susanna’. Compare ‘Roll Jordan’ in this collection. The chorus—both tune and words—appears also in ‘I Belong to This Band (A)’. Further stanzas of the text are given under ‘Golden Harp’.
Hexatonic, mode 3 b (I II III IV V VI —)
Hark! listen to the trumpeters,
I mean to go!
They call for valiant volunteers,
I mean to go!
Oh! we’ll end this war.
Down by the river,
We’ll end this war down by the riverside.
See Gideon marching out to fight,
I mean to go!
He had no weapon but a light,
I mean to go!
Chorus
He took his pitcher and a lamp,
And stormed with ease the Midian camp.
I’ve listed during all this war,
Content to have a soldier’s fare.
The war is all my soul’s delight,
I love the thickest of the fight.
The hottest fight is just begun,
And who will stand and never run?
We want no cowards in our band,
We call for valiant-hearted men.
Fight on, ye conq’ring souls, fight on,
Until the conquest you have won.
I have some friends before me gone,
And I’m resolved to travel on.
Farewell, vain world, I’m going home,
My Savior smiles and bids me come.
I’ll tell you what I mean to do,
I mean to go to glory too.
The song bears the name of “Rev. J. K. Tinkham” as its purveyor to the Revivalist. A version of the spiritual song, as sung at about the same time (in the 1870’s) by the negroes, is in Marsh, No. 85, under the title ‘Down by the River’. Another by the same title is in Dett, p. 55; and still another in Dett, p. 74.
Pentatonic, mode 3 (I II III — V VI —)
Farewell, vain world, I’m going home,
My Savior smiles and bids me come,
And I don’t care to stay here long.
Sweet angels beckon me away
To sing God’s praise in endless day,
And I don’t care to stay here long.
Right up yonder, Christians,
Away up yonder;
O yes, my Lord,
For I don’t care to stay here long.
Further stanzas of the text are given under ‘Golden Harp’. This tune was recorded for the 1850 edition of the Sacred Harp, evidently by the Georgian, Leonard P. Breedlove.
Pentatonic, mode 3 (I II III — V VI —)
He comes, he comes, the Judge severe,
Roll, Jordan, roll;
The seventh trumpet speaks him near,
Roll, Jordan, roll.
I want to go to heav’n, I do,
Hallelujah Lord;
We’ll praise the Lord in heav’n above,
Roll, Jordan, roll.
His lightnings flash, his thunders roll,
Roll, Jordan, roll;
How welcome to the faithful soul,
Roll, Jordan, roll.
Charles Wesley wrote the text. According to Lightwood, p. 132, it is a parody on a popular secular song which celebrated Admiral Vernon’s return to England after taking Portobello in 1739. Its first stanza is:
He comes! He comes! The hero comes!
Sound your trumpets, beat your drums!
From port to port let cannons roar
His welcome to the British shore.
It is found also in SOC, published in 1855. In the Introduction p. 14, I have mentioned the ‘Roll Jordan’ type of melody; it was named after the above tune. Other melodies of the type in this collection are ‘Florence’, ‘I Belong to this Band (B)’, ‘Tennessee’, ‘Jordan’, and ‘Resurrected’. It is this tune type which influenced Stephen Foster in the making of his ‘Susanna Don’t You Cry’ and ‘De Camptown Races’. See in this connection my article in The Musical Quarterly, vol. xxii., No. 2. For samples of negro borrowings of ‘Roll Jordan’ see White Spirituals, 264; Dett, p. 76; and Slave Songs, Nos. 1 and 10.
Hexatonic, mode 3 b (I II III IV V VI —)
Come and taste along with me
Consolation running free
From my Father’s wealthy throne,
Sweeter than the honey comb.
I’ll praise God, and you’ll praise God,
We’ll all praise God together;
I’ll praise the Lord for the work that he has done,
And we’ll bless his name forever.
Why should Christians feast alone?
Two are better far than one;
The more that comes with free good will
Makes the banquet sweeter still.
Now I go to heaven’s door,
Asking for a little more;
Jesus gives a double share,
Calling me his chosen heir.
Goodness, running like a stream
Through the new Jerusalem;
By its constant breaking forth
Sweetens earth and heaven both.
Two more stanzas are in the Revivalist. The relationship between this tune and that of Stephen Foster’s ‘Long-Ago Day’ was noted by me in The Musical Quarterly, vol. xxii., No. 2.
Pentatonic, mode 1 (I II — IV V VI —)
O who will join and help me sing,
I never will turn back while heaven’s in my view.
The praise of Zion’s conqu’ring King,
I never will turn back while heaven’s in my view.
Heaven is my home, my journey I’ll pursue,
I never will turn back while heaven’s in my view.
By faith my journey I’ll pursue, I never etc.
And bid all earthly things adieu, I never etc.
I want my friends to go with me,
I’m bound fair Canaan’s land to see.
I want to take them by the hand
And march unto the promised land.
My Jesus dwells on Zion’s hill,
And faithful to his promise still.
Then whosoever will, may come,
For Jesus Christ refuseth none.
O what a Captain I have got!
O is not mine a happy lot!
He surely is the sinner’s friend,
And one that loves unto the end.
I’m travelling through the wilderness
And seeking for a heavenly rest.
That rest in Jesus Christ is found,
And I will sing it all around.
For fight I must, while here below;
The word of God has taught me so.
Has taught me I shall conqueror be,
In death and through eternity.
My Jesus bids me still press on,
And reaches out to me a crown.
He says to me, be not afraid,
For I can save beyond the grave.
O while I’m singing of his name,
My soul begins to feel the flame.
When he to me his presence gives,
I know that my Redeemer lives.
Hexatonic, mode 3 b (I II III IV V VI —)
O when shall I see Jesus And reign with Him above,
Shout glory, halle, hallelujah;
And from the flowing fountain Drink everlasting love?
Shout glory, halle, hallelujah.
When we all get to heaven we will shout aloud and sing,
Shout glory halle, hallelujah.
Religion is a fortune
And heaven is a home,
Shout glory, halle, hallelujah.
When shall I be delivered from this vain world of sin,
And with my blessed Jesus drink endless pleasures in?
The text core is generally ascribed to John Leland (1754-1844). See White Spirituals, 217ff. Further stanzas are given under ‘Faithful Soldier’.
Hexatonic, mode 3 b (I II III IV V VI —)
Oh, brother, in that day
We’ll take wings and fly away,
And we’ll hear the trumpet sound in the morning.
Oh glory! how I want to go
To hear the trumpet sound in the morning.
Oh, sister, in that day, etc.
Oh, preachers, in that day, etc.
Oh, leaders, in that day, etc.
Oh, converts, in that day, etc.
You may bury me in the east,
You may bury me in the west, etc.
You may bury me in the north,
You may bury me in the south, etc.
A close negro variant of the above spiritual song is in Marsh, p. 136. Both the Marsh song and the present one are rather degenerate descendants, apparently, of ‘Morning Trumpet’ in this collection. See also White Spirituals, 254.
Hexatonic, Mode 3 A (I II III — V VI VII)
Jesus, my all, to heav’n is gone,
Happy, O happy,
He who I fixed my hopes upon,
Happy in the Lord;
His tracks I see and I’ll pursue,
Happy, O happy,
The narrow way till him I view,
Happy in the Lord.
We’ll cross the river of Jordan,
Happy, O happy,
We’ll cross the river of Jordan,
Happy, in the Lord.
The way the holy prophets went,
The road that leads from banishment;
I’ll go, for all his paths are peace,
The King’s highway of holiness.
Then I will tell to sinners round,
What a dear Savior I have found.
I’ll point to thy redeeming blood
And say, “Behold the way to God.”
The core of the text is attributed to John Cennick, the English hymn writer. Also found in the Social Harp of 1855.
Pentachordal, cannot be classified (I II III IV V — —)
O who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the land of Canaan;
I’m bound fair Canaan’s land to see,
I am bound for the land of Canaan.
O Canaan, sweet Canaan,
I’m bound for the land of Canaan;
Sweet Canaan ’tis my happy home,
I’m bound for the land of Canaan.
I’ll join with those who’re gone before, I am etc.
Where sin and sorrow are no more, I am etc.
Chorus
If you get there before I do, I am etc.
Look out for me, I’m coming too, I am etc.
Chorus
Text is based on a poem by Watts. The stanzas which are associated with the above are numerous, as are also the refrains and choruses. Found also BHTBK (1857), p. 334; and MHTBK (1889), No. 885. In The Musical Quarterly, vol. xxii., No. 2, I have shown the relationship between the above tune and Stephen Foster’s ‘The Glendy Burk’ and ‘Old Uncle Ned’. See also Dett, p. 188, for a negro song showing some textual and melodic influences.
Pentatonic, mode 3 (I II III — V VI —)
What ship is this that will take us all home?
O glory hallelujah,
And safely land us on Canaan’s bright shore?
O glory hallelujah.
’Tis the old ship of Zion, hallelujah, hallelu,
’Tis the old ship of Zion, hallelujah.
The winds may blow and the billows may foam,
But she is able to land us all home.
She’s landed all who’ve gone before,
And yet she’s able to land still more.
If I arrive there before you do,
I’ll tell them that you are coming up too.
The text is said to have been written around 1800 by Rev. Samuel Hauser of North Carolina. The tune is called the “North Carolina Version” of the immensely popular song. See White Spirituals, 257-258. Closely related to the above tune is ‘Sweet Canaan’ in this collection.
Heptatonic aeolian, mode 2 A + b (I II 3 IV V 6 7)
Hail the day so long expected,
Hail the year of full release;
Zion’s walls are now erected,
And her watchmen publish peace.
Throughout Shiloh’s wide dominion,
Hear the trumpet loudly roar.
Babylon is fallen, is fallen, is fallen,
Babylon is fallen to rise no more.
All her merchants stand with wonder,
What is this that comes to pass?
Murmuring like the distant thunder,
Crying “O, alas, alas!”
Swell the sound, ye kings and nobles,
Priest and people, rich and poor;
Babylon is fallen etc.
Blow the trumpet in Mount Zion!
Christ shall come the second time;
Ruling with a rod of iron,
All who now as foes combine.
Babel’s garments we’ve rejected,
And our fellowship is o’er.
Babylon is fallen etc.
Negro borrowings of this chorus and the changing of its tune to a major key are to be seen in Dett, p. 2.
Pentatonic, mode 3 (I II III — V VI —)
We have fathers in the promised land,
We have mothers in the promised land;
I hope one day we’ll all get there,
Way over in the promised land.
Chorus
Away over in the promised land,
Away over in the promised land;
I hope one day we’ll all get there,
Way over in the promised land.
John G. McCurry, the compiler of the Social Harp, and William C. Davis, both of Georgia, seem to have been the first to record this tune. McCurry dates it 1854. A recently recorded variant of this tune is ‘Long White Robe’, Richardson, p. 67. Compare for melodic similarities the country dance ‘Once I Loved a Maiden Faire’ on page 47 of Playford’s The English Dancing Master.
Hexatonic, mode 5 A (I — 3 IV V 6 7)
Where are the Hebrew children?
Where are the Hebrew children?
Where are the Hebrew children?
Safe—in the promised land.