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Dig My Grave with a Silver Spade/See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
NOTE: This is not the song: "You can dig my grave with a silver spade (x3),
'Cause I ain't gonna stay here long."
Traditional Spiritual;
ARTIST: from various sources
YOUTUBE:
SHEET MUSIC:
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel;
DATE: early 1900s;
RECORDING INFO: See That My Grave Is Kept Clean- Blind Lemon Jefferson(1927)
Us - See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
See That My Grave Is Kept Clean [Me II-AB38]
Rt - Sad and Lonesome Day; Six White Horses ; Ain't It Hard ; I Don't Want to Be Buried in the Storm
At - Two White Horses in a Line
Rm - You've Got to Righten Up that Wrong
Dunson, Josh; & Ethel Raim (eds) / Anthology of American Folk Music, Oak, Sof (1973), p 92
Casey, Smith. Afro-American Blues and Game Songs, Library of Congress AFS L 4, CD (1942), trk# 6 [1939] (Two White Horses)
Dutson, Tom. Angola Prison Spirituals, Arhoolie 9036, CD (2003), trk# 9 [1958ca] (Dig My Grave with a Silver Spade)
Dutson, Tom. Oster, Harry / Living Country Blues, Minerva, Sof (1969), p183/# 51 [1959/06/05] (Dig My Grave with a Silver Spade)
Dylan, Bob. Bob Dylan, Columbia KCS 8579, LP (1962), trk# B.06
Hammond, John; Jr.. Best of John Hammond, Vanguard VSD 11/12, LP (197?), trk# B.02 Hammond, John; Jr.. John Hammond, Vanguard VRS 9132, LP (1968/1964), trk# B.06
Jefferson, Blind Lemon. Anthology of American Folk Music, Smithsonian/Folkways SFW 40090, CD( (1997), trk# 76 [1928/02]
Jefferson, Blind Lemon. Folk Box, Elektra EKL 9001, LP (1964), trk# 57
Jefferson, Blind Lemon. King of the Country Blues, Yazoo 1069, Cas (1988), trk# 5
Perry, Cliff; and Laurel Bliss. Old Pal, Telegraph TM0707, Cas (1994), trk# 10
Smith, Hobart. Southern Journey. Vol. 4: Brethren, We Meet Again, Rounder 1704, CD (1997), trk# 14 [1959/08/24]
Van Ronk, Dave. Dave Van Ronk Sings, Vol. 2, Folkways FA 2383, LP (1961), trk# A.03 (Please See that My Grave Is Kept Clean)
West Maryland Highballers. West Maryland Highballers, Biograph RC 6001, LP (1963), trk# A.05
Robin Hall and Jimmy McGregor recorded it with the Galliards on "A Rovin'" (Decca ACL 1100 [1962])
OTHER NAMES: "Dig My Grave (With a Silver Spade)" "Dig My Grave"
RELATED TO: "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" "Buryin' Ground" songs
SOURCES: Folk Index;
NOTES: "Dig My Grave with a Silver Spade" is a traditional spiritual related to "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" which is know under other titles including: One Kind Favor; Sad and Lonesome Day; Six White Horses; Ain't It Hard; I Don't Want to Be Buried in the Storm.
This is not the song: "You can dig my grave with a silver spade (x3),
'Cause I ain't gonna stay here long."
One version with this title is Dig My Grave With A Silver Spade: Tom Dutson And Robert Pete Williams from Angola Prison Spirituals. Another version with the "Dig My Grave With a Silver Spade" title is performed by Fred McDowell in August 1969.
Dig My Grave (With a Silver Spade)- Angola Prison Spirituals (excerpt)
Did you ever hear that church bell tone,
Then you know po' boy dead and gone.
Well there's two white horses in a line
Well there's two white horses in a line
Well there's two white horses in a line
Take me to the buryin' groun'.
Andy Griffith peforms a different version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNVw1-QAT7k (Andy Griffith) Henry Bennett (character=Andy to Rafe, in the Jail Cell) Date: 05/25/98 (Minor key)
Dig my grave with a silver spade,
Dig my grave wide and deep,
Dig my grave with a silver spade,
Burry me neath the willer tree,
Place my grave on a snow white hill,
Cover me over with sod,
Tell em I died- to save em all,
Tell my wife to marry again...
Origins: The Blind Lemon Jefferson version (titled "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean") dates from 1927 and was on Harry Smith's "Anthology Of American Folk Music" and has been reissued on many compilations.
Well there's one kind favor I ask of you
Well there's one kind favor I ask of you
Lord it's one kind favor I'll ask of you
See that my grave is kept clean
It's a long lane, ain't got no end
It's a long lane, ain't got no end
It's a long lane, ain't got no end
And it's a bad [wind] that never came (note 3)
Lord there's two white horses in a line (note 4)
Well there's two white horses in a line
Well there's two white horses in a line
Will take me to my burying ground
My heart stopped beating, my hands are cold
My heart stopped beating, my hands are cold
Well my heart stopped beating, Lord my hands are cold
It was [long] what the good book, bible told
Have you ever heard that coffin sound
Have you ever heard that coffin sound
Have you ever heard that coffin sound
Did you know that the poor boy neath the ground
Oh dig my grave with a silver spade
Well dig my grave with a silver spade
Well dig my grave with a silver spade
You may lay me down with a golden chain
Have you ever heard that church bell song
Have you ever heard that church bell song
Have you ever heard that church bell song
Then you know that the poor boy's dead and gone
Matt Schofield has pointed out that six pall-bearers appear in many other traditional songs:
But when I'm dead and carried to my grave
A pleasant funeral let me have
Six highwaymen to carry me
Give them broadswords and sweet liberty
Six blooming girls to bear up my pall
Give them white gloves and pink ribbons all
When I'm dead they may tell the truth
There goes a wild and wicked youth
St James Infirmary
When I die I want six crap shooters to be my pallbearers
Three pretty women to sing a song
Put a jazz band on my hearse wagon
And rouse hell as we ride along
Another early version of this song, coming via the Appalachian folk traditions rather than the blues, is by Hobart Smith, recorded for Alan Lomax.
Well it's one kind favor I ask of you
One kind favor I ask of you
Well it's one kind favor I ask of you
Please see my grave is kept clean
It's a long lane ain't got no end
Long lane ain't got no end
It's a long lane ain't got no end
It's the longest lane that's ever been
Well it's three white horses in a line
Three white horses in a line
Well it's three white horses in a line
Gonna take me to my burying ground
Well dig my grave with a silver spade
Dig my grave with a silver spade
Well dig my grave with a silver spade
You will let me down with a golden chain
It's a long lane ain't got no end
Long lane ain't got no end
It's a long lane ain't got no end
It's the longest lane that's ever been
Oh dig my grave with a silver spade
Dig my grave with a silver spade
Oh dig my grave with a silver spade
You will let me down with a golden chain
Did you ever hear that trumpet sound
Did you ever hear that trumpet sound
If you ever hear that trumpet sound
You will know the poor boy's in the ground
It's a long lane ain't got end no end
Long lane ain't got end no end
Long lane ain't got end no end
It's the longest lane that's ever been
Did you ever hear a church bell toll
Did you ever hear a church bell toll
If you ever hear a church bell toll
You will know the poor boy's dead and gone
Another possible source is "Two White Horses In A Line." The earliest versions of this seem to post-date Blind Lemon Jefferson's recording, but have a lot in common. This is the version recorded by Joe Evans and Arthur McClain in about 1931:
There's two white horses in a line
There's two white horses in a line
There's two white horses in a line
Gonna carry me to my burying ground
My heart stopped beating and my hands got cold
My heart stopped beating and my hands got cold
My heart stopped beating and my hands got cold
It's a long lane I had to go
Did you ever hear the church bell toll?
Did you ever hear the church bell toll?
Did you ever hear the church bell toll?
Then you know that the poor boy's dead and gone
It's a long old lane ain't got no end
It's a long old lane ain't got no end
It's a long old lane ain't got no end
It's a bad old wind don't never change
Go dig my grave with a silver spade
Go dig my grave with a silver spade
Go dig my grave with a silver spade
You can lower me down with a golden chain
Did you ever hear the coffin sound?
Did you ever hear the coffin sound?
Did you ever hear the coffin sound?
Then you know that the poor boy's in the ground
Another variant of the song goes under the title "Sad And Lonesome Day" or "Lonesome Day." This was recorded by the Carter Family, Woody Guthrie, the Country Gentlemen and many others. A typical version is:
Today has been a lonesome day
Today has been a lonesome day
Today has been a lonesome day
And tomorrow's gonna be the same old way
They carried my mother to the burying ground
They carried my mother to the burying ground
They carried my mother to the burying ground
I watched as the bearers laid her down
Did you ever hear a church bell toll?
Did you ever hear a church bell toll?
Did you ever hear a church bell toll?
You may know by that she's dead and gone
Dig my grave with a silver spade
Dig my grave with a silver spade
Dig my grave with a silver spade
To mark the place where I may lay
Today has been a lonesome day
Today has been a lonesome day
Today has been a lonesome day
And tomorrow's gonna be the same old way
The Carter Family included the verse
There's one kind favor I ask of you
There's one kind favor I ask of you
There's one kind favor I ask of you
See that my grave is kept green (sic - see below)
One possible origin for this song is a Victorian romantic piece written by Gus Williams in 1876 called "See That My Grave Is Kept Green." Although it doesn't have much in common with Blind Lemon Jefferson's song, it does have the lines "This one little wish I ask of you, see that my grave is kept green." It was recorded in 1927 by Bela Lam and the Greene County Singers.
When I'm dead and gone from you, darling
When I'm laid a-way in my grave
When my spirit has gone to heaven above
To Him who my soul will save
When you are happy and gay no more
Thinking of days that have been
This one little wish I ask of you
See that my grave's kept green
Though the hours of joy now are passing
Yet how soon alas they will fade
Though your glances of love are now meeting my own
Fair sunlight will turn into shade
When from the world and its hopes I go
Leaving for ever the scene
Though others are dear, ah, will you then
See that my grave's kept green
Will you keep me love in remembrance
Though the voice of chiding be heard
Others may speak in censure or blame
Yet breathe no unkindly word?
Tell me you'll think of the happy past
Think of the joys we have seen
This one little promise keep for me
See that my grave's kept green
Chorus:
Oh the days will come to you darling
When no more on earth I'll be
Oh the days will come to you darling
When no more on earth I'll be seen
One sweet little wish darling grant me
See that my grave's kept green
See that my grave's kept green
1 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Blind Lemon Jefferson 1927
2 Two White Horses in a Line The Two Poor Boys 1931
3 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Lightnin' Hopkins 1959
4 Ain't It Hard Mance Lipscomb 1960
5 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Dave Van Ronk 1961
6 See that My Grave Is Kept Clean Bob Dylan March 19, 1962
7 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean John Hammond 1963
8 One Kind Favor Koerner, Ray & Glover June 1963
9 One Kind Favor Peter, Paul and Mary July 1964
10 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Furry Lewis 1969
11 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Thomas Shaw 1973
12 Dig My Grave With a Silver Spade Fred McDowell 1973
13 Mississippi County Farm Blues Son House 1974
14 One Kind of Favor Robert Lowery 1991
15 One Kind Favour Hans Theessink 1994
16 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Martin Simpson 1995
17 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Frank Robinson & Guitar Curtis 1996
18 See that My Grave Is Kept Clean Kelly Joe Phelps August 26, 1997
19 One Kind Favor John Lee Granderson 1998
20 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Los Super Seven featuring Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown March 22, 2005
21 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Little Pink Anderson 2008
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