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Bound for the Promised Land/Promised Land/I Am Bound for the Promised Land
SEE ALSO: "I am Bound For the Land of Canaan," "Bound For the Land of Canaan" and "I Am Bound for the Promised Land," "I'm Bound for the Promised Land"
NOTE: "Bound For Canaan's Land" is sometimes substituted for "promised" as is "Bound for the Land of Canaan."
Public Domain Old-Time, Bluegrass/Country Gospel; Lyrics verses: Samuel Stennett 1787; Chorus: Traditional
ARTIST: Rev. Samuel Stennett
YOUTUBE: Choral Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pDtCK8Stl4
Hank Williams: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbz4hhM-EW8&feature=related
African-American Gospel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTqO67zdQmI&feature=related
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel
DATE: 1782; Recorded S.H, Dudley 1899; Trinity Choir 1905; First Country Recording in 1930 by Primitive Baptist Choir
RECORDING INFO: Bound for the Promised Land/I Am Bound for the Promised Land[Me III-D 48b]
Rt - Sweet Happy Kingdom Land; Promised Land; At The Cross
Sm - Don't Let Your Deal Go Down
Lomax, John A. & Alan Lomax / Folk Song USA, Signet, Sof (1966/1947), # 99 (Bound for the Promised Land)
Lynn, Frank (ed.) / Songs for Swinging Housemothers, Fearon, Sof (1963/1961), p330 (Bound for the Promised Land)
Jackson, George P.(ed.) / Spiritual Folk Songs of Early America, Dover, Sof (1964/1937), p238/#246 (Bound for the Promised Land)
Child, Marilyn; & Glenn Yarborough. Marilyn Child - Glenn Yarborough Sing Folk Songs, Elektra EKL 143, LP (1958), trk# A.04 (Bound for the Promised Land)
Cleland, Becky;, Ben and Wayne Seymour. Down in the Valley to Pray, Kudzu KPP 008, CD (2002), trk# 15 (Bound for the Promised Land)
Gordon, Mrs. W. W.. Solomon, Jack & Olivia (eds.) / Sweet Bunch of Daisies, Colonial Press, Bk (1991), p129 [1975ca] (On Jordan's Stormy Banks)
Holdstock, Carol and Dick. Shanties and Sea Songs from Way Out West, Holdstock HDCD 7, CD (2000), trk# 3 (Bound for the Promised Land)
Karnes, Alfred G.. Bristol Sessions. Vol 2, Country Music Foundation CMF 011C2, Cas (1987), trk# B.09 [1927/07/29]
Karnes, Alfred G.. In the Spirit, Vol. 1, Origin OJL-12, LP (197?), trk# B.07
Reid, Harvey; and Joyce Andersen. Kindling the Fire, Woodpecker WP 118CD, Cas (2004), trk# 11 (Bound for the Promised Land)
Wilbur, Marie. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume IV, Religous Songs and Others, Univ. of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p 62/#624 [1924/01/02] (I'm Bound for the Promise
OTHER NAMES: "I Am Bound for the Promised Land," "I'm Bound for the Promised Land," "Promised Land," "On Jordan's Stormy Banks,"
SOURCES: Folk Index; Meade; Heavenly Highway Hymns, Stamps-Baxter, 1956
NOTES: "Bound for the Promised Land" or "I Am Bound For The Promised Land" or "Promised Land" is a gospel hymn recorded by Johnny Cash and Hank Williams and is an African-American spiritual.
The original text for the verses of "Bound for the Promised Land" was written by Samuel Stennett (1717-1795). It first appeared in the Selection of Hymns compiled in 1787 at London, England, by John Rippon (1751-1836). Four of Stennett's stanzas beginning, "On Jordan's Stormy Banks," are usually used in most of our books with another tune composed in 1877 by Tullius Clinton O'Kane. The older, and perhaps generally better known, tune (Promised Land) is usually identified as an old traditional American melody or folk hymn and was found in many of the oblong tune collections of the shaped note tradition which were widely used in the southern part of this country in the early part of the nineteenth century.
The country gospel roots of this song began in 1927 when Alfred G. Karnes recorded his version to the tune of "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down." Karnes, a guitarist and singer, was a Baptist minister from Bedford, Virginia. Hank Williams' live version can be heard on youtube (see link above) and the gospel hymn ws also recorded by Johnny Cash.
The first published version with the folk chorus was in the 1835 Southern Harmony edited by William Walker (1809-1875). There, it was attributed to a "Miss M. Durham," about whom no other information has been found to establish this composer's identity. Some sources give the name as Mathilda Durham. Originally in the key of f-sharp minor, it was altered to F-major and the refrain added, perhaps as early as 1874, by Rigdon McCoy McIntosh (1836-1899). This arrangement seems to have been first published in 1895 by Harvey R. Christie in his Gospel Light. Christie was a well-known singing teacher among Christian churches and churches of Christ. The alteration has enjoyed immense popularity as a hymn tune.
In his book Hymns and History, Forrest M. McCann wrote that the original hymn "consisted of eight 4-line stanzas, according to William J. Reynolds. I have been unable to find the eighth." However, in doing research and looking through The Good Old Songs compiled in 1913 by C. H. Cayce, who had a publishing company among the Primitive Baptists, I found eight stanzas. Whether the eighth was from Stennett or added from some other source, I cannot tell. What I propose to do in this hymn study is to examine those stanzas which are not in O'Kane's version and thus not as well-known but can be sung to this same tune. In fact, given the original number of stanzas, there could be two completely separate songs with no overlapping.
Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "I Am Bound for the Promised Land" appeared in the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 (as an alternate tune) edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1), the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2, and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 all edited by L. O. Sanderson; and the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church, the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed., and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise all edited by Alton H. Howard; the 1977 Special Sacred Selections edited by Ellis J. Crum; the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; in addition to Hymns for Worship and the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat. Most of these books also have the O'Kane tune as well.
I Am Bound For The Promised Land- Rev. Samuel Stennett, Miss M. Durham, arranged by Rigdon McCoy McIntosh
On Jordan's stormy banks I stand,
And cast a wishful eye
To Canaan's fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.
Refrain
I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
Oh who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.
O the transporting, rapturous scene,
That rises to my sight!
Sweet fields arrayed in living green,
And rivers of delight!
Refrain
There generous fruits that never fail,
On trees immortal grow;
There rocks and hills, and brooks and vales,
With milk and honey flow.
Refrain
O'er all those wide extended plains
Shines one eternal day;
There God the Son forever reigns,
And scatters night away.
Refrain
No chilling winds or poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death,
Are felt and feared no more.
Refrain
When I shall reach that happy place,
I'd be forever blest,
For I shall see my Father's face,
And in His bosom rest.
Refrain
Filled with delight my raptured soul
Would here no longer stay;
Though Jordan's waves around me roll,
Fearless I'd launch away.
Refrain
SACRED HARP- 128 The Promised Land
Tune: M. Durham, 1835; Words: Samuel Stennett, 1787;
Meter: Common Meter (8,6,8,6)
On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand,
And cast a wishful eye,
To Canaan’s fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.
Chorus:
I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land,
Oh, who will come and go with me,
I am bound for the promised land.
Oh, the transporting, rapt’rous scene,
That rises to my sight,
Sweet fields arrayed in living green,
And rivers of delight.
(Chorus)
Filled with delight, my raptured soul
Would here no longer stay!
Though Jordan’s waves around me roll,
Fearless I’d launch away.
(Chorus)
(No Title) THE REVIVALIST: A NEW SELECTION OF HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS,WASHINGTON GLASS - 1853; Page 79
1. Of Jesus Christ I'm not ashamed,
Although I am a child;
My soul, through grace, he has reclaimed,
By sin 'twas all defiled.
CHORUS: I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land!
0 who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.
2. Not fourteen years have rolled away,
Since first I drew my breath;
O Lord sustain my vows to-day,
And keep me firm till death.
Chorus
3. Companions, dear, it grieves my heart
To leave you still in sin;
Farewell, farewell, I must depart,
And heavenly glories win.
Chorus
Perhaps the oldest version of the chorus that was added is titled "Sweet Canaan" or "Bright Canaan."
SWEET CANAAN
Lyrics: Mead's General Collection, 1807
Tune E. J. King, 1844
1. Oh who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the land of Canaan.
I'm bound fair Canaan's land to see,
I'm bound for the land of Canaan.
Chorus: Oh Canaan, sweet Canaan,
I'm bound for the land of Canaan.
Sweet Canaan, 'tis my happy home;
I am bound for the land of Canaan.
There is a strong likelyhood that Glass, who's is credited with adding the chorus of "Bound In the Promised Land" circa 1853 simply substituted "promised land" for "land of Canaan."
I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
Oh who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.
It's also possible that Glass heard this and simply added it to the verses. A relationship with the African-American spiritual "Bound for Canaan Land" and the similar "Sweet Canaan's Happy Land" can be made as both songs are in the call-and-reponse spiritual form.
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