| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 869. Negro Spirituals |
| | | By Anonymous |
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IN DAT GREAT GITTIN’-UP MORNIN’
I ’M a gwine to tell you bout de comin’ ob de Saviour,— | |
| Fare you well, Fare you well, | |
| Dere ’s a better day a-comin’, | |
| When my Lord speaks to his Fader, | |
| Says, Fader, I ’m tired o’ bearin’, | 5 |
| Tired o’ bearin’ for poor sinners: | |
| O preachers, fold your Bibles; | |
| Prayer-makers, pray no more, | |
| For de last soul’s converted. | |
| In dat great gittin’-up Mornin’, | 10 |
| Fare you well, Fare you well. | |
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| De Lord spoke to Gabriel: | |
| Say, go look behind de altar, | |
| Take down de silver trumpet, | |
| Go down to de sea-side, | 15 |
| Place one foot on de dry land, | |
| Place de oder on de sea, | |
| Raise your hand to heaven, | |
| Declare by your Maker, | |
| Dat time shall be no longer, | 20 |
| In dat great gittin’-up Mornin’, etc. | |
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| Blow your trumpet, Gabriel. | |
| Lord, how loud shall I blow it? | |
| Blow it right calm and easy, | |
| Do not alarm my people, | 25 |
| Tell dem to come to judgment, | |
| In dat great gittin’-up Mornin’, etc. | |
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| Gabriel, blow your trumpet. | |
| Lord, how loud shall I blow it? | |
| Loud as seven peals of thunder, | 30 |
| Wake de sleepin’ nations. | |
| Den you see poor sinner risin’, | |
| See de dry bones a creepin’, | |
| In dat great gittin’-up Mornin’, etc. | |
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| Den you see de world on fire, | 35 |
| You see de moon a bleedin’, | |
| See de stars a fallin’, | |
| See de elements meltin’, | |
| See de forked lightnin’, | |
| Hear de rumblin’ thunder. | 40 |
| Earth shall reel and totter, | |
| Hell shall be uncapped, | |
| De dragon shall be loosened. | |
| Fare you well, poor sinner. | |
| In dat great gittin’-up Mornin’, | 45 |
| Fare you well, Fare you well. | |
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STARS BEGIN TO FALL
I TINK I hear my brudder say, | |
| Call de nation great and small; | |
| I lookee on de God’s right hand | |
| When de stars begin to fall. | 50 |
| Oh, what a mournin’, sister,— | |
| Oh, what a mournin’, brudder,— | |
| Oh, what a mournin’, | |
| When de stars begin to fall! | |
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ROLL, JORDAN, ROLL
MY brudder sittin’ on de tree of life | 55 |
| An’ he yearde when Jordan roll. | |
| Roll, Jordan, | |
| Roll, Jordan, | |
| Roll, Jordan, roll! | |
| O march de angel march; | 60 |
| O my soul arise in Heaven, Lord, | |
| For to yearde when Jordan roll. | |
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| Little chil’en, learn to fear de Lord, | |
| And let your days be long. | |
| Roll, Jordan, etc. | 65 |
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| O let no false nor spiteful word | |
| Be found upon your tongue. | |
| Roll, Jordan, etc. | |
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SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT
OH de good ole chariot swing so low,— | |
| I don’t want to leave me behind. | 70 |
| O swing low, sweet chariot, | |
| Swing low, sweet chariot, | |
| I don’t want to leave me behind. | |
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| Oh, de good ole chariot will take us all home,— | |
| I don’t want to leave me behind. | 75 |
| Swing low, sweet chariot, etc. | |
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BRIGHT SPARKLES IN DE CHURCHYARD
MAY de Lord—He will be glad of me— | |
| In de heaven He ’ll rejoice. | |
| In de heaven, once, | |
| In de heaven, twice, | 80 |
| In de heaven He ’ll rejoice. | |
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| Bright sparkles in de churchyard | |
| Give light unto de tomb; | |
| Bright summer, spring’s over, | |
| Sweet flowers in der bloom. | 85 |
| My mother, once, | |
| My mother, twice, | |
| My mother she ’ll rejoice. | |
| In de heaven once, etc. | |
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| Mother, rock me in de cradle all de day;— | 90 |
| All de day, etc. | |
| Oh, mother, don’t yer love yer darlin’ child? | |
| Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day. | |
| Rock me, etc. | |
| You may lay me down to sleep, my mother dear, | 95 |
| Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day. | |
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