|
A Poor Sinner/Poor Sinner
See: Wicked Girl
See: Awful Awful Awful (related)
Traditional Old-Time, Bluegrass Gospel
ARTIST: Brown Collection of NC Folklore
CATEGORY: Traditional Bluegrass Gospel;
DATE: Early 1900s
RECORDING INFO: Listen to the accapala "Young People Who Delight in Sin (Ratliff)" on Cold Icy Mountain.
Related To: "Young People Who Delight in Sin (Ratliff)" "Advice to Sinners" "Wicked Polly"
Here's an African-American version from "The American Journal of Religious psychology and education, Volume 3" by Odum in 1909
In the ''Downward road is crowded" a mournful picture is given of the sinner who failed to repent. His example is held up for the contemplation of those who are following in his steps.
Young people who delight in sin,
I tell you what I lately seen,
A po' godless sinner die,
An' he said, "In hell I soon'll lie."
Hark, the downward road is crowded, crowded, crowded.
Yea the downward road is crowded with onbelievin' souls.
He call his mother to his bed,
An' these is the dyin' words he said,
Mother, mother, I long farewell,
Your wicked son is damned in hell.
He dance an' play hisself away,
An' still put off his dyin' day,
Until at las' ole death was sent,
An' it 'us too late fer him to repent.
OTHER NAMES: "Poor Sinner"
SOURCES: Brown Collection; Scarborough
NOTES: "A Poor Sinner" found in the Brown Collection of NC Foklore, resembles in theme, tone, and style 'The Wicked Girl' (Wicked Polly) also in Brown. Dorothy Scarborough, SCSM "She says that a Mrs. J. G. Stikeleather of Asheville "sang a fragment of song with a Kentucky scene" and prints a text with stanzas corresponding to the first and last of the following.
'A Poor Sinner.' From Miss Monnie McDonald, Lillington, Harnett county. Not dated. "From her grandmother, as sung at a camp meeting at Cool Springs Methodist Church, near Lillington, NC, during the Civil War." A line seems to have been lost from the third stanza.
1. Hark, sinner, hark, while I relate
What happened in Kentucky State.
A poor young woman lately died;
She dropped from all her wealth and pride.
2 She once professed the Lord to know
And did with saints to meeting go,
But the young sinner drew her on
And brought her soul to laugh and scorn.
3 She called her father ; thus she said :
'Oh, father, mother, fare you well !
Oh, brother, sister, fare you well !'
4 'Oh, loving Betsy, fare you well !
I'm afraid your soul has gone to hell.'
She closed her eyes ; her nails turned blue ;
And she bade this world adieu.
64 Advice to Sinners
With music. From Miss Fannie Grogan, Silverstone, Watauga county. Words and air by Miss Grogan as "written April 16, 1916, for Lawton Grogan."
1. Oh, Sinner, you'd better take heed to the Saviour's word today.
You will follow the Christian round and still you will not pray.
God in his angry frown, some day will cut you down.
For your body has to lie in the ground.
Chorus: Your body has to lie in the ground.
You will follow the Christian round.
And you'll try to pull him down;
But your body has to lie in the ground.
2 You join the church, poor Sinner, with sin pollute God's land.
You never will be able before your God to stand.
You will travel on your ways.
And you'll sin away your days ;
For your body has to lie in the ground.
3. Oh, Death will soon receive you; your breath you'll cease to draw.
When followed by the dragon it is then too late to war.
Woe and misery you will see
Throughout all eternity;
For your body has to lie in the ground.
4. When Gabriel sounds his trumpet, poor Sinner, you'll be lost.
You'll see the good old Christian come wagging with his cross,
With his garments white and clean.
Crying, 'Lord, I've been redeemed,'
For your body has to lie in the ground.
5. Now turn your back on Satan and give the Lord your heart.
My God sits in His kingdom and always does His part.
Oh, the angels they will shout
When He casts the Devil out,
For your body has to lie in the ground.
6. One minute spent in Glory will satisfy your mind
For all the worldly pleasure that you have left behind.
You will fly around God's throne
With Peter, James, and John,
For your body has to lie in the ground.
|