The Herman Stevens Singers - Sit Down Servant (Sound File & Lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases The Herman Stevens Singers' Gospel rendition of "Sit Down Servant". This post also provides some information about the Herman Stevens Singers.

The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE HERMAN STEVENS SINGERS
From http://books.google.com/books?id=EzZ7GjkQixkC&pg=PA234&lpg=PA234&dq=Herman+Stevens+Singers&source=bl&ots=kV544KF7K7&sig=w-oF6cfOpENPOSFdkB05DmHceiY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EJpAUbKqGrbk4AO17IAQ&ved=0CEEQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Herman%20Stevens%20Singers&f=false
The Golden Age of Gospel by Horace C. Boyer
(University of Illinois Press, p. 234)
"Herman Stevens (1928-70) is better known as one of the finest organist in gospel, serving as the gospel organist for Savoy Records. He was also the leader of a gospel group that he organized in 1952 with members Helen Bryant, Evelyn Archer, and Dorothy McLeod...

In the late 1950s when she [Dorothy McLeod] married Herbert Carson, a shouting baritone from North Carolina, he joined the Herbert Stevens Singers, and the two were often featured in duets.

The Stevens Singers traveled little because Stevens was so active in the New York-Philadelphia-New Jersey area. The group became an opening act for traveling groups in New York and were celebrated for their renditions of 'Peace In The Valley' and 'Somebody Touched Me' which they recorded."
-snip-
In the sound file featured below of "Sit Down Servant", Herman Stevens introduces the two singers as "Evenoche" [spelling approximation] and "Helen". I wonder if "Evenoche" was the actual name for the group member identified as "Evelyn".

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FEATURED EXAMPLE
"Can't Sit Down"- Herman Stevens Singers



Rowoches, Uploaded on Jan 13, 2009
...Another upbeat number from the Herman Stevens Singers
-snip-
Here are two comments from that sound file's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANWU667FXXw

"this is gospel for me, wonderful voices, driving beat and this unique hammond sound! Hallelujah!"
-bucaneromax1, 2009
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"i remember this song from when I was a little girl. We sang it in school in Georgia. Who's that yonder all dressed in black? Must be the hypocrits turnin' back! I hate these songs have been lost over time."
-AmberCocoa, 2010

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LYRICS: SIT DOWN SERVANT
(As sung by The Herman Stevens Singers)*

[First form of the Chorus]
Sit down.
(No, I can’t sit down.)
Sit down.
(No, no. I can’t sit down.
Go away, don't bother me,
I can't sit down.
I just got to heaven
And I can’t sit down.)

Oh, sit down, etc.

Verse #1:
Who’s that yonder all dressed in white.
(Go away, don't bother me,
I can't sit down.)
Must be the children of the Israelites.
(Go away, don't bother me,
I can't sit down.
I just got to heaven
and I can’t sit down.)

[Second form of the Chorus]
Oh, sit down.
(No, no no no no.)
Sit down.
(No, I don’t feel like it.
Go away, don't bother me,
I can't sit down.
I just got to heaven
and I can’t sit down.)

Verse #2
Who’s that yonder all dressed in red.
(Go away, don't bother me,
I can't sit down.)
Must be the children that Moses led.
(Go away, don't bother me,
I can't sit down.
I just got to heaven
and I can’t sit down.)
-snip-
*Transcription from the sound file by Azizi Powell. Corrections & additions are welcome.

Thanks to Rowoches for his correction of my transcription!

The pattern of the chorus (usually form #2) followed by one of the verses given above is repeated multiple times in this rendition.
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This Herman Stevens Singers' rendition of "Sit Down Servant" (Sit down, servant) is a gospelized African American Spiritual. The composer of the Spiritual are unknown.

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RELATED LINKS
Here are another pancocojams post of the song "Sit Down Servant" and a pancocojams post of a closely related song "Plenty Good Room":
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/08/staple-singers-sit-down-servant-sound.html

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/08/rev-james-cleveland-plenty-good-room.html

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the unknown composer of the African American Spiritual upon which this Gospel song is based. Thanks to the Herman Stevens Singers for their musical legacy. Thanks also to those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the uploader of this featured sound file.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.