552. Angels Roll Dem Stones Away
["De Angel Roll De Stone Away" is a traditional African-American spiritual that was arranged by James Weldon Johnson in 1925. It appears twice in the Brown Collection as 552. Angels Roll Dem Stones Away and in Volume 5 as 'Sister Mary Came A-Seeking Religion.' Anonymous singer- No date or place given- The score has no text. A version appears in the 1940 book, Gullah: Negro life in the Carolina Sea Islands.]
552. Angels Roll Dem Stones Away
Lines 2 and 4 cjf stanza 2 have their counterpart in hymn 173 in North Carolina Sonnets, or a Selection of Choice Hymns for the Old School Baptists: Compiled by the Recommendation of the Kelinkee Association, by James Osbourn, of Baltimore City
(Baltimore: Published by James Osbourn, 1844J. (Pagination and numbering very inconsistent and irregular.)
"Negro fragment." From Julian P. Boyd, as collected from Josa Dixon, a pupil in the school at Alliance, Pamlico county.
1. Sister Mary she come weepin',
Just about de break o' day,
Lookin' for my Lord,
And he's not there, say!
2. He's gone away to Galilee.
Angels rolled dem stones away.
It was on one Sunday mornin'.
Angels rolled dem stones away.
----------------
552
Angels Roll Dem Stones Away
'Sister Mary Came A-Seeking Religion.' Anonymous singer. No date or place given. The ms score has no text but there seemed no other more appropriate place for this song, especially considering the first line of the text given in III 610. For other texts involving 'Mary' cf. Ill 652, No. 611; WNS 170 and 150-1, No. 8; BANS 11 180; and WSSU 234, No. 7.
F-488
Scale: Hexachordal. Tonal Center: c. Structure: abed (2,2,2,2) = ab (4,4) The tonal center is the lowest tone.