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Blessings of Mary, The/Seven Blessings of Mary
Gospel;
ARTIST: Four Versions Collected by R. Chase, The Institute of Folk Music, Chapel Hill, N. C.
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel
DATE: 1935
RECORDING INFO: The Blessings of Mary
Seeger Family. American Folk Songs for Christmas, Rounder 0268/0269, LP (1989), trk# 38
Seven Blessings of Mary
Lomax, Alan / Folk Songs of North America, Doubleday Dolphin, Sof (1975/1960), p244/#123
Weavers. Gilbert, Ronnie, et.al (ed.) / Weavers' Song Book, Harper & Row, Sof (1960), p 51
OTHER NAMES: "Seven Blessings of Mary ,"
SOURCES: Folk Index;
NOTES: Four versions of the traditional Christmas song The Blessings of Mary AKA Teh Seven Blessings of Mary by Richard Chase from The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 48, No. 190 (Oct. - Dec., 1935), pp. 388-392.
THE BLESSINGS OF MARY - As sung by Mary and Lucy Blair, Banner Elk, N. C. 1 Learned from D. R. Reece (see variant II). Collected by R. Chase, and
set down from singing of R. Chase by J. P. Schinhan, Music Department,
University of North Carolina.
The ver - y first bless-ing Ma- ry had, she had the bless-ing of
one; to think that her son Je - sus was God's e - ter - nal son, was
God's e - ter- nal son like Em-man - u - el in glo - ry be:
Fa-ther, Son, and the Ho-ly Ghost through all e - ter - ni - ty.
2. The very next blessing Mary had,
she had the blessing of two;
to think that her son Jesus
could read the Bible through,
could read the Bible through
like Emmanuel in glory be... etc.
3. . ... the blessing of three;
to think that her son Jesus
could set the prisoners free ... etc.
4. ... could turn the rich to poor ...
5.... could turn the dead to live ...
6. ... could keep all things in fix ...
7. ... could carry the keys of Heaven ...
8. ... could make the crooked straight ...
9. ... could turn the water to wine ...
Io. ... could write without a pen ...
II. ... could open the gates of Heaven ...
12. ... could turn the sick to well ...
II
As sung by D. R. Reece (address unknown).1
The ver - y first bless - ing that Ma - ry had, it
was the bless-ing of one; to think that
her son Je - sus was the fa-ther's son, was the
father's son like Em - man-u - el- in glo - ry be:
Fa- ther, Son, and Ho - ly Ghost through all e - ter - ni - ty.2
1 Collected by Gladys V. Jameson, Berea College, Kentucky, and set down
from her notes by Winston Wilkinson, University of Virginia.
2 Other verses as sung by Mary and Lucy Blair, variant I.
390 Yournal of American Folk-Lore.
III
As sung by Will Brady, Carthage, N. C.1
The ver - y first bless-ing Ma - ry had, she had the bless-ing of
one; to think that herson Je - sus could live a Fa-ther's son, could
live a Fa-ther's son like the Man - u - el in glo - ry:
Fa-ther, Son, and the Ho-ly Ghost through all e - ter - ni - ty.
2. The very next blessing Mary had,
she had the blessing of two;
to think that her son Jesus
could read the Scriptures through,
could read the Scriptures through
like the Manuel in glory ... etc.
3.... could set the sinner free ...
4.... could live forevermore ...
5. ... could bring the dead to live ...
6. ... could heal and cure the sick ...
7. ... could conquer Hell and Heaven ...
8 .... could make the crooked straight ...
9. ... could turn the water to wine ...
10. ... could write without a pen ...
1 Collected by R. Chase, and set down from singing of R. Chase by
J. P. Schinhan, Music Department, University of North Carolina. ("That's
a precious song; somebody ought to take care of it." - Mr. Will Brady.)
Notes and Queries. 391
IV
As sung by M. V. Roberts, Hazel Green, Kentucky.1
The ver - y first bless- ing that Ma - ry had, she
had the bless-ing of one; to think that her son
Je - sus could rise and set the sun, could rise and set the
sun like Em- man - u-el. Glo - ry be to the
Father, Son, and the Ho - ly Ghost and all e - ter - ni - ty.
2 .... could read the Bible through ...
3. ... could set the sinner free ...
4. ... would reign forever more ...
5. ... could change the dead to alive ...
6 .... could bear the crucifix ...
7.... would heal the world with leaven ...
8 .... could make the crooked straight ...
9. ... could turn the water to wine ...
lo. ... could write without a pen ...
11. ... would reign above in heaven ...
12. ... could 'neath all wisdom delve ...
RICHARD CHASE.
The Institute of Folk Music,
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