"Where Shall I Be When That First Trumpet Sounds?"(Information About This African American Old Time Gospel Songs With That Title)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a three part pancocojams series about the African American early Gospel songs that are entitled "Where Shall I Be When That First Trumpet Sounds?" 

This post presents selected comments from Mudcat folk music forum about examples of the religious song song "Where Shall I Be When That First Trumpet Sounds?" 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/05/where-shall-i-be-when-that-first_28.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a YouTube sound file of the African American Gospel song "Where Shall I Be When That First Trumpet Sounds?" by Blind Lemon Jefferson (1926) and showcases a YouTube sound file of that song by Rev. Edward W. Clayborn (1927).

That post also includes information about Blind Lemon Jefferson and information about Rev. Edward W. Clayborn. The lyrics for those versions of "Where Shall I Be?" are also included in that post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/05/eight-african-american-renditions-of.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. That post presents eight YouTube sound files or videos of examples of "Where Shall I Be When That First Trumpet Sounds?". These examples of that African American Gospel song were recorded or performed from the 1950s through 2019. The lyrics for these examples aren't included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown person/s who was (were) the first composer/s of this African American Gospel song. Thanks to all those who are showcased in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.  

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
Comments from Mudcat member Q (Frank Staplin)* uses the term "Spiritual" for these songs. I prefer the term "early Gospel" and specifically African American early Gospel . By "African American early Gospel" I mean songs that were composed by African Americans after the end of the United States Civil War through the 1930s.

It appears to me that the lyrical structure of these African American old (early) Gospel songs are different from the lyrical structure of Spirituals. For instance, these songs don't have a call & response pattern, or at least the call & response patterns aren't the same as those that Spirituals have.

I'd love to read opinions from other people about how they categorize these particular African American religious songs. 

****
EXCERPT FROM MUDCAT DISCUSSION FORUM

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=79315

Numbers added for referencing purposes only.

1. Subject: Lyr Add: WHERE SHALL I BE? (SPIRITUAL)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Mar 05 - 04:45 PM
 

Several versions of this spiritual, which sometimes incorporates verses from other songs.

 Lyr. Add: WHAR SHALL I BE?

Moses lived till he got old,
Whar shall I be?
Buried in de mountain, so I'm told,
Whar shall I be?

Whar shall I be when de first trumpet sounds?
Whar shall I be when it sounds so loud?
When it sound so loud that it wake up the dead,
Whar shall I be when it sounds?

Well, God showed Noar de rainbow sign,
Whar shall I be?
No more water but fire nex' time,
Whar shall I be?

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,
Whar shall I be?
Tole me whar my Saviour gone,
Whar shall I be?

John declar'd he saw a man,
Whar shall I be?
Wid seben lamps in his right han',
Whar shall I be?

 

The authors consider this to be a later song, "a general mixture of old songs and new songs, old traits and new traits, the Negro sings a beautiful song which he has called "Whar Shall I Be?" The usual imagery is seen."

Howard W. Odum and Guy B. Johnson, 1925 (and reprints), The Negro and His Songs," Univ. North Carolina (later Greenwood and Negro Universities Press, 1976), pp. 134-135.

 

Lyr. Add: Where Shall I Be When de Firs' Trumpet Soun'?

Refrain

Where shall I be when de firs' trumpet soun',
Where shall I be when it soun' so loud,
Soun' so loud till it wakes up the dead,
Where shall I be when it soun'?

 

Solo

Moses died in de days of old, 
Where shall I be?
Where he was buried has never been told,
Oh Where shall I be?

 

God gave de people de rainbow sign,
Where shall I be?
No more water, but fire next time
Where shall I be?

 

With music, p. 173. This song was not in the 1874 edition, but was added in a later edition, probably that of 1909 (fifth ed.) when some 25 songs from Fisk and elsewhere were added. A new and enlarged edition had previously been published in 1891.

Nathaniel Dett, 1927, "Religious Folk Songs of the Negro as Sung at Hampton Institute," Hampton University Press. AMS edition, 1972.

Johnson and Johnson, "The Books of American Negro Spirituals," Book 1, p. 136, includes the following verse:

 

Gwine try on my robe when de firs' trumpet soun'
Where shall I be
Gwine try on ma robe, etc.

 

Lyrics Add: WHERE SHALL I BE (Carter)

The judgement day is drawing nigh
Where shall I be
When God the work of men shall try
Where shall I be.

When east and west the fire will roll
Where shall I be
How will it be with my poor soul
Where shall I be.

Chorus

Oh, where shall I be
When the first trumpet sounds
Oh, where will I be
When it sounds so loud
When it sounds so loud as to wake up the dead
Oh, where shall I be when it sounds.

When wicked men his wrath shall see
Where shall I be
And to the rocks and mountains flee
Where shall I be.

When hills and mountains *flee away
Where shall I be
And all the work of men decay
Where shall I be.

Oh, where shall I be
When the first trumpet sounds
Oh, where shall I be
When it sounds so loud
When it sounds so loud as to wake up the dead
Oh, where shall I be when it sounds.

When the savior reigns from shore to shore
Where shall I be
**From God's angry presence thrown
Where shall I be.

 

Well, I'll be sleeping in my grave
When the first trumpet sounds
I'll be sleeping in my grave
When it sounds so loud
When it sounds so loud as to wake up the dead
I'll be sleeping in my grave when it sounds.

 

Repeat last chorus.

 

*wear, not flee(?). **When God's angry presence roars(?). Their renditions varied slightly, also transcriptions sometimes in error. Carter Family Songs, part Seven. Carter Songs

****
2. Subject: RE: Lyr Add: WHERE SHALL I BE? (SPIRITUAL)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Mar 05 - 10:46 PM

"Does anyone have the Blind Lemon Jefferson version?

The African-American pastor and composer of more than 1000 gospel songs, Charles Price Jones, wrote a version of "Where Shall I Be When the Last Trumpet Sounds." A brief biography and some of his songs are included in the Cyberhymnal."...

****
3. Subject: Lyr Add: WHERE SHALL I BE WHEN DE FIRS' TRUMPET...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Apr 11 - 06:24 PM

From [This title will be added once the Mudcat site is available again] 
by Thomas Putnam Fenner, Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute (Hampton, VA: The Institute Press, 1905), page 172—where it appears with musical notation for 4 voices:


WHERE SHALL I BE WHEN DE FIRS' TRUMPET SOUN'?

CHORUS: Where shall I be when de firs' trumpet soun'?
Where shall I be when it soun' so loud,
Soun' so loud till it wakes up de dead?
Where shall I be when it soun'?

1. Moses died in de days of old.
Where shall I be?
Where he was buried has never been told.
Where shall I be?

2. God gave de people de rainbow sign.
Where shall I be?
No more water, but fire next time.
Where shall I be?"

****
This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

The African American Gospel Song "One Morning Soon" ("I Heard The Angels Singing"), Part II: three examples with lyrics for one example

blessedover, Oct 26, 2011

Music: One Morning Soon (Live At The Church Of God, NY / 1959)

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

The Gospel Truth (Expanded Edition)
-snip-
Here's a comment from this sound file's discussion thread:
@fbfree2311, 2014
"Sister Rosetta Tharpe   and the Sally Jenkins Singers of Philadelphia ,PA. Frank Baylor @ the key boards"

****

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the late 19th century African American song "One Morning Soon".. This song shouldn't be confused with the African American Gospel song "Soon One Morning".  

 "One Morning Soon" is also given as "I Heard The Angels Singing".

This post presents information about this song and lyric examples from the Mudcat online folk music forum.

Click __ for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post presents three examples of YouTube example of "One Morning Soon" ("I Heard The Angels Singing") by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Rev. Gary Davis, and Charlie Wells & The Voices Of Clouds. The lyrics for this Gospel song as sung by Rev. Gary Davis are included in that post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composer/s of this song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/shop-jd-means-dr-cj-johnson-one-morning.html for a 2015 pancocojams post that showcases YouTube sound files of "One Morning Soon" ("I Heard The Angels Singing") by Dr. CJ Johnson, by Bishop J.D. Means, Sr., and by The Golden Gospel Singers. The lyrics for those versions aren't included in that post.

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE #2 - Blind Gary Davis - I Heard the Angels Singing live

Hubert Cumberdale, Aug 8, 2014

Recorded June 1967

**
LYRICS -I HEARD THE ANGELS SINGING
(Rev. Gary Davis)

One day as I was walkin' along
I heard the angels singing
I heard a voice and I saw no one
I heard the angels singing

What you reckon he said to me
I heard the angels singing
Said my sins are forgiven and my soul set free
I heard the angels singing

Well, the Holy Ghost on fire fell on me
You ought to have been there when he fell on me
Then I got in the spirit and I began to shout
People come a running, miles around
People wondering what it was all about

Went down in the valley one day just to pray
Met old Satan down on my way
What you reckon that old rascal said to me
He said I was too old to die and too young to pray

I went on down, didn't pay no mind what he said
Made Satan out a liar and I stayed all day
Went down in the valley, fell down on my knees
I said, Lord help me if you please

One morning soon, just awhile before day
One morning soon, just awhile before day
One morning soon, just awhile before day
I heard the angels singing, I heard the angels singing

Down by my bedside I was down on my knees
Down by my bedside I was down on my knees
Down by my bedside I was down on my knees
I heard the angels singing, I heard the angels singing

https://genius.com/Rev-gary-davis-i-heard-the-angels-singing-lyrics

https://genius.com/artists/Rev-gary-davis

"Rev. Gary Davis; AKA: Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Gary Davis

Rev. Gary Davis (April 30, 1896 – May 5, 1972) was a blues musician who started releasing music in the 1930’s."

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE #3 - "I Heard The Angels Singing"- Charlie Wells & the Voices of Clouds

Rowoches, Nov 13, 2017

Artists:
Charlie Wells & the Voices of Clouds

Album: I HEARD THE ANGELS SINGING

****
This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

The African American Gospel Song "One Morning Soon" ("I Heard The Angels Singing"), Part I: information & early lyrics

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the late 19th century African American song "One Morning Soon".. This song shouldn't be confused with the African American Gospel song "Soon One Morning".  

 "One Morning Soon" is also given as "I Heard The Angels Singing".

This post presents information about this song and lyric examples from the Mudcat online folk music forum.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-african-american-gospel-song-one_9.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post presents three examples of YouTube example of "One Morning Soon" ("I Heard The Angels Singing") by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Rev. Gary Davis, and Charlie Wells & The Voices Of Clouds. The lyrics for this Gospel song as sung by Rev. Gary Davis are included in that post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composer/s of this song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/shop-jd-means-dr-cj-johnson-one-morning.html for a 2015 pancocojams post that showcases YouTube sound files of "One Morning Soon" ("I Heard The Angels Singing") by Dr. Cj Johnson, by Bishop J.D. Means, Sr-  and by The Golden Gospel Singers. The lyrics for those versions aren't included in that post.

****
EXCERPTS FROM MUDCAT DISCUSSION FORUM ABOUT THIS SONG

[Numbers have been added for referencing purposes only. Ialso added italics to highlight that sentence with the earliest documented date for this song.]  

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=41030

1. Subject: Lyr Add: ONE MORNING SOON
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Nov 01 - 02:32 PM

"ONE MORNING SOON

 One morning soon, one morning soon, my Lord,
One morning soon, I heard the angels singing.

Angels on high, singing on high, my Lord,
Singing on high, I heard the angels singing.

Singing good news, singing good news, my Lord,
Singing good news, I heard the angels singing.

All in my room, all in my room, my Lord,
All in my room, I heard the angels singing.

All over my head, etc.

Down on my knees, etc.

Jes' before day, Lord, jes' before day, Lord, etc.

One morning soon, etc.

Sung by Mandy Tartt, Sims Tartt and Betty Atmore, Livingston, Alabama. Very attractive simple tune.

American Memory, Lib. Congress site. John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States recording Trip.

@religion @spiritual @gospel.

**** 
2. Subject: Lyr Add: I HEARD THE ANGELS SINGIN'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 02:26 AM

..."Lydia Parrish recorded this song (titled "I Heard the Angels Singin'")in Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands (1942; U. of Georgia Pr., 1992, pp. 140-141, with music):

I HEARD THE ANGELS SINGIN'

Chorus:

One mornin' soon
One mornin' soon
One mornin' soon
Ah heard the angels singin'.

Lawd, Ah wuz down on my knees
Down on my knees
Down on my knees
Ah heard the angels singin'.

No dyin' there
No dyin' there
No dyin' there
Ah heard the angels singin'.
Ah heard the angels singin' Lawd

Ah heard the angels singin'
Ah heard the angels singin' Lawd
Ah heard the angels singin'.

Well, there's no weepin' there
No weepin' there
No weepin' there
Ah heard the angels singin'.

Lawd, it wuz all 'roun' me shine
All 'roun' me shine
All 'roun' me shine
Ah heard the angels singin'.

Lawd, it wuz all over my head
All over my head
All over my head
Ah heard the angels singin'.

Lawd, it wuz all aroun' my feet
All aroun' my feet
All aroun' my feet
Ah heard the angels singin'.

An earlier related version is in Hampton and Its Studens (1874, p. 246, with music; also in Religious Folk Songs of the Negro, new ed., 1920; AMS, 1973, p. 74):

HEAR DE ANGELS SINGIN'

1

Oh, sing all de way, sing all de way,
Sing all de way, my Lord,
Hear de angels singin'.
We're marchin' up to Hebben, its a happy time;
An' Jesus is on-a de middle line;
Dem-a Christians take up too much time;
Dey're idlin' on dat battle line;
Hear de angels singin'.

2

Now all things well, an' I don't dread hell;--
Hear de angels singin',
I am goin' up to Hebben' where my Jesus dwell;--
Hear de angels singin'.
For de angels are callin' me away,--
Hear de angels singin',
An' I must go, I cannot stay,--
Hear de angels singin'. CHO.--Oh, sing, &c.

3

Now take your Bible, an' read it through,--
Hear de angels singin',
An' ebery word you'll find is true;--
Hear de angels singin'.
For in dat Bible you will see,--
Hear de angels singin',
Dat Jesus died for you an' me,--
Hear de angels singin'. CHO.--Oh, sing, &c.

4

Say if my memory sarves me right,--
Hear de angels singin',
We're sure to hab a little shout to-night,--
Hear de angels singin'.
For I love to shout, I love to sing,--
Hear de angels singin',
I love to praise my Hebbenly King,--
Hear de angels singin'. CHO.--Oh, sing, &c.

~Masato"

**
3. Subject: Lyr Add: I HEARD THE ANGELS SINGING
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 09:47 AM

"Another variant from Solomon, Honey in the Rock: The Ruby Pickens Tartt Collection of Religious Folk Songs from Sumter County, Alabama (p. 17; words only):

I HEARD THE ANGELS SINGING

1

One day 'bout noon
One day 'bout noon
One day 'bout noon
I heard the angels singing.

2

Heaven's in my view
Heaven's in my view
Heaven's in my view
I heard the angels singing.

3

Just above my head
Just above my head
Just above my head
I heard the angels singing.

4

All in my room
All in my room
All in my room
I heard the angels singing.

One more variant is recorded in Byron Arnold, Folk Songs of Alabama (1950, p. 160), which I don't see.

~Masato

**
4. Subject: RE: Lyr Add: ONE MORNING SOON
From: WyoWoman
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 10:16 AM

"Very nice. I thought this might be "Soon One Morning, (Death Come Walking in my Room ...)" but it's completely different. I'll add this to my repertoire. These are such great songs to get groups of people singing and harmonizing together on.

Thanks, WyoWoman"

**
5. Subject: RE: Lyr Add: ONE MORNING SOON
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 May 02 - 03:07 PM

"Here are the Lomax fragments in their field notes. I am hearing some different verses in the recording that I don't see in the versions above or in the Lomax notes. Obviously some of these are floating verses frozen in time, that at the time they were frozen were actually being created on the spot.

Singing' come home, etc,

All in my room, etc.

Singin' Good News, etc.

All over my head, etc.

One mornin' soon, etc.

~Susan"

**
6. Subject: Lyr Add: I HEARD THE ANGELS SINGIN'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 07 May 02 - 07:48 PM

"I HEARD THE ANGELS SINGIN'

(Sung by Alma Robinson, who said, "My grandmother, who died in August, 1943 at the age of 82, used to take me on her knee, look up to heaven, and hear the angels sing. It was her favorite song and is mine, too.")

Chorus:

One mornin' soon, one mornin' soon,
One mornin' soon I heard the angels singin'.
Down on my knees down on my knees,
Down on my knees I heard the angels singin'.

Verse 1:

I believe, I believe
I believe, I heard the angels singin'.
My soul King Jesus will receive
I heard the angels singin'.

Chorus 2:

I couldn't keep from cryin', I couldn't keep from cryin'
I couldn't keep from cryin', I heard the angels singin'.
I jes had to moan, I jes had to moan,
I jes had to moan when I heard the angels singin'.

Verse 2:

Some of these morning's bright and fair
I heard the angels singin'.
Goin' ta take my wings and try the air;
I heard the angels singin'.

Chorus 3:

One mornin' soon, one mornin' soon,
One mornin' soon I heard the angels singin'.

 

SOURCE: Byron Arnold, Folksongs of Alabama (University of Alabama Press, 1950, p. 160; with music)

~Masato"

**
7. Subject: RE: Lyr Add: ONE MORNING SOON
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 May 02 - 09:44 PM

"The Lomax notes, as with many of the songs, are incomplete and sometimes incorrect.

All of the verses of the two versions are incorporated in the first posting, except "Singing come home," which I missed but you caught. Sometimes "Soon one morning" is sung rather than "One morning soon," and this verse is sung twice in one of the versions. The verse "All in my room" is varied in the recording with Allison leading- He leads off with "All 'round my bedside," but then they sing "All 'round my room." He also slightly changes pace, interjecting "My Lawd" in the middle of each first line.

This song should be one of the first to receive a midi. It is simple, and very catchy.

The Lydia Parrish version (Masato, above) must have a somewhat different tune; I have trouble fitting the first line of the verses to the tune used by Vera Hall et. al. I haven't heard the recording. Most of the words published by Arnold fit, but I would guess that there is a tune variation here as well. This is something I have noted with older cowboy songs as well; the tune, if the music is given, varies somewhat from collection to collection. This would be expected with all songs that are transmitted verbally.

The Hampton version is more complex, but belongs here, and shows that this cluster of spirituals has been sung for a long time."

**
8. Subject: Lyr Add: I HEARD THE ANGELS SINGIN'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 08 May 02 - 11:07 AM

" "Lawd, Ah wuz" in the Parrish version is something like a prefixed interpolation to "down on my knees." I've found still another seemingly related colorful version (no "one morning soon" lines, though).

I HEARD THE ANGELS SINGIN'

Who is that yonder all dressed in red?
I heard the angels singin';
It look like the children Moses led,
I heard the angels singin'.
Down on my knees,
Down on my knees,
I heard the angels singin'.
Well, who that yonder all dressed in black?
I heard the angels singin';
It looks like it's de mourners jus' got back,
I heard the angels singin'.
Yes, who's that yonder all dressed in blue?
It looks like the children just come through.

From: Odum & Johnson, The Hegro* and His Songs (1925; Negro Universities Press, 1968, p. 140; text only)

~Masato
-snip-
*a typo for "Negro" - a referent for "African Americans" that is no longer used

**
9. Subject: RE: Lyr Add: ONE MORNING SOON
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 May 02 - 11:56 AM

"Odom and Johnson say that the song posted by Masato above was "sung with considerable zest." He also says that the above verses sometimes were sung to the chorus,

O what you say, John? (3 times)
De resurrection drawin' nigh.

Like a number of these songs, it is cobbled together from partly remembered spirituals, current gospel and the "inspiration" of the lead singer.

The "dressed in black" appears in "Home in the Rock," (thread 40983) but applied to Israelite children turning back; and the "dressed in red" in several spiritual-gospel songs.

A number of secular jug band and bluegrass songs use a floating verse based on "little girl dressed in red" or "little girl with the red dress on." We could speculate (fruitlessly) that this verse, often used as fill, is rooted in half-remembered religious songs."

****
This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

A 1935 Version Of The African American Gospel Song "Jesus Is A Rock In A Weary Land"

 Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part III of a three part pancocojams series on the Gospel song "Jesus Is A Rock" (also known as "A Shelter In The Time Of A Storm", and "Jesus Is A Rock In A Weary Land" . Part III presents the lyrics to a 1935 version of "Jesus Is A Rock". That version was collected in an interview with Wallace Quaterman, Fort Frederica, St. Simons Island, Georgia (Gullah), June 1935. This was part of the Voices From the Days of Slavery archive (United States' Works Progress Administration) which held those interviews to document the experiences of former slaves.

The Addendum to Part III presents lyrics to a version of this song that also includes the lyrics "Stop and let me tell you about Chapter [insert number]. Those lyrics were found in a Mudcat folk music discussion thread. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/david-w-carter-choir-jesus-is-rock-in.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I showcases a YouTube video of a gospelized version of the 19th African American Gospel song "Jesus Is A Rock In A Weary Land" that is sung by Dallas, Texas' David W. Carter Choir. I don't know when that performance was recorded, but from the hair styles, it appears that it could have been in 2017, shortly before this video was published on YouTube.

The lyrics of a very similar arrangement of that song are included in this post along with lyrics for the song "A Shelter In The Time Of The Storm". A comment about how the song "Jesus is a Rock" was sung in Mississippi is also included in this post. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/rev-milton-brunson-thompson-community.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II showcases a YouTube sound file of "Jesus Is A Rock" that was recorded in 1984 by Rev. Milton Brunson & Thompson Community Singers. A portion of the lyrics for that version of  "Jesus Is A Rock" are included in that post along with selected comments from that sound file's discussion thread.

****

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Vernon J. Charlesworth and Ira D. Sankey for composing the lyrics and music to "A Shelter In The Time Of A Storm". Thanks to the unknown and known composers and arrangers of Gospel versions of this song. Thanks also to Wallace Quaterman for his memory of this song and thanks to the Voices From the Days of Slavery archive (United States' Works Progress Administration). In addition, thanks to the cuny.edu for publishing this portion of the interview with Wallace Quaterman on the internet.

-snip- A "gospelized hymn" is a hymn that is recorded in a gospel style. **** 1935 VERSION OF "JESUS IS A ROCK" Source: Wallace Quarterman, “"Jesus is a Rock in a Weary Land",” SHEC: Resources for Teachers, accessed December 5, 2020, https://herb.ashp.cuny.edu/items/show/843. [Pancocojams Editor's Note: The content of this page is presented "as is" from that page, without any notes, reformatting, or spelling changes. A mp3 sound file is also found on that internet site.]

" "Jesus is a Rock in a Weary Land" "

The lyrics and audio recording presented here are from an interview with Wallace Quarterman conducted in 1935, at Fort Frederica, St. Simons Island, Georgia. These interviews were part of the Works Progress Administration, and documented the experiences of former slaves. Among the interviewers was author Zora Neale Hurston.

Jesus is a Rock in a Weary Land

My god is a rock in a weary land.
Shelter in a time of storm.
He is the lily of the valley.
And he is the prince of peace.
When they put old John in the island
When they put old John in the island Patmos ??? Jesus proved he is born in peace My God is the rock in this weary land. Weary land. In the weary land. My God is the rock in the weary land. Shelter in the time of storm. Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of two. The Lord God's written his Bible too. Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of three. My god died on Calvary. Then I know he is a rock in this weary land. Weary land. In a weary land. My God is the rock in this weary land. Shelter in this time of storm. He is the maker of little lambs of God. He is the prince of peace. When they put old John in the ??? Jesus proved that born in peace. My god is the rock in this weary land. Weary land. In the weary land. My god is the rock in this weary land. Shelter in this time of storm. Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of four. The lord God's busy don't amount to four. Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of five. The Lord God's brought us so stand alive. Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of six. He ready Jerusalem and healed the sick. Then I know he's a rock in a weary land. Weary land. In a weary land. My God is a rock in this weary land. Shelter in a time of storm. Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of seven. The Lord God's risen and he went to heaven. Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of eight. I seen him standing at the golden gate. Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of nine. The Lord God's turning that water to wine. Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of ten. John said he's coming in the world again. Then I know he's a rock in this weary land. Weary land. In this weary land.

[groove damage]

I know he's a rock in this weary land. Shelter in a time of storm. He's the lily of the valley. He's the brightest morning star. When they put old Daniel in the lion's den, Jesus locked the lion's jaws. And I know he's a rock in this weary land. Weary land. In the weary land. And I know he's a rock in a weary land. Shelter in a time of storm.

SOURCE | Wallace Quarterman, "Interview with Wallace Quaterman, Fort Frederica, St. Simons Island, Georgia (Gullah), June 1935 (part 1 of 3), " June 1935, from Library of Congress, Voices From the Days of Slavery archive, http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/afc9999001.0341a.

-snip- The beginning lyrics about "John in Patmos" refers to the writer of the Bible's book of Revelations. Quoting from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Patmos : "John of Patmos (also called John the Revelator, John the Divine, John the Theologian, and possibly John the Apostle; Greek: Ἰωάννης ὁ Θεολόγος; Coptic: ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ) could be the author named as John in the Book of Revelation, the apocalyptic text forming the final book of the New Testament.

The text of Revelation states that John was on Patmos, a Greek island where, by most biblical historians, he is considered to have been exiled as a result of anti-Christian persecution under the Roman emperor Domitian."

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/john-revelator.html for the 2013 pancocojams post entitled "Sound Files Of "John The Revelator" by Blind Willie Johnson & by Son House". 
**** ADDENDUM: ANOTHER VERSION OF THIS SONG THAT INCLUDES SIMILAR LYRICS From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=17722

Subject: ADD: My God He Is a Rock

From: Joe Offer

Date: 02 Feb 00 - 09:02 PM

Well, I was hoping somebody had this typed up already. Here's a transcription. Alison, did you say you can post a tune?
-Joe Offer-

MY GOD, HE IS A ROCK
(believed to be traditional)

CHORUS:
My God, he is a rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land.
My God, he is a rock in a weary land,
Shelter in a time of storm.

Stop! Let me tell you about Chapter One,
When the Lord God's work had just begun.

Stop! Let me tell you about Chapter Two,
When the Lord God read the Bible through.

Stop! Let me tell you about Chapter Three,
When the Lord my God died on Calvary.

CHORUS

Stop! Let me tell you about Chapter Four,
When the Lord God lived among the poor.

Stop! Let me tell you about Chapter Five,
When the Lord God brought the dead alive.

Stop! Let me tell you about Chapter Six,
When he went to Jerusalem, he healed the sick.
CHORUS

Stop! Let me tell you about Chapter Seven,
When the Lord God died and went to heaven.

Stop! Let me tell you about Chapter Eight,
When the Lord, he stood at the pearly gate.

Stop! Let me tell you about Chapter Nine,
When the Lord God changed the water to wine.

Stop! Let me tell you about Chapter Ten,
Well, the Lord my God, he's a-comin' again.
CHORUS

(transcribed from "Sara," an album by Sara Gray)
JRO
-snip- There are several YouTube versions of "Stop and let me tell you about chapter [insert number]. One of them is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBCYaveGWqg&ab_channel=Tom%26Liz

Here's the summary of that video of that choral group (which consists of all White singers/musicians, and the conductor) : "MY GOD IS A ROCK" is an African American spiritual arranged by Ken Berg, performed by The Morris Knolls HS Chorale & directed by Michael Semancik." [continues with the same lyrics that are found in that quoted Mudcat comment. Comments are turned off for this video]

****
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