Folk Gospel tunes on YouTube; Have a listen:
- Calvary, sung by Dock Boggs
- Down To The River To Pray, sung by Alison Krauss
- Gloryland, sung by Ralph Stanley
- Gospel Plow, by the Nashville Bluegrass Band
- I Shall Not Be Moved, sung by Bascom Lamar Lunsford
- I'm Dying, Mother, sung by Bert Hare
- Oh Death, from the Songcatcher (Kelly, McMillan, Dickens)
- Oh Death, sung by Dock Boggs
- Oh Death/Conversation with Death, sung by Ralph Stanley
- Prodigal Son, sung by Dock Boggs
- The Old Church Yard, sung by Ralph Stanley
- Village Church Yard, by Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys
- Wayfaring Stranger, sung by Bill Monroe
- What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soul, sung by Bill Monroe And Doc Watson
Calvary lyrics
There's a hill, lone and gray, in the land far away
In the country beyond the blue sea;
Where beneath that fresh sky, went the man, forth to die
For the world, and for you and for me.
REFRAIN: Oh, it's bow down, my heart, and the teardrops will start
When in memory of the gray hill, I see;
For it was there on that site, Jesus suffered and died
To redeem a poor sinner like me.
Behold, faint on the road, 'neath the world's heavy load
Comes a thorn-crowned man on the way
With a cross he is bowed, but still on through the crowd
He's ascending that hill, lone and gray.
Hark, I hear the dull blow of the hammer swung low
They are nailing my Lord to the tree
And the cross, they up-raise, while the multitude gaze
On the best Lamb of dark Calvary.
How they mocked him in death, to his last laboring breath
While his friends sadly wept over the way
But though lonely and faint, still no word of complaint
Fell from him on the hill of Calv'ry.
Then the darkness came down, and the rocks went around
And a cry pierced the sad, leaden air
'Twas the voice of our King, who received death's dark sting
All to save us from endless despair.
Let the sun hide His face, let the earth reel a space
Over men who their Saviour have slain;
But behold, from the sod, comes a blessed Lamb of God
Who was slain, but has risen again.
--
Gloryland lyrics
If you have friends in Gloryland,
Who left because of pain;
Thank God up there, they’ll die no more
They’ll suffer not again.
Then weep not friends, I’m going home
Up there we’ll die no more.
No coffins will be made up there,
No graves on that bright shore.
The lame will walk in Gloryland,
The blind up there will see.
The deaf in Gloryland will hear;
The dumb will talk to me.
The doctor will not have to call;
The undertaker – no!
There’ll be no pain up there to bear,
Just walk the streets of gold.
We’ll need no sun in Gloryland,
The moon and stars won’t shine;
For Christ himself is light up there
He reigns of love divine.
Then weep not friends, I’m going home
Up there we’ll die no more.
No coffins will be made up there,
No graves on that bright shore.
...a hauntingly beautiful song.
The Unquiet Grave
Cold blows the wind to my true love and gently drops the rain;
I only had but one true love and in Greenwood she lies slain.
I'll do as much for my true love as any young girl may:
I'll sit and mourn upon her grave for a twelvemonth and a day.
When the twelve months and one day had passed her ghost began to speak,
"Why sittest thou here on my grave and will not let me sleep?"
"There is one thing that I want sweetheart, there is one thing that I crave;
"And that is a kiss from your lily white lips, then I'll go from your grave."
"My lips they are as cold as clay, my breath smells earthy strong;
"And if you kiss my cold clay lips, your days they won't be long.
"Go fetch me water from the desert and blood from out of stone;
"Go fetch me milk from a fair maid's breast that a young man never has known."
"'Twas down in Cupid's garden where you and I would walk,
"The finest flower that ever I saw is withered to a stalk.
"The stalk is withered and dry sweetheart, the flower will never return;
"And since I lost my one true love, what can I do but mourn."
"When shall we meet again, sweetheart, when shall me meet again?
"When the old dead leaves that fall from the trees are green and spring up again.
"When shall we meet again, sweetheart, when shall me meet again?
"When the old dead leaves that fall from the trees are green and spring up again."
Another song, for good measure: Jealous Of The Angels
Huntsville, Alabama Sacred Harp Singer David Ivey has been named a 2013 NEA National Heritage Fellow. The National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Awards honors American folk artists for their contributions to our national folk music and traditions.
Congratulations, David!
[Other 2013 NEA National Heritage Fellows can be found HERE]
Seeing that title on the blog of a hardheaded, hardshelled, conservative Baptist, you might expect a diatribe against secular songs. Though such might have its place, you won't find it in the post. Last week while driving to Galveston, I heard on the radio one of my old favorites, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot. [For the 1976 recording, enter "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot" in Google and then in the hits you get click on "Play song from Lala.com"]
Anyway, this got me to thinking about some "old favorites" which I enjoyed over my career of song listening (some which I would still listen to and some I might not). Some are:
"The Last Resort" by The Eagles
"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton
"He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones
"Love Hurts" by Nazareth
"Paradise" by John Prine (and others)
"Long Black Veil" by Lefty Frizzell
"Barbara Allen", (old folk song)
And many others
This list may reveal more about me than the songs -- an interest in a song that tells a story, often a sad song, or perhaps even a "negative" story. There is some disconnect, which is founded more in a feeling than the mental assent which I require in my Christian music. (I also get a feeling from the Christian music I enjoy.)
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is modern folklore, memorializing a Great Lakes ship wreck in the mid-1970s. I think its combined tune and lyrics ought to land it among the all-time classics. But I wonder how much "listening time" it actually gets??
What is this I cannot see, Icy hands take hold on me
I am death and none can excel, I open the door to heaven and hell
Death oh death how can it be, That I must come and go with thee?
Death oh death how can it be, I’m unprepared for eternity?
I have come for to get your soul, Take your body and leave it cold
I'll drop the flesh from of'n your frame; The earth and worms both have their claim
Oh death oh death please give me time, To fix my heart and change my mind.
Your mind is fixed, Your heart is bound; I’ve got the shackles to drag you down.
Whoa death someone would pray, Could you wait to call me til another day?The children pray the preacher preached Time and mercy is out of your reach;
I’ll lock your jaw so you can’t talk I’ll lock your knees so you can’t walk
I’ll close your eyes so you can’t see, This very hour you go with me.
My mother came to my bed and placed a cold towel upon my head
My head is warm my feet are cold, Death is a movin' upon my soul ;
Oh death how you're treatin me You close my eyes so I can't see
Well you're hurtin my body you make me cold, You run my life right out of my soul.
Oh death please consider my age, Please don't take me at this stage
My wealth is all at your command, If you'll remove your icy hands;Oh the young the rich or poor Are all alike to me you know
No wealth no land no silver or gold, Nothin' satisfies me but your soul.
Your heart is fixed, your mind is bound, I have the shackles to drag you down
Too late! too late! to all farewell, Your soul is doomed, you're summoned to hell.
As long as God in heaven shall dwell, your soul your soul shall scream in hell.
Oh, death Oh, death Won't you spare me over til another year?
Won't you spare me over til another year?
"A Conversation With Death" is an old folk song, possibly with Appalachian origins. It may be best known from the film and soundtrack of "O Brother Where Art Thou?", sung by Ralph Stanley. If anyone has any information on its origin and background, I'd be pleased if you'd post it in the comments.
It appears in several variations, and what I post here is a composite of several. It is conceived as a conversation between death and a dying person. I don't take it as an overly scriptural song, but one that is interesting in the genre of folk songs. I thought that overall the dying person has mostly "Arminian" or Pelagian notions, while death leans towards predestinarianism.
