Norfolk Jazz And Jubilee Quartet - Topic, Feb 20,
2017
Norfolk Jazz And Jubilee Quartet Vol. 2 (1923-1925) -snip- "Jubilee" songs was an early referent for African American Spirituals.
*African American Spirituals was formerly known as "Negro Spirituals".
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the African American Gospel song "Where Shall I Be When That First Trumpet Sounds" (also given as "Where Shall I Be").
This post presents five YouTube examples of the African American Gospel* song "Where Shall I Be When That First Trumpet Sounds" (also given as "Where Shall I Be").
The content of this post is presented for religious, historical, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the unknown composers of this song. Thanks to Charles
Price Jones, the African American minister whose 1895 adaptation of this African American religious song is credited as the source for later examples of this song. Thanks to all those who are featured in these YouTube examples and thanks to the publishers of those examples on YouTube.
*Most online sources categorize this religious song as a Spiritual. However, I consider African American religious songs that were originally composed or adapted after the 1870s to be early Gospel songs. Maybe the versions of this song that are given here are examples of gospelized Spirituals.
**** SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLES These examples are given in chronological order based on their publishing dates on YouTube (except for video #1). These publishing dates aren't the same as the dates these renditions were performed.
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE #1 This example is embedded on the top of this post.
**** SHOWCASE EXAMPLE #2 - Dan Smith - Where Shall I Be When The First Trumpet Sounds
TheBWJohnson, May 19, 2012
Good Morning Blues. 1975.
Biography by Bill Carpenter
Dan Smith sang in church and played harmonica as a child. He
didn't begin his professional career until the early '60s, when he played
behind folk legends Rev. Gary Davis and Pete Seeger. However, his musical style
is overwhelmingly oriented to Chicago blues.
photos: George Mitchell and Larry Towell
**** SHOWCASE EXAMPLE #3 - Where Shall I Be When The First Trumpet Sounds?
Rev. Edward W. Clayborn - Topic, Sep 24, 2014
Where Shall I Be When The First Trumpet Sounds? · Rev. Edward W. Clayborn
Blind Joe Taggart Vol. 2 (1929-1934)
℗ 1993 Document Records
Released on: 2005-04-12
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE #4 - When The Trumpet Sounds
Release - Topic, Sep 23, 2015
When The Trumpet Sounds · F.S.U. Chamber Choir ["F.D.U." = Florida State University]
This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series about the African American song "If Anybody Ask You Who I Am" (also known as "Tell Them I'm A Child Of God", and "Child Of God".
This post presents some information about and lyric examples of late 19th century African American Christmas songs.
If anybody ask you who I am, Who I am, who I am, If anybody ask you who I am, Tell him I'm a child of God (mother's child).
The little cradle rocks tonight in glory, In glory, in glory, The little cradle rocks tonight in glory, The Christ child born in glory. [Jesus was a mother's child]
Peace on earth, Mary rock the cradle, Mary rock the cradle, Mary rock the cradle, Peace on earth, Mary rock the cradle, The Christ child born in glory
The Christ Child passing, singing softly, Singing softly, singing softly, The Christ Child passing, singing softly, Christ child born in glory
Don't you hear the foot on the tree top, Foot on the tree top, foot on the tree top, Don't you hear the foot on the tree top, Soft like the south wind blow?
from American Folk Songs for Christmas, by Ruth Crawford
Seeger (Doubleday) page 40
Verse 1 from Mellows, by R. Emmett Kennedy, 1925
Verses 2-5 from the Journal of American Folklore, Vol 12,
1899, p. 272, "Christmas Carols in Georgia," by Emma Backus (slightly
altered by Ruth Crawford Seeger)
2013 Recording by Elizabeth Mitchell, Peggy Seeger from The
Sounding Joy: Christmas Songs In and Out of the Ruth Crawford Seeger Songbook:
**** EXCERPT #2 From https://artandtheology.org/2020/12/21/american-folk-songs-for-christmas-ruth-crawford-seeger/ "American Folk Songs for Christmas, compiled by Ruth Crawford
Seeger", Posted on December 21, 2020 by Victoria Emily Jones "Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901–1953) was a pioneering
American folk music specialist who selected, transcribed, and placed songs from
the vast collections of the Lomax family and others into published works for
use in primary schools and homes.
[...]
Ruth keenly felt an urgency to save American folk songs from
extinction. Toiling deep in the archives of the Library of Congress alongside
the famed father, son, and daughter musicologist team of John Avery Lomax, Alan
Lomax, and Bess Lomax Hawes, she sifted through their 10,000 field recordings
of native singers and transcribed songs. She helped the Lomaxes produce two
sweeping surveys of “people’s music,” Our Singing Country (1941) and Best Loved
American Folk Songs (1947), creating notated versions for over 300 folk songs
(the second anthology with the help of both her husband Charles Seeger and her
stepson Pete Seeger).
[...]
Although at least half the selections will still be
unfamiliar to the general public, several have become beloved classics,
especially some of the African American spirituals, like “Go Tell It on the
Mountain,” “Children, Go Where I Send Thee,” and “Rise Up, Shepherd, and
Follow.” While Ruth wasn’t the only one drawing attention to these songs—the
lengthy Acknowledgments section cites the publisher, society, institution,
and/or individual each song was sourced from—she was certainly an important
popularizer.
Twenty of these songs were released in 1957 on an album of
the same title, American Folk Songs for Christmas, performed by Ruth’s
daughters Peggy, Barbara, and Penny Seeger and with children from the South
Boston Music School. In 2013 the songs were revitalized with the release of The
Sounding Joy: Christmas Songs in and out of the Ruth Crawford Seeger Songbook
by Elizabeth Mitchell and friends. Both albums were put out by Smithsonian
Folkways, the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution."...
One of my favorites is “Baby Born Today,” a “shout” song
from McIntosh County, Georgia, that was traditionally sung at Watch Night
services at Black churches on Christmas Eve, the lyrics traded back and forth
from leader to group for a long time. [5] Folklorist Robert W. Gordon learned
it from Mary C. Mann, a deaconess in the Episcopal Church, when doing field
recordings in Darien, Georgia, in 1926.
Another African American Christmas spiritual is “Sing
Hallelu,” which is from St. Helena Island, South Carolina. It’s sung here by
Elizabeth Mitchell and her husband, Daniel Littleton, accompanied on harp by
Elizabeth Clark-Jerez.
Norfolk Jazz And Jubilee Quartets: Complete Recorded Works
In Chronological Order Vol. 3 (1925-1927) (1995)
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette [1927]
[Chorus]
If anybody asks you who I am Who I am, who I am If anybody asks you who I am Tell them I'm a child of God
If anybody asks you who I am Who I am, who I am If anybody asks you who I am Tell them I'm a child of God
[Verse 1]
See that a-sister come walking She is dressed so fine She ain't got the love of Jesus She’s prancing ‘cross that line*
[Chorus]
If anybody asks you who I am Who I am, who I am If anybody asks you who I am Tell them I'm a child of God
[Verse 2]
Now just mind, old baptist brother Now just how you walk on the cross Now if you make just one misstep Brother, your soul'll be lost
[Chorus]
If anybody asks you who I am Who I am, who I am If anybody asks you who I am Tell them I'm a child of God
[Verse 3]
Now you see that sister [hard/how you/how she] laughing Looking so big and fat Now I walk right over and ask her "Sister, where your 'ligion at?"
[Chorus]
If anybody asks you who I am Who I am, who I am If anybody asks you who I am Tell them I'm a child of God
[Verse 4]
Now she didn't pay me no answer She just looked at me and smiled She said "Lord, Lord," said "Brother, Lord My brother, I'm a child of God"
[Chorus]
If anybody asks you who I am Who I am, who I am If anybody asks you who I am Tell them I'm a child of God If anybody asks you who I am Who I am, who I am If anybody asks you who I am Tell them I'm a child of God, of God
*This is my transcription of those lyrics from a short sound
file that is found on that genius.com link. Those lyrics replace the question mark that the genuis.com transcriber had for that line.
Additions and corrections are welcome. **** This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the early 20th century African American and White American traditional* religious song entitled "The Little Black Train".
*Traditional means that the composer/s of the lyrics and music for this song isn't (aren't) known.
This post presents lyrics for and information about some versions of "The Little Black Train" from 1909-1940.
A sound file of The Carter Family's version of that song is also included in this pancocojams post.
That post also showcases a 2015 YouTube video of a Jazz rendition of that song by ndra Rios Moore. The lyrics for these two versions of "The Little Black Train" are also included in that post.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and religious 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 and thanks to the collectors and identified singers of this song and thanks to the publisher of this song file on YouTube.
****
SOME VERSIONS OF THE RELIGIOUS SONG "THE LITTLE BLACK TRAIN"
Pancocojams Editor's Note: These comments/lyrics are given in chronological order with the earliest entry given first (except for the second entry with a 1909 collections date. These comments/lyrics do not necessarily conform with the publishing date for the comments from Mudcat Discussion Forum (an online folk music website) or other online sources.
"DESCRIPTION: Chorus: "Little black train is a-comin',
Get all your business right... For the train may be here tonight." King
Hezekiah is offered as an example. A young man lives a sinful life; when death
comes, he is surprised and vainly begs for mercy
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1922 (Brown)
KEYWORDS: death Bible train
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE)
REFERENCES (7 citations):
Cohen-LongSteelRail, pp. 625-628, "Little Black
Train" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax/Lomax-OurSingingCountry, pp. 46-47, "The Little
Black Train" (1 text, 1 tune)
Brown/Belden/Hudson-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore3 541,
"The Little Black Train" (1 text)
Botkin-TreasuryOfAmericanFolklore, pp. 914-915, "Little
Black Train Is A-Comin'" (1 text, 1 tune)
Courlander-NegroFolkMusic, p. 41, "(Little Black
Train)" (partial text)
Scarborough-OnTheTrailOfNegroFolkSongs, pp. 260-261,
"The Little Black Train" (1 text)
ADDITIONAL: Harold Courlander, _A Treasury of Afro-American
Folklore_, Crown Publishers, 1976, pp. 305-306, "(no title)" (1 text)
ST BAF914 (Partial)
Roud #11594
RECORDINGS:
Emry Arthur, "The Little Black Train Is Coming"
(Vocalion 5229, 1928)
Dock Boggs, "Little Black Train" (on Boggs2,
BoggsCD1)
Carter Family, "The Little Black Train" (OKeh
03112/Vocalion 03112, 1935; ARC 7-07-62/Conqueror 8815, 1937; on CGospel1)
Rev. J. M. Gates, "Death's Black Train is Coming"
(Columbia 14145-D,1926)
Harmon E. Helmick, "The Little Black Train"
(Champion 16744, 1934)
Silver Leaf Quartet, "Gospel Train" (on
LomaxCD1708)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "This Old World Ain't Going to Stand Much
Longer" (subject)
NOTES [70 words]: The story of Hezekiah's bout with
sickness, God's threat, Hezekiah's repentance, and Isaiah's promise of fifteen
additional years of life is told in 2 Kings 20:1-11 (repeated almost verbatim
in Isaiah 38) and briefly summarized in 2 Chronicles 32:24-26.
The version in Brown accidentally replaces
"Hezekiah" with "Ezekiel," but the former name is clearly correct. It tacks on the story of the Wise Fool, Luke
12:16-20. - RBW" -https://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/BAF914.html "Little Black Train Is A-Comin" [This is the complete reprint, retrieved March 17, 2023]. -snip- Here's Dorothy Scarborough's quote about this song already
given in excerpted form:
"A more sinister aspect of train-arrival [in
"Negro" folk songs] is in another Holy Roller song from Texas. The
little black train here represents Death, and the passengers for whom seats are
reserved appear not to be crowding eagerly about the ticket window. This train
had no schedule, but, like other public carriers, is uncertain in its time
arrival and departure. But a delay here brings forth no complaints against the
management."... -Azizi Powell, posted 31
Dec 04 - 06:56 PM, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=31582, Lyr Add: LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
****
"Lyr. Add: THE LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
(Black and white gospel, Scarborough)
God said to Hezekiah In a message from on high, Go set thy house in order For thou shalt surely die.
Chorus:
The little black train is coming Get all of your business right; Better set your house in order, For the train may be here tonight!
He turned to the wall weeping, Oh! see the king in tears. He got his business fixed all right God spared him fifteen years.
When Adam sinned in Eden Before the birth of Seth, That little sin brought forth a son They called him conquering death.
Go tell the ballroom lady, And filled with earthly pride, That death's black train is coming; Prepare to take a ride.
This little black train and engine And little baggage-car, With idle thoughts and wicked deeds, Must stop at the judgement bar.
A poor young man in darkness Cared not for the gospel light, Until suddenly the whistle blew From the little black train in sight!
"Oh! death, will you not spare me? I've just seen my wicked plight. Have mercy, Lord, do hear me, Please come and help me get right."
But death had fixed his shackles About his soul so tight, Before he got his business fixed The train rolled in that night.
The rich fool in his granary said, "I have no future fears; Going to build my barns a little larger And live for many years.
"I now have plenty of money, I expect to take my ease, My barns are over-running; No one but self here to please."
But while he stood there planning, The God of power and might Said, "Rich fool, to judgement come; Thy soul must be there tonight."
Scarborough- "....a Holy Roller song from Texas." "A delay here brings no complaint against the management."
Dorothy Scarborough, 1925 (1963), "On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs," Folklore Assoc. Inc., pp. 260-261.
Newman I. White (1925) heard a similar but fragmental version from Ed Lloyd, an African-American from North Carolina, "where he had heard it sung for many years." Another fragment from White:
Look here, ni—er*, do you figger on going up dar; If you get your business right, get your heart in order; For the little black train is going to come at night. Heard in Durham Co., NC, 1909. N. I. White, 1928, American Negro Folk-Songs, no. 6 A-B, The Little Black Train, pp. 65-66.
"Lyr. Add: LITTLE BLACK TRAIN IS A COMIN'
God tole Hezykiyah In a message from on high; Go set yo' house in ordah, For thou shalt sholy die. He turned to the wall a weepin',
Oh! See the King in tears; He got his bus'ness fixed all right, God spared him fifteen years.
Chorus:
Little black train is a comin', Get all yo' bus'ness right; Go set yo' house in ordah, For the train may be here tonight.
Go tell that ball room lady, All filled with worldly pride, That little black train is-a comin', Prepare to take a ride.
That little black train and engine An' a little baggage car, With idle thoughts and wicked deeds, Must stop at the judgement bar.
There was a po' young man in darkness, Cared not for the gospel light, Suddenly a whistle blew From a little black train in sight.
"Oh, death will you not spare me? I'm just in my wicked plight, Have mercy Lord, do hear me, Pray come an' set me right."
But death had fixed his shackles About his soul so tight, Just befo' he got his bus'ness fixed, The train rolled in that night.
With music (very different from that given in Lomax and Lomax). Collected in Kentucky, pp. 10-11, M. A. Grissom, 1930 (Dover 1969), "The Negro Sings a New Heaven." "
"Lyr. Add: THE LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
Brother Elihu Trusty, KY, 1937
Chorus:
There's a little black train a-comin'- Get all your business right; There's a little black train a-comin', An' it may be here tonight.
Oh, the little black train is a-comin', I know it's goin' to slack; You can tell it by its rumblin'- It's all draped in black.
The train we are singin' about, It has no whistle or bell, And when you find your station You are in Heaven or Hell.
There's a little black train and an engine, And one small baggage car; You won't need to have much baggage To come to the judgement bar.
O Death, why don't you spare me? I see my wicked plight. Have mercy, Lord, to hear me, Come and set me right.
Oh, Death had fixed the shackles Around his throat so tight, Before he got his business fixed, The train rolled in that night.
They are men and women What love their sport and game, Yet Death is ridin' with them Will take them just the same.
Go tell that barroom lady, All filled with worldly pride, That Death's black train's a-comin'- Prepare to take a ride.
There's a rich old man in his darkness Says: "I have no such fears- I'll build my barns a little larger, For I'll live a million years."
So while he sat there plannin', The God of power and might Took the old fool to the judgement bar, So his soul's in the fire tonight.
pp. 46-47, with music (not same as given by Grissom, see below). Lomax and Lomax, 1941 (Dover 2000), "Our Singing Country, Folk Songs and Ballads."
There's a little black train a-comin'; Get all your business right; Get your house in order; The train may be there tonight.
1.
God spoke to Hezekiah In a message from on high, Said prepare yourself for dying, For the little black train tonight.
2.
Hezekiah got in earnest, Turned to the walls and prayed; God heard Hezekiah prayin', Spared him fifteen years.
3.
Go and tell the ballroom ladies Who's filled with worldly pride, Death's little black train is comin', Get prepared to take a ride.
N. L. White, 1928, American Negro Folk Songs, collected NC 1925 from Ed Lloyd." -Q (Frank Staplin), 28 Dec 06 - 02:14 PM,
****
"THE LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
[CHORUS]
There's a little black train a-comin', Set your business right There's a little black train a-comin' And it may be here tonight
Go tell that ballroom lady All dressed in the worldly pride That death's dark train is comin' Prepare to take a ride
God sent to Hezekiah A message from on high You'd better set your house in order For you must surely die
He turned to the wall and, weeping We see him here in tears He got his business fixed all right God spared him fifteen years
[CHORUS AND INSTRUMENTAL BREAK]
We see that train with engine And one small baggage car Your idle thoughts and wicked deeds Will stop at the judgment bar
[CHORUS AND
INSTRUMENTAL BREAK]
That poor young man in darkness Cares not for the gospel light Till suddenly heard the whistle blow With the little black train in sight
"Have mercy on me, Lord Please come and set me right" Before he got his business fixed The train rolled in that night
[CHORUS AND
INSTRUMENTAL BREAK]" - The Carter Family, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvp7VNSdaBQ [These lyrics are included in the summary of this YouTube sound file entitled "Carter Family - "Little Black Train". That sound file was published by ILOveOldies on Jan. 31, 2011 -snip- Here's some information about The Carter Family's version of "The Little Black Train" fromStewie, 05 Mar 01 - 05:16 PM, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=31582, Lyr Add: LITTLE BLACK TRAIN ..."Evidently, the song was first recorded (4 times) in 1926 by the redoutable Rev. J.M. Gates and later by various hillbilly artists, including Henry and Emry Arthur in 1928. The Carters did not record it until 1935, and 2 copyrights (1935 and 1937) were taken out in the Carters' names!"
**** "Lyr. Add: LITTLE BLACK TRAIN IS COMIN'
Ruby Pickins Tartt Coll., Alabama
Oh, de little black train is a-comin'
Hit'll git yo' bizness right.
Better fix yo' house in order,
Kaze hit may be here tonight.
Chorus:
Oh, de little black train's er comin',
Hit's comin' round de curve,
It's puffin' en hit's blowin',
Hit's strainin' every nerve.
God sent Keziah a message,
A message from on high,
Better git his bizness fixed all right
Kaze hit may be here tonight.
Keziah turned t' de wall a-weepin'
He seed king in *Caaz,
He got his bizness fixed all right,
He gave him fifteen years.
Oh, de little black train's er comin',
Hit's comin' round de curve,
It's puffin' en hit's blowin',
En hit's strainin' every nerve.
* May refer to the king in Assyria who was besieging the
Israelites.
This spiritual was used by Kurt Weill in his folk opera,
"Down in the Valley."
No music, p. 64, O. and J. Solomon, 1984, "Honey in the
Rock," Ruby Pickins Tartt, Coll., Alabama.
-snip- No date is included for this version that was collected by Ruby Pickins Tartt (White American folklorist, writer, and painter . However, here's an excerpt from her Wikipedia page (January 13, 1880 - September 29, 1974) : "Field trips and song recordings
In the Great Depression, Tartt and her husband suffered
financial difficulties. Needing work, Tartt got a job with the Works Progress
Administration (WPA) in York, AL. In 1936, she was appointed chair of the WPA's
local Federal Writers' Project (FWP) in Sumter County. Through the FWP, she
began collecting the life histories, stories, lore, and songs of the area's
former slaves. Her activities drew the attention of ethnomusicologist John
Lomax, who was then recording songs for the Library of Congress (LOC). In 1937
Lomax joined Tartt for a joint expedition collecting folk songs around Sumter
County; together they gathered over 300 songs. Tartt went on several further
expeditions both on her own and with Lomax gathering more material for the
LOC's Archive of American Folk Songs. In 1939 and 1940, they collected
recordings of over 800 songs and stories and over 80 photographs of singers." -snip- Based on that information, it appears that Ruby Pickins Tartt collected that version of "The Little Black Train" in the late 1930s or in 1940.
**** This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.
This pancocojams post provides information about the word "jubilee" that was used to refer to African American religious songs and religious singing groups.
In addition, this post showcases two YouTube examples of late 19th century recordings of the African American early Gospel "Old Time Religion" by The Fisk Jubilee Singers and by Pace Jubilee Singers.
In comparison, the Addendum of this post showcases a mid 20th century rendition of "Old Time Religion" by the Golden Gospel Singers, an African American music group.
The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and all those who are featured in this post for their cultural legacies.
-snip-
Click and for these pancocojams post that showcases The Golden Gate Quartet's 1937 version and the Jubalaires' 1947 version of "The Preacher And The Bear". Those renditions of that once very popular song feature "Old Time Religion" as the chorus.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORD "JUBILEE" THAT WAS USED IN REFERENCE TO BLACK AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SONGS AND RELIGIOUS SINGING GROUPS
Excerpt #1:
From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jubilee
[...]
3. often capitalized : a year of emancipation and restoration provided by ancient Hebrew law to be kept every 50 years by the emancipation of Hebrew slaves, restoration of alienated lands to their former owners, and omission of all cultivation of the land
[...]
5: a religious song of African Americans usually referring to a time of future happiness"
****
Excerpt #2:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisk_Jubilee_Singers
..."the Jewish year of Jubilee."... was a reference to Jubilee described in the book of Leviticus in the Bible. Each fiftieth Pentecost was followed by a "year of jubilee" in which all slaves would be set free.[3] Since most of the students at Fisk University and their families were newly freed slaves,[5] the name "Jubilee Singers" seemed fitting."...
****
Excerpt #3
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubilee_quartet
" "Jubilee quartets were popular African-American religious musical groups in the first half of the 20th century. The name derives from the Fisk Jubilee Singers, a group of singers organized by George L. White at Fisk University in 1871 to sing Negro spirituals. The members of the original Fisk Jubilee Quartet (1909-1916) were Alfred G. King (first bass), James A. Myers (second tenor), Noah W. Ryder (second bass), and John W. Work II (first tenor).[1] Students at other historically black schools, such as Hampton Institute, Tuskegee Institute and Wilberforce University, followed suit.
The early jubilee quartets featured close harmonies, formal arrangements and a "flatfooted" style of singing that emphasized restrained musical expression and technique derived from Western musical traditions. Early quartets reinforced their respectable image by adopting uniforms that a university glee club might wear and discouraging improvisation.
In time, however, the popularity of the jubilee style spread from the universities to black churches, where quartets, singing before audiences with a tradition of enthusiastic response, began to absorb much of the energy and freedom of Gospel music coming out of Holiness churches. Groups such as the Golden Gate Quartet—originally named the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet—infused their performances of spirituals with the rhythmic beat of blues and jazz and gradually began including gospel standards written by Thomas A. Dorsey and others in their repertoire. The Gates and other jubilee quartets gained nationwide popularity through radio broadcasts, records and touring in the 1930s and 1940s.
Other groups, such as the Dixie Hummingbirds and the Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama (formally known as the Happyland Jubilee Singers) that had begun singing in the conventional jubilee style went further, creating the more improvisational and fervent style of quartet singing known as "hard Gospel". That new style largely eclipsed jubilee singing by the 1950s."...
-snip-
This excerpt is quoted in the 2018 pancocojams post entitled "The Influence Of Black American Jubilee Singers On South Africa's Isicathamiya Music (article excerpts with video examples)" http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-influence-of-black-american-jubilee.html
Here's another quote that was included in that pancocojams post:
From https://www.coursehero.com/file/p1366g1/Virginia-Jubilee-Singers-an-African-American-minstrel-troupe-toured-South/
"Introduction to World Music-...
Course: MUSIC 009
School: Pennsylvania State University
..."Virginia Jubilee Singers, an African-American minstrel troupe, toured South Africa in 1890, performing in concert halls for white South Africans and in churches and community halls for black South Africans. While on tour the Virginia Jubilee Singers sang spirituals such as "Steal Away" and "The Gospel Train" along with traditional minstrel songs such as "The Old Folks at Home" and "Old Black Joe." Both white and black South Africans were extremely impressed with the American minstrel performances, but the music, particularly the spirituals, appealed especially to the black South African people, who could relate to the longing for freedom and justice communicated in the songs. Soon black South Africans began forming their own minstrel troupes. The music of the minstrel troupes was typically a four-part singing style. Gradually the South African minstrel music, known as isikhunzi (lit. "coon" style), incorporated more traditional South African dances and songs."...
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE GOSPEL SONG "OLD TIME RELIGION"
Excerpt #1:
"("Give Me That") "Old-Time Religion" (and similar spellings) is a traditional Gospel song dating from 1873, when it was included in a list of Jubilee songs[1]."....
-snip-
[citation] 1. "Pike, The Jubilee Singers, Item 198
-dnip-
The insert in that article shows a portion of the Fisk Jubilee Singers' musical score for "Old Time Religion".
The beginning of that Wikipedia article includes dubious theories that "Some scholars, such as Forrest Mason McCann, have asserted the possibility of an earlier stage of evolution of the song, in that "the tune may go back to English folk origins"[2] (later dying out in the white repertoire but staying alive in the work songs of African Americans)." end of quote.
Asserting that this and other African American Spirituals and early Gospel songs* may have had come from White Europeans is an attempt to give White people credit for African American cultural products.
*"Old Time Religion" has been a Spiritual or an early Gospel song. I usually refer to it as an early Gospel song because no documentation of the song has been found before 1873 and Spirituals are usually considered to be those African American religious songs that were sung during slavery in the United States (i.e.prior to the end of the American Civil War -1865).
Lyr. Add: OLD TIME RELIGION
^^ Arr. Charles Davis Tillman
Refrain:
'Tis the old time religion, (3x)
And it's good enough for me.
2.
It was good for our mothers. (3x)
And it's good enough for me.
3.
Makes me love everybody. (3x)
And it's good enough for me.
4.
It has saved our fathers. (3x)
And it's good enough for me.
5.
It will do when I am dying. (3x)
And it's good enough for me.
6.
It will take us all to heaven (3x)
And it's good enough for me.
Heard by Charles Tillman (1861-1943) at an 1889 Black camp meeting in Lexington, SC, titled "My Old Time Religion." Tillman arranged and published it with other gospel songs in one of his Songbooks, 1891. He published 20 songbooks, all very rare. For a time he was song leader at the Indian Springs Holiness Camp Meeting at Flovilla, Georgia (still held yearly).
The lyrics above are from Cyberhymnal; I have not seen the Songbook and am not sure that these are the words he published.
The origin and date of composition of this gospel song are unknown. The song is generally presumed to be African-American, the evidence for this being first publication in Marsh, "The Story of the Jubilee Singers; with Their Songs," c. 1880. Their version is given in the text following the Tillman version.
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/l/oldtimer.htm
Lyr. Add: THIS OLD TIME RELIGION
^^ Version by the Jubilee Singers, c. 1880
Refrain (sung after each verse):
Oh! this old time religion,
This old time religion,
This old time religion,
It is good enough for me.
1.
It is good for** the mourner,
It is good for the mourner,
It is good for the mourner,
It is good enough for me.
2.
It will carry you home to heaven,
It will carry you home to heaven,
It will carry you home to heaven,
It is good enough for me.
3.
It brought me out of bondage* (3x)
It is good enough for me.
4.
It is good when you are in trouble, etc.
No. 36, with score, p. 158, J. B. T. Marsh, 1880's, "The Story of the Jubilee Singers; with Their Songs," Revised edition (seventy-fifth thousand), Houghton, Mifflin and Company, Boston.
*Verse post-Emancipation. **Sheet music shows a marked pause before the last three syllables.
The song in my opinion is old gospel, although often called a 'spiritual.'
Previous threads at Mudcat, and the three versions in the DT, are parody.
An entry at pdmusic gives a date of 1865; source not given, probably an error or opinion. It would not be surprising to find that the song appeared soon after the Civil War; camp meetings were flowering again. The well-known Des Plaines Camp Meeting in Illinois began in the early 1860's as did others.
-snip-
This comment is given "as is" except for my note that the link no longer works.
The link given in that comment no longer works.
The "DT" mentioned in that comment stands for the "Digital Tradition", a compilation of song lyrics with notes that is found on Mudcat. The parody songs can be identified using Google Search [Old Time Religion parodies Mudcat].
Charles Tillman was a White American collector of songs.
****
SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Bioshock Infinite Music - (Give Me That) Old-Time Religion (1873) by Fisk Jubilee Singers
jsparakov, Mar 28, 2013
Fisk Jubilee Singers - (Give Me That) Old-Time Religion (1873)
-snip-
Here's information about the Fisk Jubilee Singers from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisk_Jubilee_Singers
"The Fisk Jubilee Singers are an African-American a cappella ensemble, consisting of students at Fisk University. The first group was organized in 1871 to tour and raise funds for college. Their early repertoire consisted mostly of traditional spirituals, but included some songs by Stephen Foster. The original group toured along the Underground Railroad path in the United States, as well as performing in England and Europe. Later 19th-century groups also toured in Europe.
The Singers were organized as a fundraising effort for Fisk University."...
****
Example #2: Pace Jubilee Singers - Old Time Religion *HQ*
Jack Mckay Fletcher, Oct 9, 2013
Pace Jubilee Singers - Old Time Religion
Mixed Vocals with Organ
Christian Gospel
-snip-
Here's some information about Pace Jubilee Singers
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pace_Jubilee_Singers
"The Pace Jubilee Singers were a gospel group founded by Charles Henry Pace in Chicago in 1925, and one of the first gospel groups to be recorded. They recorded more than 40 songs for Victor and for Brunswick Records in 1926–29, including spirituals arranged by Pace, and songs and hymns by Pace and Charles Albert Tindley and others. They performed in close harmony style, usually accompanied by piano or organ. Thomas A. Dorsey was briefly associated with them. In their later recordings, Hattie Parker is identified as soloist.[1]"...
****
ADDENDUM- A CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLE OF "OLD TIME RELIGION" BY AFRICAN AMERICAN SINGING GROUPS
Old Time Religion
