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We Need A Witness/Ain't That A Witness/My Soul Is A Witness/A Witness/ That's Another Witness for My Lord/ Witness For My Lord
Traditional Old-Time, Gospel;
ARTIST: Pete and Toshi Seeger collected and recorded a version of this in the winter of 1951 sung by the Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas. It's on the Smithsonian Folkways recording, Negro Prison Camp Worksongs.
Jazz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6MoY8jKYco
Choir: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKWTPSxRFzo
CATEGORY: Traditional Gospel & Spiritual;
DATE: 1800s; Published in 1909. First Recorded by The Fisk Jubilee Singers - My Soul Is a Witness for My Lord, CoGB A-3819 circa 1911.
My Soul is a Witness- Florida Normal and Industrial Institute Quartet 9/22
Arizona Dranes: My Soul Is A Witness For The Lord circa 1926
RECORDING INFO: My Soul Is A Witness
Coleman, Austin; Joe Washington Brown & Group. Folk Music in America, Vol. 1, Religious Music, ..., Library of Congress LBC-01, LP (1976), trk# A.09 [1934/07ca]
A Witness
Work, John W. / American Negro Songs and Spirituals, Dover, Bk (1998/1940), p177
Duncan, Laura. Sing Out Reprints, Sing Out, Sof (1959), 10, p38
Hayes, Roland. My Songs, Vanguard VRS- 494, LP (1956), trk# A.08
Inman and Ira. Exciting New Folk Duo, Columbia CS 8531, LP (1962), trk# B.02
Robeson, Paul. Paul Robeson, American Balladeer, Everest 3417, LP (1977), trk# A.03
OTHER NAMES: "Beautiful Life," "Each Day I'll Do A Golden Deed"
SOURCES: Folk Index;
Witness, American Negro Songs 1940
Witness, Folk Songs Of The American Negro
Witness, Jerry Silverman's Folk Song Encyclopedia, V.2
NOTES: "Ain't That A Witness" is a traditional African-American spiritual collected and published in 1909 by Howard Odum.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers recorded My Soul Is a Witness for My Lord, CoGB A-3819
circa 1911. Here are some standard lyrics:
WITNESS FOR MY LORD- Standard lyrics from African-American spirituals; SOURCE:
Park New Choir, http://parknewchoir.free.fr/
My soul is a witness for my Lord
My soul is a witness for my Lord
My soul is a witness for my Lord
My soul is a witness for my Lord
You read in the Bible and you understand
Metuselah was the oldest man
He lived nine hundred and ninety nine
He died and went to Heav'n, Lord, in a-due time
Metuselah was a witness for my Lord
Metuselah was a witness for my Lord
Metuselah was a witness for my Lord
Metuselah was a witness for my Lord
You read in the Bible and you understand
Samson was the strongest man
Samson went out at-a one time
And he killed about a thousand of the Philistine
Delilah fooled Samson, this-a we know
For the Holy Bible tells us so
She saved off his head just as clean as your hand
And his strength became the same as any natural man
O, Samson was a witness for my Lord
Samson was a witness for my Lord
Samson was a witness for my Lord
Samson was a witness for my Lord
Daniel was a Hebrew child
He went to pray his God a-while
The king at once for Daniel did send
And he put him right down in the lion's den
God snt His angels the lion-a for to keep
And Daniel laid down and went to sleep
Now, Daniel was a witness for my Lord
Samson was a witness for my Lord
Samson was a witness for my Lord
Samson was a witness for my Lord
O, who'll be a witness for my Lord
Who'll be a witness for my Lord
My soul is a witness for my Lord
My soul is a witness for my Lord
WITNESS FOR MY LORD- Odum 1909
Almost equally interesting is "That's Another Witness for my Lord. " It will be noticed in these songs that references and phrases taken from the old songs are often used, but in different combinations. They thus lose their former worth. It will be interesting, too, to compare the negro's religious conceptions of the Bible and God as expressed in these songs with those expressed in the older productions: Has he advanced in his theology?
Read in Genesis, you understand,
Methuselah was the oldest man.
Lived nine hundred and sixty-nine.
Died and went to heaven in due time.
Methuselah is a witness for my Lord,
Methuselah is a witness for my Lord.
You read about Sampson from his birth,
Strongest man that lived on the earth,
'Way back yonder in ancient times.
He slayed three thousand of the Philistines.
Sampson he went wanderin' about,
For his strength hadn't been found out.
His wife dropped down upon her knees,
Said: "Sampson, tell me where your strength lies, please."
Delila talked so good and fair,
He told her his strength lie in his hair;
"Shave my head just as clean as your hands.
And my strength'll be like a nachual man's."
Wasn't that a witness for my Lord?
Wasn't that a witness for my Lord?
Isaiah mounted on de wheel o' time,
Spoke to God-er-mighty way down the line:
Said, "O Lord, to me reveal,
How can this vile race be healed?"
God said: "Tell the sons of men.
Unto them'll be born a king,
Them that believe upon his Way,
They shall rest in the latter day."
Isaiah was a witness for my Lord,
Isaiah was a witness for my Lord.
There was a man amongst the Pharisees,
Named Nicodemus and he didn't believe.
He went to the Master in the night,
And told him to take him out er human sight.
"You are the Christ, I'm sure it's true.
For none do de miracles dat you do.
But how can a man, now old in sin.
Turn back still and be born again? "
Christ said, "Man, if you want to be wise,
You 'd better repent and be baptized;
Believe on me, the Son of Man,
Then you will be born'd again."
Wasn't that a witness for my Lord?
Wasn't that a witness for my Lord?
WE NEED ANOTHER WITNESS- Pete and Toshi Seeger collected and recorded a version of this in the winter of 1951 sung by the Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas. It's on the Smithsonian Folkways recording, Negro Prison Camp Worksongs.
Oh,well, we need another witness (for my Lord)
Why don't you come and be a witness (for my Lord)
Oh, be a sanctified witness...(group response continue)
And be a Holy Ghost witness...
And be a number one witness...
And be a witness in the wilderness...
Oh, Jack o'Diamonds was a witness...
He was a number one witness...
He was a sanctified witness...
He was a Holy Ghost witness...
He was a true, true witness...
He was a number one witness...
Jack o'Diamonds was a witness...
And Tommy Weather was a witness...
And Rocky Mountain was a witness...
Well, Old Jonah was a witness...
And Sister Mary was a witness...
And Sister Marthy was a witness...
(New Soloist)
Well, there's peace for Peter and his works
Tell everybody not to judge, yeah
Read a little further and you'll find it here, yeah
Judge a tree by the fruit it bears, yeah.
Well, Peter was a witness for my Lord
Well, now, Peter was a witness...
Well, I need another witness....
Well, I need another witness....
Sister Sally got to shouting at church one night, yeah
Sister Jane hold her and she didn't hold right, yeah
I am the person that talk very plain, yeah
Had to tell Sally, don't you call my name, yeah
Don't you tell Sally in God I trust, yeah
Scared to tell Sally 'cause I'm scared it may go bust.
Oh, the valley was a witness for my Lord
Well, now, the valley was a witness...
Well, I need another witness....
Well, I need another witness....
Well, the angel come from the cloud
Spoke Ezekiel and his voice sound loud, yeah
Angel in the vigil spoke Ezekiel, yeah
In his hand there was a golden chip, yeah
Got my shekel and (...)
Moses ground up the golden calf
Calf in the water burned bitter as gall.
Oh, Moses was a witness for my Lord
Oh, Moses was a witness...
Come on and be a witness....
Come on and be a witness....
Well my soul is a witness....
Well my soul is a witness....
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