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Climbing Jacob's Ladder/Jacob's Ladder
Traditional Spiritual;
ARTIST: Vocal-Aires of Birmingham, AL
YOUTUBE:
SHEET MUSIC:
DATE: 1800s; 1867
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel
RECORDING INFO: Jacob's Ladder [Sh 212/Me III-C 9] - Danks, H. P.
Rt - Sinner Man ; Rise and Shine
Mf - We Are Building a Strong Union ; Sarah's Circle
Solomon, Jack & Olivia (eds.) / Sweet Bunch of Daisies, Colonial Press, Bk (1991), p160
Leisy, James / Songs for Pickin' and Singin', Gold Medal Books, sof (1962), p199
Carawan, Guy & Candie / Sing for Freedom, Sing Out, sof (1990), p 58
Lynn, Frank (ed.) / Songs for Swinging Housemothers, Fearon, Sof (1963/1961), p310
Best, Dick & Beth (eds.) / New Song Fest Deluxe, Hansen, Sof (1971/1948), p147
Sing for the Fun of It, CSS, poc (194?), p50
Lomax, Alan / Folksongs of North America, Doubleday Dolphin, Sof (1975/1960), p453/#235
Blood, Peter; and Annie Patterson (eds.) / Rise Up Singing, Sing Out, Sof (1992/1989), p210
Sandburg, Helga (ed.) / Sweet Music, Dial, Bk (1963), p 50 (We Are Climbing Jacobs Ladder)
Joyful Singing. Campfire Girls Edition, CSS, poc (1947ca), p51
Fox, Lillian M. / Folk Songs of the United States, Calif. State Series, Sof (1951), p 8
Work, John W. / American Negro Songs and Spirituals, Dover, Bk (1998/1940), p220 (We Are Climbing Jacobs Ladder)
Leisy, James F. (ed.) / Folk Song Abecedary, Bonanza, Bk (1966), p185
Herder, Ronald (ed.) / 500 Best-Loved Song Lyrics, Dover dn500/500, Sof (1998), p176
Benfield, Kenneth. Mountain Music on the Autoharp, Folkways FA 2365, LP (1965), trk# 21 [1961/07/21]
Bessemer Sunset Four. Birmingham Quartet Anthology. Jefferson County Alabama (1926-53), Clanka Lanka CL 144,001/002, LP (1980), trk# D.01 [1930] (Climbing Jacob's Ladder)
Gentry, Jane. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p295/# 212 [1916/09/16]
Glazer, Joe. Textile Voices, Collector 1922, LP (1975), trk# A.07 (We Are Climbing Jacobs Ladder)
Heath, Gordan; and Lee Payant. Evening at L'Abbaye, Elektra EKL 119, LP (1954), trk# A.06
Heath, Gordan; and Lee Payant. Folksongs and Footnotes, Abbaye 1, LP (1956), trk# B.09
James and Martha. Anthology of Country Music, Vol 18. Early Gospel Greats, ACM ACM 18, LP (197?), trk# A.02 [1946-50] (We Will Rise and Shine)
Maddox, Rose. Beautiful Bouquet, Arhoolie 5030, LP (1983), trk# 1 (We Are Climbing Jacobs Ladder)
Robeson, Paul. Essential Paul Robeson, Vanguard VSD 57/58, LP (1974/1958), trk# B.08
Seeger, Pete. Labor Concert 1986, Collector, LP (1986), trk# A.03 (We Are Climbing Jacobs Ladder)
Seeger, Pete. Sing Out Reprints, Sing Out, Sof (1959), 7, p64
Seeger, Pete; and Mike Seeger. Hootenanny at Carnegie Hall, Folkways FN 2512, LP (1960/1958-9), trk# B.05 (We Are Climbing Jacobs Ladder)
Wilbur, Marie. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume II, Songs of the South and ..., Univ. of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p336/#262 [1922/12/28]
Jacob's Ladder
Vocal-Aires of Birmingham, AL Climbing Jacob's Ladder Proverb 1962
OTHER NAMES: "Jacob's Ladder"
RELATED TO: "Hide Thou Me"
SOURCES: Meade [Sh 212/Me III-C 9]
NOTES: "Climbing Jacob's Ladder" or "Jacob's Ladder" is a traditional spiritual found as early as 1867 in Allen's Slave Songs of the United States. He rejected "Climb Jacob's Ladder" as spurious because it was found in Methodist hymn books. Allen did publish one short version, No. 177: http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/allen/ss117.jpg
JACOB'S LADDER- No. 117, with music.
I want to climb up Jacob's ladder,
Jacob's ladder, O Jacob's ladder,
I want to climb up Jacob's ladder,
But I can't climb it till
I make my peace with the Lord.
O praise ye the Lord.
I'll praise Him till I die,
I'll praise Him till I die,
And sing Jerusalem.
Ballad Index info- Jacob's Ladder
DESCRIPTION: "I am (we are) climbing Jacob's ladder... And I won't be troubled any more. As soon as my feet strikes Zion's walls, I won't be troubled any more." "Goin' to see my father/mother/sister/brother in the kingdom...." Alternate end: "Soldiers of the cross."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1931 (Fuson)
KEYWORDS: religious nonballad
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE)
REFERENCES (7 citations):
BrownIII 536, "Jacob's Ladder" (3 texts, but only the "B" text could be this, and even it might be something else)
Combs/Wilgus 320, p. 190, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text)
Lomax-FSNA 235, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text, 1 tune, plus a union/liberal parody)
Fuson, p. 204, "Hide Thou Me" (1 text, probably a mix, with the form of "Rock of Ages (II -- Hide Me Over Rock of Ages" but verses from "Jacob's Ladder"); p. 213, "I Am On My Way" (1 text)
SharpAp 212, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber-FSWB, p. 358, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text)
DT, JACOBLDR*
Roud #2286
RECORDINGS:
Armstrong & Highley, "Climbing Jacob's Ladder" (Paramount 3291, 1931)
Chumbler Family, "Jacob's Ladder" (Columbia 15481-D, 1929)
Maddox Bros. & Rose, "We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder" (4-Star 1473, n.d. but post-WWII)
Frank & James McCravy, "Jacob's Ladder" (Victor 21188, 1928) (OKeh 45128, 1927) (Brunswick 192, 1928)
Pete Seeger, "Jacob's Ladder" (on HootenannyCarnegie) (on PeteSeeger47) (on PeteSeeger26)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Don't You Weep After Me" (floating lyrics)
cf. "Jacob's Ladder (V)" (lyrics, theme)
Notes: In Gen. 28:12, Jacob dreams of a "ladder" (ramp/stairway) from earth with its top "reaching to heaven, and the angels of God climbing up and down it." - RBW
One of the earliest published versions that fits the form of the song as we know it today is found in R. Nathaniel Dett, ed., 1927, "Religious Folk-Songs of the Negro as Sung at the Hampton Institute," p. 118, with music.
We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder- R. Nathaniel Dett, ed., 1927
We are climbing Jacob's ladder (3x)
Soldier of the cross.
Every round goes higher and higher, (3x)
Soldier of the cross.
Sinner, do you love my Jesus? (3x)
Soldier of the cross.
If you love Him, why not serve Him? (3x)
Soldier of the cross.
Do you think I'd make a soldier? (3x)
Soldier of the cross.
We are climbing higher and higher, (3x)
Soldier of the cross.
CLIMBING JACOB'S LADDER- Vocal-Aires of Birmingham, AL 1962
Rev. Monte Harris slide guitar with effects http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/11020
We are climbing Jacob's ladder
We are climbing Jacob's ladder
We are climbing Jacob's ladder
Soldiers of the cross
Do you think I'd make a soldier?
Do you think I'd make a soldier?
Do you think I'd make a soldier?
Soldier of the cross
Every *rung goes higher, higher
Every rung goes higher, higher
Every rung goes higher, higher
Soldiers of the cross
Vamp
I wonder do you (Do, do, do do)
Do you think I'd make a good soldier? (Do you)
That I'd die in the army of the lord (Do, do, do do)
Soldier (soldier)
Cause I'm a soldier (soldier)
Every (higher)
Every rung (higher)
every rung goes (higher)
Higher (a little bit higher)
Gonna meet my father (higher)
Gonna meet my dear ole sister (a little bit higher)
A little bit higher(higher)
A little bit higher(a little bit higher)
Gonna talk with Jesus (higher)
A little bit higher(a litte bit higher)
*round
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