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Death Come To My House He Didn't Stay Long
Tradtional spiritual;
ARTIST: collected from Johnson and Johnson "Book of American Negro Spirituals" 1925
SHEET MUSIC:
YOUTUBE:
CATEGORY: Traditional and Shape-Note Gospel;
DATE: 1800s; 1925 Johnson and Johnson "Book of American Negro Spirituals"
RECORDING INFO: Death Come To My House He Didn't Stay Long
OTHER NAMES: "Death Come To My House,"
RELATED TO: "Death Don't Have No Mercy"
SOURCES:
NOTES: "Death Come To My House He Didn't Stay Long" is an African-American spiritual first published in 1925. It appears in the collection "The Second Book Of Negro Spirituals" under the title "Death Come To My House He Didn't Stay Long." The song is related to "Death Don't Have No Mercy" recorded by Rev. Gary Davis.
Death Don't Have No Mercy- Rev. Gary Davis (excerpt)
Well death don't have no mercy in this land
Well death don't have no mercy in this land
In this land
He come to your house, he don't stay long
Look in the bed, find your mother's gone
I said death don't, death don't have no mercy in this land
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"Death Come To My House" is also related to the "Death Come creepin/I'm so glad" songs. Olivia and Jack Solomon comment on the relationship in Honey in the Rock: The Ruby Pickens Tartt Collection of Religious Folk Songs from Sumter County, Alabama (Mercer UP, 1991, p. 97-98; with no tune), with notes:
"'I'm So Glad...' is exquisitely molded from two other spirituals into a new unity, with an astonishing purity of text, diction, rhythm, and stanzaic structure. Stanzas 1, 2, and 3 have their origins in 'Death come to my house,' especially the personification of death as a thief and murderer who invades the sanctity of home and family and carries away the mother, the source of earthly joy and comfort.
I'M SO GLAD I GOT MY RELIGION ON TIME- Tartt Collection of Religious Folk Songs
1. Soon one mornin' death come creepin' in de room (3x)
Oh my Lord, oh my Lord, whut shall I do to be saved.
2. Death done been here, took my mother en gone, etc.
3. Death done been here, lef' me er motherless chile, etc.
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A modern version of "Death Come To My House,"titled "Hallelu," is used for communion services:
Hallelu- Bernice Johnson Reagon
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu
Hallelu, Hallelu, my Lord
I’m gonna see my friend again, Hallelu
Death come to my house
Didn’t stay long
Looked on the bed and my father was gone
I’m gonna see my friend again, Hallelu
Alternate lines:
Looked on the bed and my mother was gone…
Looked on the bed and my sister was gone…
DEATH COME TO MY HOUSE- Johnson and Johnson 1925
CHORUS: Hallelu-u-u
Hallelu, O my Lord,
I'm gwine-ter see my mother again
Hallelu, Hallelu.
Death come to my house, he didn't stay long
I look on de bed, an' my mother was gone
I'm gwine-ter see my mother again, Hallelu.
CHORUS:
Death come to my house, he didn't stay long
I look on de bed, an' my father was gone
I'm gwine-ter see my father again, Hallelu
CHORUS:
Death come to my house, he didn't stay long
I look on de bed, an' my sister was gone
I'm gwine-ter see my sister again, Hallelu
CHORUS:
Death come to my house, he didn't stay long
I look on de bed, an' my brother was gone
I'm gwine-ter see my brother again, Hallelu
CHORUS:
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