Two Examples Of The Gospel Song "Rough Side Of The Mountain"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases examples of the Gospel song "Rough Side Of The Mountain". Selected comments from several of these YouTube videos and sound files are included in this post along with the song's lyrics.

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

Thanks to the Rev. F.C. Barnes & Rev. Janice Brown, the composer of this song and thanks to all the singers who are featured in these featured examples. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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LYRICS
(Rev. F.C. Barnes & Rev. Janice Brown)

Verse 1:
Oh Lord, I'm strivin',
tryin' to make it through this barren land,
but as I go from day to day,
I can hear my Savior say,
"trust me child, come on and hold my hand."
Chorus

Verse 2:
I'm comin' up Lord, although my burdens
sometime they press me down,
but if I can only keep this faith
I'll have strength just to run this race;
I'm lookin' for my starry crown.

Chorus

Verse 3:
This old race will be soon be over,
there'll be no more race for me to run.
And I will stand before God's throne,
all my heartaches will be gone,
I'll hear my Savior say, "welcome home".

Chorus:
I'm comin' up on the rough side of the mountain,
I must hold to God, His powerful hand.
I'm comin' up on the rough side of the mountain,
I'm doin' my best to make it in.

© www.AfricanAmericanContributions.com 1997-2013

Source: http://www.ucaconline.org/images/monument/roughside.html

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These examples are given in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest dated example given first.

Example #1: "Rough Side of the Mountain"- Dorothy Norwood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hL-ekidgZMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hL-ekidgZM

Embedding disabled by request

Rowoches, Uploaded on Jun 23, 2008

Dorothy's story can DEFINITELY be applied to today's conditions...let's add a couple of things though, like HIGH GAS PRICES! That's a sho'nuff mountain! LOL!
-snip-
Here's a few comments from this video's discussion thread:
1. size15shoe, 2008
"Man, my great grandma had this song on an 8-track player!! LOL..

Every sunday morning.. with the heat on high hell in the SUMMERTIME, sittin in that rockin chair with her eyes closed listening to this song.. i tell you, those were some good memories that i treasure to this day..

I never got the message of this song when i was little, but now that Im a grown man, this song makes soooooooooo much sense."

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DRSTILLSTANDING, 2008
2. "My Granny would sing this song too and I too FULLY understand the meaning now that I am an adult. Life can certainly throw you some strange twists and turns!

Dr. C."

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3.unkn225, 2009
"I KNOW that's right!!!! We used to listen to it every single sunday on the 8-track player on the top of the t.v. n we would clean n listen to this! WOW the memories!"

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4. 3535.rmbb10, 2009
"I love it; she betta sang it. Amen, amen, amen."

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5. WhistlingDixie, 2010
"She reminds me of Shirley Ceaser! Classic
This song has brought so many people through so much!
In order to get to.. we definitely have to go through it all!
Thank you Jesus, I'm coming up on the rough side of the mountain!
Bless the name of Jesus!"

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6. Rowoches, 2011
"I just looked at the date on the label and it's 1983."

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7. E Nelson, 2011
"This is the version I remember from when I was a little girl. Yes, Lord!!!!!"

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8. Imani Jackson, 2013
"I been singing this song for the longest never having heard the original until now. I'm so glad I found this and heard her explain what the song means. Now I actually know what I'm really singing about lol"

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Reply
9. Rowoches, 2013
"Thanks so much for your comment! The original rendition was written and recorded by the late Rev. F.C. Barnes & Rev. Janice Brown. Dorothy Norwood recorded it years after the original was made. Both renditions are great."

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10. allison fletcher, 2013
"I c rite nw da people who dislike dis song aint been through nun yet cause dis song will get u through sumthngs..dis song is my grandma fav song n i c y im n love wit dis song =)

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Example #2: Rough Side Of The Mountain



Pannellctp Traditional Gospel Music, Uploaded on Oct 13, 2010
-snip-
Here's a few comments from this video's discussion thread:
teocdambuster, 2012
"I have always loved the encouragement of this song. Years ago I was listening to a christian radio station while making a delivery for a company I worked for and this song was playing just as I was hit by another vehicle. That day I was coming up the rough side of the mountain. This is some of the music that I was nourished on as a newborn christian. It never gets old, only better. Thanks for posting it.
The Barnes Family A Live Reunion Vol 2"

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2461lostworld, 2013
"mom used to sing this whenever times got tough

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