The African American Spiritual "Who Will Drive The Chariot"/ "When The Chariot Comes" That Is The Source Of The Song "She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain When She Comes"

Stephen Griffiths, Nov 5, 2020

Day 232 of the American Songbag Stay-at-Home Series Sandburg writes: "An old-time black spiritual "When the Chariot Comes" [about the "Rapture"] was made by mountaineers into "She"ll Be Comin' Round the Mountain", and the song spread to railroad work gangs in the midwest in the 1890's." James J. Fuld, The Book of World-Famous Music reports that "substantially this melody" was in print in 1899 in "Old Plantation Hymns," but the text was "When the Chariot Comes." Fuld assumes the "Round the Mountain" lyrics are more recent (he knows of no printing before Sandburg).

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents the little known history of the children's song "She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain". 

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of the 19th century African American Spiritual "Who Will Drive The Chariot". That Spiritual is also known as "When The Chariot Comes."

This post also  presents information about and lyrics for that  song. That 19th century African American Spiritual is documented as the earliest source for "She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain".  The 19th century African American Spiritual/early Gospel song "Old Ship Of Zion" is also suggested as another early source for the song "She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain".

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composer/s of the Spirituals "Who Will Drive The Chariot"/ "When The Chariot Comes". Thanks to the collectors of these "Who Will Drive The Chariot" Spirituals and the collectors of other possible source songs that are mentioned in this post. Thanks to the singer/musician who is featured in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click  https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/lyrics-for-african-american-spiritual.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Lyrics For 19th Century African American Religious Songs That Are Sources For African American Versions Of The Song "Tis The Old Ship Of Zion" ".

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/12/two-examples-of-shell-be-coming-round.html for a closely related pancocojams post that is entitled "Two Examples Of "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain When She Comes" That Have Funny Cumulative Refrains"

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EXCERPTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SHE'LL BE COMING ROUND THE MOUNTAIN
Excerpt #1 
From http://jopiepopie.blogspot.com/2013/05/shes-coming-around-mountain-1924.html by woensdag 8 mei 2013

"When the Chariot Comes (1899) / She's Coming Around The Mountain (1924) / Old Ship of Zion (1925) / Charming Betsy (1925) / Jesus' Chariot (2012)

 Although the first printed version of "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" appeared in Carl Sandburg's The American Songbag in 1927, the song is believed to have been written during the late 1800s. The song was based on an old Negro spiritual titled "When the Chariot Comes", which is sung to the same melody. During the 19th century it spread through Appalachia where the lyrics were changed into their current form. The song was later sung by railroad work gangs in the Midwestern United States in the 1890s. The song's style is reminiscent of the call and response structure of many folk songs of the time, where one person would shout the first line and others repeat.

While it is not entirely clear who the "she" in the song refers to, there are various plausible interpretations. One interpretation suggests that "she" is the train that will be coming through the tracks that are being laid out by workers.

Carl Sandburg, in The American Songbag, suggests that "she" refers to union organizer Mary Harris "Mother" Jones going to promote formation of labor unions in the Appalachian coal mining camps.

[…]

SHE’LL BE COMING ROUND THE MOUNTAIN

She’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes
when she comes
She’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes
When she comes
She'll be coming round the mountain
She'll be coming round the mountain
She’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes

[Pancocojams Editor: Other verses use this same pattern as is given above.]

She’ll be driving six white horses when she comes

Oh, we’ll all go out to meet her

B. 
[Pancocojams Editor- These are the lyrics for "Who Will Drive The Chariot". These lyrics follow the same pattern as is given above.]

Oh who will drive the chariot when she come? 

King Jesus, will be the driver when she comes.

She’ll be loaded with bright angels.

She will neither rock or totter.

She will run so level and steady.

She will take us to the portals.

- The American Songbag

[...]

As I said above a plausible theory says that "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" is based on a slave-era spiritual called "When the Chariot Comes". The two songs share the same melody, structure and even some lyrics -- the iconic "when she comes" chant is present in both versions.

"She" would refer to the chariot he'll be riding down to bring about the End of Days.

The version in the New England Magazine Vol 19 No. 6 (Febr 1899) on page 718 is said to be the first appearance of "When the Chariot Comes", forerunner of "Coming Round the Mountain."

[Pancocojams Editor: This article continues with a copy of  a page from that 1899 article. The title for that page is “Recent Negro Melodies” and it continues with a description of and lyrics for the song "Who Will Drive The Chariot".]

Frank C. Brown lists "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain" as a "parody or secularization of "The Old Ship of Zion"

"She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain" is song # 460

The Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore; the folklore of North Carolina, collected by Dr. Frank C. Brown during the years 1912 to 1943, in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklore Society

Another song, "Charmin' Betsy", noted in 1908, is clearly related to "Coming Round The Mountain":

[…]

In 1908, Louise Rand Bascom, JAFL Vol. 21, No. 84, p. 246, quoted this fragment:

I'm comin' round the mountain, Charmin' Betsy,

I'm comin' round the mountain, 'fore I leave,

An' if I never more see you,

Take this ring, an' think of me.

An' wear this ring I give you,

An' wear it on your right han',

An' when I'm dead an' forgotten,

Don't give it to no other man.”…
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This article includes multiple recordings of “Old Ship Of Zion” and She’ll be coming round the mountain”

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Excerpt #2
From https://galaxymusicnotes.com/pages/how-shell-be-coming-round-the-mountain-evolved How This Folk Song "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" Evolved

" “She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain” is essentially a traditional American folk song which is often classified as a part of children’s music. It is also known by the name “Coming Round the Mountain.” It was categorized in the “List of folk songs” categorized by Roud number at 4204.

Origin

The song is assumed to be written during the later periods of 1800. The song descends from “When the Chariot Comes,” a classic African-American spiritual. Both tracks utilize a similar melody.  The first official publication of the song dates back to 1899 when William Eleazar Barton included the song in his book “Old Plantation Hymns.”

 History

The apparent reference in the song is towards “The Second Coming” of Jesus Christ and also the “Chariot” that Christ is portrayed to be using. However, there remains a typical conundrum, as the Bible doesn’t depict Christ riding a chariot.

[...] 

Musical Overview

In 1927, Carl Sandburg printed it in his book titled “The American Songbag.” The secularized interpretation of “She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain” has become the standardized version and the eventual point of reference for the children’s song. It is extensively performed by both adults and children, in campfires and sing-alongs.

Most foremen working at that time were chiefly hired for their musical abilities, as singing automatically lifted the spirits of the workers and made the whole process smoother. The melody used draws inspiration from two classic songs - the aforementioned “When the Chariot Comes,” and another classic folk hymn titled “The Old Ship of Zion.” The original melody oozes a certain hillbilly, snappy essence, while the repetitive lyrics are down to its railroad roots.

[...]

Usage in Popular Culture

The recordings started flowing since the mid-1920s, with numerous musicians and pop culture adaptations.

The first known recording of “She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain” can be dated back to 1924. Henry Whitter performed it for “Okeh Records.” In 1925, another recorded version by Vernon Dalhart & Co. was released by Edison Records.

[…]

“She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain” has numerous other versions, ranging from comedic to iterations instigating adult humor. It has been utilized for political vendettas, and as football chants, to the simpler children’s version. Youth and music are natural partners, and it seems only right that the rich texture of this folk song shares the same infectious enthusiasm."

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