FC2052
Down in the river to pray
Music: Trad. arr. Frances Cockburn, Words: Trad. American
Voicing: SSAA
Performance time approx: 2m 45s
Range S1: g' – e'' / S2: c' – c'' / A1: c' – g' / A2: f – e'
Price code: C
Complexity:
This song, made famous by the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?, has a 19th century African American origin. A very similar song entitled ‘The Good Old Way’ appears in the 1867 collection Slave Songs of the United States, compiled by abolitionists. Numerous variants exist. Frances Cockburn’s engaging arrangement has a harmonious yet slightly rough-edged quality, using deliberate dissonances.
The recording is by the Wild Myrtles, directed by Frances Cockburn. The version recorded differs very slightly from the published edition.
As I went down in the river to pray,
Studying about that good old way,
And who shall wear the starry crown, [in alternate verses: robe and crown]
Good Lord, show me the way.
Oh sisters, let’s go down,
Let’s go down, come on down,
Oh sisters, let’s go down,
Down in the river to pray.
As I went down in the river to pray…
Oh brothers….
As I went down in the river to pray…
Oh fathers….
As I went down in the river to pray…
Oh mothers….
As I went down in the river to pray…
Oh sinners….
Traditional