The content of this post is presented for folkloric and religious purposes.
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Thanks to the unknown composer/s of this song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the collectors and identified singers of this song and thanks to the publisher of this song file on YouTube.
****SOME VERSIONS OF THE RELIGIOUS SONG "THE LITTLE BLACK TRAIN"
Pancocojams Editor's Note: These comments/lyrics are given in chronological order with the earliest entry given first (except for the second entry with a 1909 collections date. These comments/lyrics do not necessarily conform with the publishing date for the comments from Mudcat Discussion Forum (an online folk music website) or other online sources.
"DESCRIPTION: Chorus: "Little black train is a-comin',
Get all your business right... For the train may be here tonight." King
Hezekiah is offered as an example. A young man lives a sinful life; when death
comes, he is surprised and vainly begs for mercy
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1922 (Brown)
KEYWORDS: death Bible train
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE)
REFERENCES (7 citations):
Cohen-LongSteelRail, pp. 625-628, "Little Black
Train" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax/Lomax-OurSingingCountry, pp. 46-47, "The Little
Black Train" (1 text, 1 tune)
Brown/Belden/Hudson-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore3 541,
"The Little Black Train" (1 text)
Botkin-TreasuryOfAmericanFolklore, pp. 914-915, "Little
Black Train Is A-Comin'" (1 text, 1 tune)
Courlander-NegroFolkMusic, p. 41, "(Little Black
Train)" (partial text)
Scarborough-OnTheTrailOfNegroFolkSongs, pp. 260-261,
"The Little Black Train" (1 text)
ADDITIONAL: Harold Courlander, _A Treasury of Afro-American
Folklore_, Crown Publishers, 1976, pp. 305-306, "(no title)" (1 text)
ST BAF914 (Partial)
Roud #11594
RECORDINGS:
Emry Arthur, "The Little Black Train Is Coming"
(Vocalion 5229, 1928)
Dock Boggs, "Little Black Train" (on Boggs2,
BoggsCD1)
Carter Family, "The Little Black Train" (OKeh
03112/Vocalion 03112, 1935; ARC 7-07-62/Conqueror 8815, 1937; on CGospel1)
Rev. J. M. Gates, "Death's Black Train is Coming"
(Columbia 14145-D,1926)
Harmon E. Helmick, "The Little Black Train"
(Champion 16744, 1934)
Silver Leaf Quartet, "Gospel Train" (on
LomaxCD1708)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "This Old World Ain't Going to Stand Much
Longer" (subject)
NOTES [70 words]: The story of Hezekiah's bout with
sickness, God's threat, Hezekiah's repentance, and Isaiah's promise of fifteen
additional years of life is told in 2 Kings 20:1-11 (repeated almost verbatim
in Isaiah 38) and briefly summarized in 2 Chronicles 32:24-26.
The version in Brown accidentally replaces
"Hezekiah" with "Ezekiel," but the former name is clearly correct. It tacks on the story of the Wise Fool, Luke
12:16-20. - RBW"
-https://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/BAF914.html "Little Black Train Is A-Comin" [This is the complete reprint, retrieved March 17, 2023].
-snip-
Here's Dorothy Scarborough's quote about this song already
given in excerpted form:
"A more sinister aspect of train-arrival [in
"Negro" folk songs] is in another Holy Roller song from Texas. The
little black train here represents Death, and the passengers for whom seats are
reserved appear not to be crowding eagerly about the ticket window. This train
had no schedule, but, like other public carriers, is uncertain in its time
arrival and departure. But a delay here brings forth no complaints against the
management."...
-Azizi Powell, posted 31
Dec 04 - 06:56 PM, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=31582, Lyr Add: LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
****
"Lyr. Add: THE LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
(Black and white gospel, Scarborough)
God said to Hezekiah
In a message from on high,
Go set thy house in order
For thou shalt surely die.
Chorus:
The little black train is coming
Get all of your business right;
Better set your house in order,
For the train may be here tonight!
He turned to the wall weeping,
Oh! see the king in tears.
He got his business fixed all right
God spared him fifteen years.
When Adam sinned in Eden
Before the birth of Seth,
That little sin brought forth a son
They called him conquering death.
Go tell the ballroom lady, And filled with earthly pride,
That death's black train is coming;
Prepare to take a ride.
This little black train and engine
And little baggage-car,
With idle thoughts and wicked deeds,
Must stop at the judgement bar.
A poor young man in darkness
Cared not for the gospel light,
Until suddenly the whistle blew
From the little black train in sight!
"Oh! death, will you not spare me?
I've just seen my wicked plight.
Have mercy, Lord, do hear me,
Please come and help me get right."
But death had fixed his shackles
About his soul so tight,
Before he got his business fixed
The train rolled in that night.
The rich fool in his granary said,
"I have no future fears;
Going to build my barns a little larger
And live for many years.
"I now have plenty of money,
I expect to take my ease,
My barns are over-running;
No one but self here to please."
But while he stood there planning,
The God of power and might
Said, "Rich fool, to judgement come;
Thy soul must be there tonight."
Scarborough- "....a Holy Roller song from Texas." "A delay here brings no complaint against the management."
Dorothy Scarborough, 1925 (1963), "On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs," Folklore Assoc. Inc., pp. 260-261.
Newman I. White (1925) heard a similar but fragmental version from Ed Lloyd, an African-American from North Carolina, "where he had heard it sung for many years." Another fragment from White:
Look here, ni—er*, do you figger on going up dar;
If you get your business right, get your heart in order;
For the little black train is going to come at night.
Heard in Durham Co., NC, 1909.
N. I. White, 1928, American Negro Folk-Songs, no. 6 A-B, The Little Black Train, pp. 65-66.
"Lyr. Add: LITTLE BLACK TRAIN IS A COMIN'
God tole Hezykiyah
In a message from on high;
Go set yo' house in ordah,
For thou shalt sholy die.
He turned to the wall a weepin',
Oh! See the King in tears;
He got his bus'ness fixed all right,
God spared him fifteen years.
Chorus:
Little black train is a comin',
Get all yo' bus'ness right;
Go set yo' house in ordah,
For the train may be here tonight.
Go tell that ball room lady,
All filled with worldly pride,
That little black train is-a comin',
Prepare to take a ride.
That little black train and engine
An' a little baggage car,
With idle thoughts and wicked deeds,
Must stop at the judgement bar.
There was a po' young man in darkness,
Cared not for the gospel light,
Suddenly a whistle blew
From a little black train in sight.
"Oh, death will you not spare me?
I'm just in my wicked plight,
Have mercy Lord, do hear me,
Pray come an' set me right."
But death had fixed his shackles
About his soul so tight,
Just befo' he got his bus'ness fixed,
The train rolled in that night.
With music (very different from that given in Lomax and Lomax). Collected in Kentucky, pp. 10-11, M. A. Grissom, 1930 (Dover 1969), "The Negro Sings a New Heaven." "
"Lyr. Add: THE LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
Brother Elihu Trusty, KY, 1937
Chorus:
There's a little black train a-comin'-
Get all your business right;
There's a little black train a-comin',
An' it may be here tonight.
Oh, the little black train is a-comin',
I know it's goin' to slack;
You can tell it by its rumblin'-
It's all draped in black.
The train we are singin' about,
It has no whistle or bell,
And when you find your station
You are in Heaven or Hell.
There's a little black train and an engine,
And one small baggage car;
You won't need to have much baggage
To come to the judgement bar.
O Death, why don't you spare me?
I see my wicked plight.
Have mercy, Lord, to hear me,
Come and set me right.
Oh, Death had fixed the shackles
Around his throat so tight,
Before he got his business fixed,
The train rolled in that night.
They are men and women
What love their sport and game,
Yet Death is ridin' with them
Will take them just the same.
Go tell that barroom lady,
All filled with worldly pride,
That Death's black train's a-comin'-
Prepare to take a ride.
There's a rich old man in his darkness
Says: "I have no such fears-
I'll build my barns a little larger,
For I'll live a million years."
So while he sat there plannin',
The God of power and might
Took the old fool to the judgement bar,
So his soul's in the fire tonight.
pp. 46-47, with music (not same as given by Grissom, see below). Lomax and Lomax, 1941 (Dover 2000), "Our Singing Country, Folk Songs and Ballads."
[This comment includes additional versions]
-Q (Frank Staplin), 31 Dec 04 - 01:55 AM, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=31582, Lyr Add: LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
****
"LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
Chorus
There's a little black train a-comin';
Get all your business right;
Get your house in order;
The train may be there tonight.
1.
God spoke to Hezekiah
In a message from on high,
Said prepare yourself for dying,
For the little black train tonight.
2.
Hezekiah got in earnest,
Turned to the walls and prayed;
God heard Hezekiah prayin',
Spared him fifteen years.
3.
Go and tell the ballroom ladies
Who's filled with worldly pride,
Death's little black train is comin',
Get prepared to take a ride.
N. L. White, 1928, American Negro Folk Songs, collected NC 1925 from Ed Lloyd."
-Q (Frank Staplin), 28 Dec 06 - 02:14 PM,
****
"THE LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
[CHORUS]
There's a little black train a-comin',
Set your business right
There's a little black train a-comin'
And it may be here tonight
Go tell that ballroom lady
All dressed in the worldly pride
That death's dark train is comin'
Prepare to take a ride
God sent to Hezekiah
A message from on high
You'd better set your house in order
For you must surely die
He turned to the wall and, weeping
We see him here in tears
He got his business fixed all right
God spared him fifteen years
[CHORUS AND INSTRUMENTAL BREAK]
We see that train with engine
And one small baggage car
Your idle thoughts and wicked deeds
Will stop at the judgment bar
[CHORUS AND
INSTRUMENTAL BREAK]
That poor young man in darkness
Cares not for the gospel light
Till suddenly heard the whistle blow
With the little black train in sight
"Have mercy on me, Lord
Please come and set me right"
Before he got his business fixed
The train rolled in that night
[CHORUS AND
INSTRUMENTAL BREAK]"
- The Carter Family, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvp7VNSdaBQ [These lyrics are included in the summary of this YouTube sound file entitled "Carter Family - "Little Black Train". That sound file was published by ILOveOldies on Jan. 31, 2011
-snip-
Here's some information about The Carter Family's version of "The Little Black Train" from Stewie, 05 Mar 01 - 05:16 PM, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=31582, Lyr Add: LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
..."Evidently, the song was first recorded (4 times) in 1926 by the redoutable Rev. J.M. Gates and later by various hillbilly artists, including Henry and Emry Arthur in 1928. The Carters did not record it until 1935, and 2 copyrights (1935 and 1937) were taken out in the Carters' names!"
****
"Lyr. Add: LITTLE BLACK TRAIN IS COMIN'
Ruby Pickins Tartt Coll., Alabama
Oh, de little black train is a-comin'
Hit'll git yo' bizness right.
Better fix yo' house in order,
Kaze hit may be here tonight.
Chorus:
Oh, de little black train's er comin',
Hit's comin' round de curve,
It's puffin' en hit's blowin',
Hit's strainin' every nerve.
God sent Keziah a message,
A message from on high,
Better git his bizness fixed all right
Kaze hit may be here tonight.
Keziah turned t' de wall a-weepin'
He seed king in *Caaz,
He got his bizness fixed all right,
He gave him fifteen years.
Oh, de little black train's er comin',
Hit's comin' round de curve,
It's puffin' en hit's blowin',
En hit's strainin' every nerve.
* May refer to the king in Assyria who was besieging the
Israelites.
This spiritual was used by Kurt Weill in his folk opera,
"Down in the Valley."
No music, p. 64, O. and J. Solomon, 1984, "Honey in the
Rock," Ruby Pickins Tartt, Coll., Alabama.
-snip-
No date is included for this version that was collected by Ruby Pickins Tartt (White American folklorist, writer, and painter . However, here's an excerpt from her Wikipedia page (January 13, 1880 - September 29, 1974) :
"Field trips and song recordings
In the Great Depression, Tartt and her husband suffered
financial difficulties. Needing work, Tartt got a job with the Works Progress
Administration (WPA) in York, AL. In 1936, she was appointed chair of the WPA's
local Federal Writers' Project (FWP) in Sumter County. Through the FWP, she
began collecting the life histories, stories, lore, and songs of the area's
former slaves. Her activities drew the attention of ethnomusicologist John
Lomax, who was then recording songs for the Library of Congress (LOC). In 1937
Lomax joined Tartt for a joint expedition collecting folk songs around Sumter
County; together they gathered over 300 songs. Tartt went on several further
expeditions both on her own and with Lomax gathering more material for the
LOC's Archive of American Folk Songs. In 1939 and 1940, they collected
recordings of over 800 songs and stories and over 80 photographs of singers."
-snip-
Based on that information, it appears that Ruby Pickins Tartt collected that version of "The Little Black Train" in the late 1930s or in 1940.
****
This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.
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