|
Angels Meet Me At The Crossroads
Public domain Old-Time, 1875 Jubilee Song by Will S. Hays (1837-1907)
ARTIST: Will S. Hays 1875
Listen: http://www.hearchoirs.net/lista.html
SHEET MUSIC: http://memory.loc.gov/award/rpbaasm/1200/1235/123503r.jpg
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel
DATE: Hays, Will S. 1837-1907
RECORDING INFO: Angels Meet Me At The Crossroads
Harry C. Browne. Columbia 1910-1924
OTHER NAMES: "Angels Meet Me"
SOURCES: American Memory
NOTES: "Angels Meet Me At The Crossroads" is an 1875 Jubilee song by Will S. Hays.
(1837-1907). It was in the repertory of the 1888-89 tour of the Tennessee Jubilee Singers and is listed in the Columbia Master Book Discography: Principal U.S. matrix series, 1910-1924 as Angels Meet Me At The Crossroads (Hays). It was recorded by Harry C. Browne who also recorded Angel Gabriel. You can hear part of Browne's recording in Eb with banjo/orchestra at the link above.
The song was also a fiddle tune and was in the repertoire of James Milton Reeves (b. 15 June 1824, d. 12 July 1897). James was a fiddler of some reknown, as reported in an Atlanta Constitution "Gossip" column in October 1893, as follows:
"I have just got a letter from Judge James M. Reeves of Lamar's Mill saying he will be here to take part," said Judge Simmons. "Judge Reeves is 70 years old, and in days gone by was looked upon as the finest performer on the fiddle in the state. In his letter to me he says: 'I cannot say that I can beat all the others over, but I can beat more than can beat me. I have played in Atlanta, Macon, Barnesville, Butler, Griffin, Garden Valley, Starksville, etc. Some can beat me, but not many. I can name some of them: Hunter, of Griffin; Sandifer, of Houston County; House, of Carroll County; Spence, of South Carolina; Gutterberger, of Macon, all told. I do not know many of the new tunes. I stick to the old time music, the same as your father used to hear and your uncle Allen Morgan used to play.' He gave the name of some of the old tunes: Here they are: 'Billie in the Low Grounds.' 'Rackinsack Traveler.' 'Prettiest Little Gal in the County.' 'Angels Meet Me at the Crossroads.' 'Sugar in the Gourd.' 'Fisher's Hornpipe.' 'Speed the Plough.' 'Callahan.' 'Soldier's Joy.' 'Picnic Up the Railroad.' 'Devil's Dream.' 'Blackeyed Susan.' 'Old Mother Hare.' 'SugarJohn the Baby.' He says he can give five hundred more if we want them." Judge Simmons is down for a talk at that concert and so is Colonel George Adair; and an effort will be made to have Judge Richard Clark to tell his recollection of the old tunes.
It was collected in Virginia in the late 1800's and appears in the article "Some Folk-Songs Of The South" by David Starr Jordan:
Of "burnt cork" origin is probably the following, also obtained in the South:
What kind of shoes do the angels wear.
That thev can climb up the golden stair,
And walk all around till they reach the very top.
Then shake down nickels in'the missionary box.
Say, angel—meet me at the crossroad, meet me.
Angel, meet me at the crossroad, meet me;
Angel, meet me at the crossroad, meet me;
For I'se gwine to pay no toll.
Angels Meet Me At The Crossroads- Will S. Hays 1875
Come down, Gabriel, blow your horn
Call me home in the early morn'
Send the chariot down this way
Come and haul me home to stay
CHORUS: Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Don't charge a sinner any toll
I libed for months and I libed for years
Can't get used to my weeping tears
Lost my way on the road in sin
Wake up, angels pass me in
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Don't charge a sinner any toll
Plant my foot on the golden rocks
Put my money in the mission box
Come and jine with the angel band
All get home to the happy land
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Don't charge a sinner any toll
Dem angels ain't got long to wait,
Dey's standin' now at de golden gate
We get dere on de other shore,
They'll go inside and they'll shut the door.
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Angels meet me at the crossroads, meet me
Don't charge a sinner any toll
|