Edited by Azizi Powell
December 25, 2019
This is Part III of a three part pancocojams series that showcases three examples out of a number of African American Spirituals that mention the angel Gabriel blowing his trumpet.
This post provides a text example of the Spiritual "Blow Gable Blow" as well as two text examples of the Spiritual "Blow Your Trumpet, Gabriel."
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/in-that-great-gettin-up-mornin-gabriels.html for Part I of this series. Part I showcases the Spiritual "In That Great Gettin' Up Mornin'".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/ill-hear-that-trumpet-sound-lyrics-and.html for Part II of this series. Part II showcases the Spiritual "I'll Hear That Trumpet Sound".
The content of this post is provided for historical, cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to those who composed this song and thanks to all those who collected this song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the performers in these videos and the publishers of these videos.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT
The song "Blow Gabriel Blow" is featured in the award winning musical "Anything Goes" which was first produced in 1934. It seems obvious to me that idea for that song- if not the lyrics- comes from the earlier Spirituals "Blow Gable Blow" and "Blow Your Trumpet, Gabriel." Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anything_Goes
for information about that play. Also, click http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/anythinggoes/blowgabrielblow.htm for the lyrics to the "Blow Gabriel Blow" (from "Anything Goes").
"Blow Your Trumpet, Gabriel" is also the name of a Rock song that has nothing to do with the Spiritual except its title.
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COMMENTS ABOUT AND LYRICS FOR THE SPIRITUAL "BLOW GABLE BLOW"
From https://archive.org/stream/negrohissongsstu00odum/negrohissongsstu00odum_djvu.txt The Negro and His Songs: A Study Of Typical Negro Songs In The South, edited by Howard W. Odum (Oxford University Press, 1925, pp. 85-87)[Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011]
"The "hallelujah" so common among the old songs is less frequently heard now; it will be found to some degree in the shouting songs and songs of heaven.
BLOW, GABLE, BLOW
Not least among the warnings to the sinner were to be reckoned the times when "Gable" should blow his horn. "Gable" has been proverbial among the Negroes; Gabriel and the trumpet are, however, significant in the same way among the whites in the vulgar reference. Many ideas of "Gable's" trumpet have appeared in the Negro songs. Sometimes it is "blow louder," Gable!" "How loud mus' I blow?" The song "Blow, Gable, Blow" has changed considerably from the old plantation songs of the same name.
Blow, Gable, at the judgment,
Blow, Gable, at the judgment bar,
For my God is a talkin' at the judgment,
For my God is a talkin' at the judgment bar.
Now won't you blow, Gable, at the judgment?
For my God is a preachin' at the judgment bar.
Now won't you blow, Gable, at the judgment bar?
Well, I’m goin' to meet my preacher at the judgment bar
In the same manner, making a four-line stanza of each one, are sung, "Goin' to meet brother," (mother, sister, etc.) and also, "My God is a walkin' (tryin', etc.) at the judgment bar." So, too, it is "prayin' time mournin' time, singin' time, shoutin' time, tryin' time, etc.) at the judgment bar." This song may be given as the last one of the class peculiar to warnings and admonitions to sinners. It closes with still other verses that give vivid pictures of the judgment bar.
Well, sinners, keep a prayin' at the judgment bar.
Well, it's too late to pray at the judgment bar.
Why didn't you take heed at the judgment?
Some come crippled at judgment.
O, I look for my mother, (brother, sister) at de judgment."
-snip-
"The judgment bar" is most often given now as "the judgment seat" or the "judgment table".
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COMMENTS ABOUT AND LYRICS FOR THE SPIRITUAL "BLOW YOUR "
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=79284
From: Q
Date: 20 Jan 07 - 10:18 PM
Surprised I couldn't find "Blow Your Trumpet, Gabriel," which appears in Allen, 1867, and a fine arrangement for low voice in "Seventy Negro Spirituals," 1926, William Arms Fisher.
Lyr. Add: BLOW YOUR TRUMPET, GABRIEL
De talles' tree in Paradise,
De Christian call de tree of life;
And I hope dat trump might blow me home
To de new Jerusalem.
Blow your trumpet, Gabriel,
Blow louder, louder;
And I hope dat trump might blow me home
To de new Jerusalem.
2.
Paul and Silas, bound in jail,
Sing God's praise both night and day;
And I hope, etc.
As sung Port Royal Islands. Variant from Virginia:
2.
Paul and Silas, bound in jail,
Christians pray both night and day.
And I hope dat trump might blow me home
To my new Jerusalem.
So blow de trumpet, Gabriel,
Blow de trumpet louder,
And I hope dat trump might blow me home
To my new Jerusalem.
Score provided for both variants. Allen, William Francis, "Slave Songs of the United States"* 1867, no. 4, p. 3. http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/allen/allen.html
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Lyr. Add: BLOW YOUR TRUMPET, GABRIEL
Arr. G. A. Grant-Schaefer, 1926
De talles' tree in Paradise,
De Christian call de tree of life,
An' I hope dat trump will blow me home
To my New Jerusalem.
De talles' tree in Paradise,
De Christian call de tree of life,
An' I hope dat trump will blow me home
To my New Jerusalem.
So blow de trumpet, Gabriel,
Blow de trumpet,
An' I hope dat trump will blow me home
To my New Jerusalem.
O Paul and Silas, bound in jail,
Sing God's praises night and day,
An' I hope dat trump will blow me home
To my New Jerusalem.
O Paul and Silas, bound in jail,
Sing God's praises night and day,
An' I hope dat trump will blow me home
To my New Jerusalem-
So blow de trumpet, Gabriel,
Blow de trumpet,
An' I hope dat trump will blow me home
To my New Jerusalem.
Pp. 8-11, full score for low voice. Edit. William Arms Fisher, "Seventy Negro Spirituals," Oliver Ditson Company, 1926.
Not in "African-American Heritage Hymnal," GIA Publ., Gen. Ed., Dolores Carpenter, 2001. Not in Cleveland and Nix, "Songs of Zion," Abingdon Press, 1981.
*Slave Songs of the United States edited by William Francis Allen, Charles Pickard Ware, and Lucy McKim Garrison (published in 1867)
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RELATED LINK
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/why-i-dont-like-use-of-19th-century.html
"My Opinion About Using 19th Century Dialect While Singing Spirituals"
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