Backslider, Fare You Well- Leadbelly

Backslider, Fare You Well
Spiritual- Leadbelly

Backslider, Fare You Well

Traditional Spiritual

ARTIST: from Leadbelly; Library of Congress Recordings Vol. 5 (1938-1942);

SHEET MUSIC:

YOUTUBE:

CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel

DATE: probably 1800s; 1928

RECORDING INFO: Backslider, Fare You Well

Leadbelly. Library of Congress Recordings Vol. 5 (1938-1942);

OTHER NAMES:
"Take A Stand" "On A Prayer"

RELATED TO: "Take A Stand" "On A Prayer" 
 
SOURCES: Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter) on his Library of Congress Recordings Vol. 5 (1938-1942) Document Records;

NOTES: "Backslider, Fare You Well" is a traditional spiritual from Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter) on his Library of Congress Recordings Vol. 5 (1938-1942) Document Records. He learned this gospel song at Shiloh Church when he was young. It was recorded by Alan Lomax & John Lomax for the Library of Congress. This song is a version of "Take A Stand" by Elder McIntorsh and Bessie Johnson in 1928. Willie Johnson recorded another version in 1929 and Charlie Patton recorded it as "On A Prayer:"

Fare you well, fare you well, fare you well,
If I never never see you anymore,
Fare you well, fare you well, fare you well,
I'll meet you on that other shore.


In a book about Leadbelly there's this following reference.

At revivals and prayer meetings, the (Shiloh Church) members would sing:
 

Backslider, Fare You Well- Leadbelly

Backslider, fare you well,
Backslider, fare you well,
If I never ever see you anymore,
Backslider, fare you well,
Backslider, fare you well,
I will meet you on kingdom's shore.

Sinner, fare you well,
Backslider, fare you well,
if I never see you anymore,
Backslider, fare you well,
Backslider, fare you well,
I will meet you on kingdom's shore.