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Daniel Saw the Stone/Looking for the Stone
Traditional Old-Time, Gospel Spiritual and Bluegrass Gospel;
ARTIST: Silver Leaf Quartette of Norfolk- 1931
LISTEN: Silver Leaf Quartet
http://dusttodigital.bandcamp.com/track/daniel-saw-the-stone
YOUTUBE: Pilgrim Travelers with Lou Rawls
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/pdcmusic/looking-for-the-stone.html
SHEET MUSIC: http://books.google.com/books?id=9IptZOGMvX8C&pg=PA121&dq
=Daniel+saw+the+stone&lr=&c
d=13#v=onepage&q=Daniel%20saw%20the%20stone&f=false
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel;
DATE: 1800s; 1907 Work; First recorded by Silver Leaf Quartette of Norfolk- 1931
RECORDING INFO: Daniel Saw the Stone
Golden Gate Quartet. New York, NY; April 18 1941 (omit William Langford; add
Clyde Reddick, tenor voice; unknown drums) 30282-1 Daniel Saw the Stone OK 6204
Phish; NY 1993
Silver Leaf Quartette of Norfolk- 1931
Work, John W. / American Negro Songs and Spirituals, Dover, Bk (1998/1940), p120/121
Work, John W. / Folk Songs of the American Negro 1907
OTHER NAMES: "Looking for the Stone" "Daniel Saw De Stone"
RELATED TO:
SOURCES: Meade; Folk Index
NOTES: The traditional gospel song, "Daniel Saw the Stone" was collected by John Work and published in Folk Songs of the American Negro- 1907. A second more popular version was published in American Negro Songs and Spirituals (see version 2) 1940. The song was first recorded by black gospel quartets (Golden Gate & also the Silver Leaf Quartette of Norfolk- 1931) and is now popular among white and black groups. The rock group, Phish, began using a version of "Daniel Saw the Stone" in their live shows on July 17, 1993.
The version (lyrics below) by Silver Leaf Quartette of Norfolk from 1931 is a one-part song.
"Looking for the Stone" by The Rosinators Song Notes (see lyrics below):
In "Daniel Saw the Stone" (1931) the Silver Leaf Quartette of Norfolk describe a historical momentum that begins with Daniel staying the wrath of King Nebuchadnezzer against the wise men of Babylon by giving a description and an interpretation of the king's restless dream. The vision is that of a rolling stone, hewn out of a mountain and not made of human hands, which breaks through Babylon, becomes a mountain, and fills the entire earth. As the Silver Leaf Quartette sing
it, a young David as well as Jesus got hold of the same stone, and now they, with their families, want to get hold of it too. The stone, turned mountain, turned inheritor of earth, is the only game in town. Call it what you like. This rolling stone breaks down crowns and thrones and all that oppresses, and it somehow encompasses all
good, drawing in and redeeming all manner of things, making them well and whole.
In his book, A Treasury of Afro-American Folklore by Harold Courlander come the following:
The stone hewn from the mountain becomes the image on which all eyes are fixed
as the congregation sings:
Daniel saw the stone, hewn out the mountain,
Daniel saw the stone, hewn out the mountain,
Daniel saw the stone, hewn out the mountain,
Tearing down the Kingdom of this world.
Courlander gives you the lyrics to John Work's Version 2 (see below) then gives this variant:
Daniel saw the stone that came rollin' down the mountain,
Daniel saw the stone that came rollin' though Babylon,
Daniel saw the stone that was hewn out the mountain,
Tearing down the Kingdoms of this world.
Ralph Stanley recorded the song under the title "Looking for the Stone" on a 1975 album called Let Me Rest on a Peaceful Mountain. The following lyrics of "Looking for the Stone" were adapted by The Rosinators from Keith Whitley & Ralph Stanley:
Looking for the Stone (Keith Whitley & Ralph Stanley) by The Rosinators
Paul Castle, vocals, acoustic guitar Will Sneyd, fiddle, vocals Fliss Premru, fiddle, vocals
I'm looking for the stone that was hewn out the mountain, Lord
I'm looking for the stone that came rolling down from Babylon
I'm looking for the stone that was hewn out the mountain, Lord
Tearing down the kingdom of this world, oh yea
Tearing down the kingdom of this world
My father found a stone that was hewn out the mountain, Lord
My mother found a stone that came rolling down from Babylon
My mother found a stone that was hewn out the mountain, Lord
Tearing down the kingdom of this world, oh yea
Tearing down the kingdom of this world
My mother found a stone that was hewn out the mountain, Lord
My mother found a stone that came rolling down from Babylon
My mother found a stone that was hewn out the mountain, Lord
Tearing down the kingdom of this world, oh yea
Tearing down the kingdom of this world
King Jesus is a stone that was hewn out the mountain, Lord
King Jesus is a stone that came rolling down from Babylon
King Jesus is a stone that was hewn out the mountain, Lord
Tearing down the kingdom of this world, oh yea
Tearing down the kingdom of this world
I'm looking for the stone that was hewn out the mountain, Lord
I'm looking for the stone that came rolling down from Babylon
I'm looking for the stone that was hewn out the mountain, Lord
Tearing down the kingdom of this world, oh yea
Tearing down the kingdom of this world, oh yea
TAG: Tearing down the kingdom of this world
Daniel Saw the Stone- Silver Leaf Quartette of Norfolk 1931
CHORUS: Oh Daniel saw the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
Now Daniel saw the stone came, rolling through Babylon
Daniel saw the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
And he joined that heavenly band. [Repeat]
Little David *caught the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
David caught the stone came, rolling through Babylon
David caught the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
And he joined that heavenly band
King Jesus saw the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
King Jesus saw the stone came, rolling through Babylon
King Jesus saw the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
And He joined that heavenly band
Don't you want that stone that was, hewed out the mountain
Don't you want that stone came rolling through Babylon
Don't you want that stone that was, hewed out the mountain
And you joined that heavenly band
Yes I want that stone that was, hewed out the mountain
Don't you want that stone came rolling through Babylon
Don't you want that stone that was, hewed out the mountain
And I joined that heavenly band
My mother saw the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
My mother saw the stone came, rolling through Babylon
My mother saw the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
And she joined that heavenly band
My father saw the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
My father saw the stone came, rolling through Babylon
My father saw the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
And he joined that heavenly band
My sister saw the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
My sister saw the stone came, rolling through Babylon
My sister saw the stone that was, hewed out the mountain
And she joined that heavenly band
Yes I want that stone that was, hewed out the mountain
Yes I want that stone, rolling through Babylon
Yes I want that stone that was, hewed out the mountain
And he joined that heavenly band
[repeat first]
*saw (somtimes sounds like "caught")
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