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Death Is in This Land/Death Is In Dis Lan'
Traditional spiritual;
ARTIST: Howard W. Odum, "Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes" (American Journal of Psychology and Education, vol. iii, p. 356).
SHEET MUSIC:
YOUTUBE:
CATEGORY: Traditional and Shape-Note Gospel;
DATE: 1800s; 1909 "Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes"
RECORDING INFO: Death Is in This Land- reprint by Lawrence Gellert of Odum's 1909 collection
Gellert, Lawrence (ed.) / Me and My Captain. Chain Gang Negro Songs..., Hours, Fol (1939), p30 [1930ca]
OTHER NAMES: "Death Come To My House," "Cold Icy Hands"
RELATED TO: "Death Don't Have No Mercy"
SOURCES: 1909 Howard W. Odum, "Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes" (American Journal of Psychology and Education, vol. iii, p. 356).
"Death Is in This Land," collected by Lawrence Gellert, Me and My Captain (New York, 1936), p. 30. 1I The Negro Caravan, p. 470. 13 John A. Lomax "Self Pity in Negro Folk-Songs" The Nation (August 9, 1917), p. 144.
NOTES: "Death Is in This Land" or originally titled "Death Is In Dis Lan'" is an African-American spiritual first published in 1909 by Howard Odum. It appears in Odum's "Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes" (American Journal of Psychology and Education, vol. iii, p. 356).
"Death Is in This Land," was published by Lawrence Gellert in Me and My Captain (New York, 1936), p. 30. There's also a reference to the song in The Negro Caravan, p. 470. 13 John A. Lomax "Self Pity in Negro Folk-Songs" The Nation (August 9, 1917), p. 144.
"Death Is in This Land" is simply a reprinting of Odum's lyrics with some minor changes in dialect by Lawrence Gellert. No reference was made of Odum's 1909 publication.
Death Is In This Land- Lawrence Gellert
Ever since my Lord has set me free —
Death is in this land.
This old world been a hell to me;
Death is in this land.
I'm so glad death is in this land.
I'm so glad death is in this land.
O run along, mourner, an' get your crown-
Death is in this land.
By your father's side sit down;
Death is in land.
Some of these mornings bright and fair,
Death is in land
Gonna hitch on these wings and try the air,
Death is in land
In 1939 Gellert published a second volume of Negro Songs of Protest, titled "Me and My Captain": Chain Gang Negro Songs of Protest (New York Hour Press 1939)
Howard W. Odum, "Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes" (American Journal of Psychology and Education, vol. iii, p. 356):
This "ole worl' bin a hell to me " indicates the contrast between the everyday life of the world and that which the negro will enjoy after death. In his eagerness and impatience to rest in the " promise lan'," the negro does not always think kindly of the world and he does not care even though "Death Is In Dis Lan'."
Death Is In Dis Lan'- Howard Odum 1909
Ever since my Lord has set me free,
Death is in dis lan',
This ole worl' bin a hell to me,
Death is in dis lan'.
I'm so glad death is in dis lan',
I'm so glad death is in dis lan'
O run 'long mourner 'n git yo' crown,
Death is in dis lart,
By yo' father's side set down,
Death is in dis lan'.
Some er dese mornin's bright and fair,
Death is in dis lan',
Gwin' r hitch on my wings an' try de air,
Death is in dis lan.'
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