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Bye and Bye/Bye and Bye We're Going to See the King/I Wouldn't Mind Dying/Bye And Bye I'm Going To See The King/A Mother’s Last Word To Her Daughter
Tradtional Old-Time, Spiritual; Adapted as String Band song
ARTIST: from John Work; American Negro Songs; 1940
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel;
DATE: 1800s; 1926 Arizona Dranes; 1929 Recording Washington Phillips (A Mother's Last Word To Her Daughter), 1929 Willie Johnson recording
RECORDING INFO: Bye and Bye I'm Gonna See the King - Phillips, Washington
Cohen, Andy; and Joe LaRose. Tuxedo Blues, Green Linnet SIF 1033, LP (1981), trk# 11
Critton Hollow (String Band). By and By, Flying Fish FF 355, LP (1985), trk# B.06 (Mother's Parting Words to her Daughter)
Johnson, Blind Willie. Complete Blind Willie Johnson, Columbia Legacy C2K 52835, CD (1993), trk# 1.13 [1929/12/10]
Dranes, Arizona/ with Rev. FW McGee and Jubilee Singers Chicago, November 15, 1926 9877-A Bye and Bye We're Going to See the King; OK 8438
OTHER NAMES: “Bye And Bye I'm Going To See The King,” "A Mother’s Last Word To Her Daughter" "Bye and Bye We're Going to See the King"
RELATED TO: "Wouldn't Mind Dying If Dying was all"
SOURCES: from American Negro Songs; 1940
NOTES: “Bye and Bye" is a traditional spiritual that appears in John Work's American Negro Songs from 1940. It's related to the "Wouldn't Mind Dying If Dying Was All" songs and the "Bye And Bye We're Going To See The King” songs from pianist Arizona Dranes, who made the first recording of the song in 1926, and others. This version is similar to the Carter Family's "I Wouldn't Mind Dying."
Other versions similar to Dranes were recorded by Blind Willie Johnson whose 1929 recording was made one week earlier than (George) Washington Phillips. Phillips recorded “A Mother’s Last Word To Her Daughter” which uses the same chorus of Johnson's “Bye And Bye, I’m Going To See The King.”
The song and its variant titles was a great favorite with vocal groups and recorded by many, including the Norfolk Jubilee Quartet and the Dunham Jubilee Singers.
A version by Flora Molton And The Truth Band Living, with Phil Wiggins on blues harp, was recorded in Washington, D.C., October 1980 and appears on Country Blues USA Vol.3. Critton Hollow Stringband did and old-time/bluegrass version on their album "By and By", Flying Fish records, 1985.
There is a relationship with the various "By and By/Bye and Bye" songs and especially the "Wouldn't Mind Dying" songs. A.P. Carter collected a version of this song from African-American sources and The Carter Family's record was titled, "I Wouldn't Mind Dying":
I Wouldn't Mind Dying- Carter Family
Bye and bye we're going to see the King
Bye and bye we're going to see the King
Bye and bye we're going to see the King
Well I wouldn't mind dying, if dying was all.
Wouldn't mind dying but I got to go myself
Wouldn't mind dying but I got to go myself
Wouldn't mind dying but I got to go myself
Well I wouldn't mind dying if dying was all
"Wouldn't mind dying if dying was all" was also recorded by A C Forehand & Blind Mamie.
Bye And Bye I'm Goin' To See The King- Blind Willie Johnson 1929
I said bye and bye I'm going to see the King
Bye and bye I am going to see the King
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child of God
I said bye and bye I'm going to see the King
Bye and bye I am going to see the King
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child of God
You know after death,
you have got to go by yourself
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child of God
I said bye and bye I'm going to see the King
Bye and bye I am going to see the King
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child of God
Bye and bye I will hear the angel sing
Bye and bye I will hear the angel sing
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child of God
You know after death,
you have got to stand your test
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child of God
I said bye and bye I'm going to see the King
Bye and bye I am going to see the King
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child of God
Bye And Bye We're Going To See The King- Arizona Dranes 1926
[Piano intro]
CHORUS: Bye and bye we're going to see the King,
Bye and bye we're going to see the King,
Bye and bye we're going to see the King,
I wouldn't mind dying, if dying was all.
CHORUS:
I wouldn't mind dying but I got to go by myself
Wouldn't mind dying but I got to go myself
Wouldn't mind dying but I got to go by myself
I wouldn't mind dying, if dying was all.
CHORUS:
After death, we've got to stand the test
After death, we've got to stand the test
After death, we've got to stand the test
Wouldn't mind dying, if dying was all.
CHORUS: [piano solo]
I can tell you saw Him with his garments dyed in red
I can tell you saw Him with his garments dyed in red
I can tell you saw Him with his garments dyed in red
Wouldn't mind dying, if dying was all.
CHORUS:
Ezekiel said he saw him, a wheel in the middle of a wheel,
Ezekiel said he saw him, a wheel in the middle of a wheel,
Ezekiel said he saw him, a wheel in the middle of a wheel,
Wouldn't mind dying, if dying was all.
CHORUS:
BYE AN' BYE- John Work American Negro Songs; 1940
Bye an' bye we all shall meet again
Bye an' bye we all shall meet again
Bye an' bye we all shall meet again
An' I wouldn't mind dyin', if dyin' was all.
After death, got to fill an empty grave,
After death, got to fill an empty grave,
After death, got to fill an empty grave,
An' I wouldn't mind dyin', if dyin' was all.
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