Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents an example of the African American Spiritual "This Is The Way I Pray In My Home" (also known as "This Is The Way I Pray"). I'm using the longer song title to differentiate it from secular or religious songs with similar titles.
The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the unknown composer of this song. Thanks also to the arranger and vocalists of the version of this version of "This Is The Way I Pray" that is embedded in this post. And thanks to the publisher of this YouTube sound file.
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EDITOR'S COMMENT
I woke up with the song "This Is The Way I Pray In My Home" in my head. I think that I remember learning it in my childhood or early teen years at Union Baptist Temple Church (Atlantic City, New Jersey 1950s, 1960s). However, I'm not sure about that.
The sound file that is embedded in this post is the only YouTube example of this song that I've found to date. I haven't found any lyrics for "This Is The Way I Pray In My Home" online. I also haven't found any information about this song* and I'm not sure if it is a Spiritual or an early Gospel song.
The lyrics that are included in this post are my transcription of the sound file. Since this song is a Spiritual, its lyrics or their order aren't fixed. As such, I've included two additional verses after the transcribed lyrics.
*For example, "This Is The Way I Pray" isn't included in the negrospirituals.com song index http://www.negrospirituals.com/songs/index.htm. This song also isn't included in Mudcat folk music forum's African-American Spirituals Permathread http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=38686.
If you have any information about this song or remember singing it, please share that information in the comment section below. Thanks!
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INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SOUND FILE
From http://www.folkways.si.edu/ella-jenkins/african-american-folk-rhythms/childrens/music/album/smithsonian African-American Folk Rhythms; Ella Jenkins SFW45003
"Ella Jenkins and the Goodwill Spiritual Choir collaborate in this lively presentation of African- American music for adults and older children. The choral arrangements of spirituals, work songs, children's rhymes, and other forms present a cross-section of African-American experience and music in a variety of styles. Originally released in 1960, the songs on this recording continue to be exciting to sing, to think about, and to enjoy as a remarkable collaboration between a gifted artist and a community choir.
YEAR RELEASED 1998
RECORD LABEL Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
SOURCE ARCHIVE Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
COPYRIGHT 1998 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings"
-snip-
Initially I wrote that I wasn't sure if "This Is The Way I Pray" is an African American Spiritual or an early African American Gospel song. After publishing this post, it occurred to me to look up information about this sound file. Since the "Goodwill Spiritual Choir" is the name of the choir that recorded this song with folk singer Ella Jenkins, it's likely that "This Is The Way I Pray" is a Spiritual (meaning, an African American religious song that was composed prior to the 20th century).
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LYRICS: THIS IS THE WAY I PRAY IN MY HOME
(composer?)
This is the way I pray in my home
[Oh, Lord]
This is the way I pray in my home.
[In my home, oh, Lord]
This is the way I pray in my home,
in my home
[Oh, Lord]
This is the way I pray in my home.
I pray just like this
[Lord, have mercy]
I pray just like this in my home
[In my home, oh Lord]
I pray just like this
[Lord have mercy]
This is the way I pray in my home
This is the way I sing in my home.
[Oh, Lord]
This is the way I sing in my home.
[In my home, oh Lord]
This is the way I sing in my home,
in my home
[Oh, Lord]
This is the way I sing in my home.
I sing just like this
[Praise His name]
I sing just like this in my home
[In my home, oh Lord]
I sing just like this
[Praise His name]
This is the way I sing
in my home.
This is the way I mourn in my home
[Oh, Lord]
This is the way I mourn in my home.
[In my home, oh Lord]
This is the way I mourn in my home,
in my home
[Oh, Lord]
This is the mourn in my home.
I mourn just like this
[Mmm mmm]
I mourn just like this in my home
[In my home, oh Lord]
I mourn just like this
[Mmm mmm]
This is the way I mourn in my home.
-snip-
This is my transcription from Ella Jenkins sound file found below.
Here are two additional verses using this same pattern:
This is the way I shout in my home
[Oh, Lord]
This is the way I shout in my home.
[In my home, oh, Lord]
This is the way I shout in my home,
in my home
{Oh Lord]
This is the way I shout in my home.
I pray just like this
[Hallelujah]
I shout just like this in my home
[In my home, oh Lord]
I shout just like this
[Hallelujah]
This is the way I shout in my home
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SHOWCASE SOUND FILE
This is the Way I Pray
Ella Jenkins - Topic Published on May 21, 2015
Provided to YouTube by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
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