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Ain't Going to Tarry Here
Tradtional Gospel;
ARTIST: Unknown
CATEGORY: Traditional Bluegrass Gospel;
DATE: 1800s; Befo' de War Spirituals. Boston: Christopher Publishing House, 1933
RECORDING INFO: No Time to Tarry Here
Barton, Cathy; and Dave Para. Ballad of the Boonslick, Barton & Para, LP (1982), trk# B.05b
I Ain't Got Time: James and Martha. Anthology of Country Music, Vol 18. Early Gospel Greats, ACM ACM 18, LP (197?), trk# B.09 [1946-50]
OTHER NAMES: "Going to Tarry Here" "Ain't Goin' ter Tarry Here"
SOURCES: Folk Index;
NOTES: "Ain't Going to Tarry Here" is a clear call to escape both physical and spiritual troubles in this world. Several songs from the 1800s have similar lyrics and possibly may have contributed to this spiritual:
"I Ain't Got Time to Tarry", also known as "The Land of Freedom", is an American song written by blackface minstrel composer Dan Emmett. It premiered in a minstrel show performance by Bryant's Minstrels in late November 1858. The song was published in New York City in 1859.
The lyrics tell of a black man in the Northern United States who is homesick for the South. He decides to return to the South, as illustrated in the chorus:
For I'se gwine home to Dinah,
Yes, I am gwine home.
Den I ain't got time to tarry, I ain't got time to dwell,
I'm bound to de land of freedom, oh, sinners! fare you well.
"I Ain't Got Time to Tarry" is an alternative title for "Don't Get Weary Children" a song recorded by Uncle Dave Macon.
W.S. Hays uses similar lines in his "Roll Out! Heave That Cotton":
"I hear dat Mate a shoutin',
An' see him on de shore,
Hurry, boys, be lively,
Ain't but fifty more;
We ain't got time to tarry
Here at dis cotton pile, ..."
According to Folk Index the song is related to Lisbon [Laws N 8/Sh 121] and perhaps William and Polly [Laws N 8/Sh 121]. Lisbon by Daniel Read has no similar lyrics.
A version of the spiritual is found in Befo' de War Spirituals; Boston: Christopher Publishing House, published in 1933.
Ain't Going to Tarry Here- Spiritual
Sweep it clean
Ain’t going to tarry here
I sweep my house with the gospel room
Ain’t going to tarry here
Sweep it clean
Ain’t going to tarry here
Gong to open my mouth to the Lord
Ain’t going to tarry here
O-o-o Lordy,
Ain’t going to tarry here
‘Cause he’s digging down in the grave
Ain’t going to tarry here
The big bell’s tolling in Galilee
Ain’t going to tarry here
O-o-o Lordy
Ain’t going to tarry here
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