562. Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
["Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" is a public domain hymn with words by Robert Robinson in 1758 and the music is Nettleton, Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second, by John Wyeth, 1813. Meade lists the tune as the Welsh traditional tune "Hyfrydol" Fredrick Chopin music- 1835. Early recording include Dye's Sacred Harp Singers in 1928 (titled "Olney") and Christian Harmony Singers in 1928.
The melody of this hymn has been used for the ballad John Henry. A bluegrass type version has been recorded by Martha Scanlan titled "Ten Thousand Charms" that combines both the "Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing" and "Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy" songs.]
562. Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Jackson, who prints several settings of 'Come, Thou Fount' in DESO, says (p. 94) that the poem is by Robert Robinson (1735- 1790) and that it "is found in practically all the shape-note song books." Dr. Brown notes: "The new thing is the chorus."
From E. Myers, Route 6, Concord, Cabarrus county, 1924. Dr. White notes: "This, and three other songs . . . were sung by two or three people, apparently at Mr. Myers' house. This one 'sung by negro'."
Chorus: We will walk through the streets of the city,
Where our friends have gone before;
We will sit on the hanks of the river,
Where we meet to part no more.
1. Come, thou fount of every blessing,
Time my heart to sing thy grace.
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise.
2 Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of thy redeeming love.
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562
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
'Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.' Sung by Mrs. S. F. Banks, Alliance,
Pamlico county, in 1927. Dr. White noted (III 616) : "This, and three other
songs" and "This one 'sung by negro' " ; but apparently no recording was made.
When Dr. Brown noted: "The new thing is the chorus," he evidently was re-
ferring only to the additional words of the latter, because if the chorus is
melodically new, the stanza would be likewise, as both are the same. For
additional text cf. ASoWS 96, where the text of the stanza is identical with
ours, but the chorus is totally different.
F-496
Come, thou fount of evry- bless ing
Tune my- heart to sing- Thy- grace. Streams of — mercy
nev - er — ceas - ing Call for — songs of loud - est- praise.
We will walk through the streets of the city}
Where our friends have gone be - fore;
We will- sit on the banks of the riv - er,
Where we — meet to part- no — more.
Scale: Phrygian Pentachordal.i Tonal Center: e(m). Structure: aa^aai
(4,4,4,4). The tonal center is the lowest tone.
iThis should not be taken to mean that the melody is in the Phrygian
mode, as characteristics like the so-called confinalis or dominant (in this
case c), and the typical cadence, are missing.