|
Bright Sparkles in de Churchyard/Bright Sparkles in the Churchyard
Spiritual and different Shape-Note Folk Hymn;
ARTIST: from Thomas P. Fenner, 1874, in Cabin and Plantation Songs; pp. 248-249, with music, Armstrong and Ludlow, 1874, Hampton and its Students. Reproduced online: Armstrong Fenner Reprinted in Dett, R. N. 1927, "Religious Folk-Songs of the Negro as Sung at Hampton Institute," Hampton Institute Press, 1972 reprint, AMS Press, pp. 2-3 with music.
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel;
DATE: 1800s; 1874 Thomas P. Fenner in Cabin and Plantation Songs;
RECORDING INFO (Folk Index): Bright Sparkles in the Churchyard
Hampton Students. Marsh, J. B. T. / Story of the Jubilee Singers, Houghton Mifflin, Bk (1880), p228/#105
OTHER NAMES: "Bright Sparkles in the Churchyard"
SOURCES: Thomas P. Fenner, 1874, in Cabin and Plantation Songs;
NOTES: "Bright Sparkles in de Churchyard" is an African-American spiritual published by Thomas P. Fenner, 1874, in Cabin and Plantation Songs.
T. P. Fenner, Cabin and Plantation Songs, p. 200-205, in electronic edition, M. F. Armstrong and H. W. Ludlow, 1874; reprinted in Dett, 1927. Also in Negro Spirituals, or The Songs of the Jubilee Singers, ed. T. F. Seward.
The imagery of the bright sparkles as well as the simplicity of the added last four verses are appealing. Fenner noted that "This peculiar but beautiful medley was a great favorite among the hands in the tobacco factories in Danville, VA."
BRIGHT SPARKLES IN DE CHURCHYARD- Thomas P. Fenner, 1874
May de Lord- He will be glad of me,
May de Lord- He will be glad of me,
May de Lord- He will be glad of me;
In de Heaven He'll rejoice.
In de heaven, once, in de heaven, twice,
In de heaven He'll rejoice,
In de heaven, once, in de heaven, twice,
In de heaven He'll rejoice.
Bright sparkles in de church-yard,
Give light unto de tomb,
Bright summer, spring's over,
Sweet flowers in de'r bloom.
Bright sparkles in de churchyard,
Give light unto de tomb,
Bright summer, spring's over,
Sweet flowers in de'r bloom.
My mother, once, my mother, twice,
My mother, she'll rejoice.
In de heaven, once, in de heaven, twice,
In de heaven she'll rejoice.
Mother, rock me in de cradle all de day.
Mother, rock me in de cradle all de day.
Mother, rock me in de cradle all de day.
All de day, all de day,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day,
All de day, all de day,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day.
Oh, mother, don't ye love yer darlin' child,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day.
Oh, mother, don't you love yer darlin' child?
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day,
Mother, rock me in de cradle,
Rock me in de cradle,
Rock me in de cradle all de day,
All de day, all de day,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day.
All de day, all de day,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day.
You may lay me down to sleep, my mother dear,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day,
You may lay me down to sleep, my mother dear,
Oh, rock me in de cradle all de day.
|