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Down on Me
Traditional Spiritual and Gospel;
ARTIST: Honey In The Rock, The Ruby Pickins Tartt Collection, 1991, Olivia and Jack Solomon, p. 112.
SHEET MUSIC:
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RMg0anuc04
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel
DATE: early 1900s; 1930 recording Eddie Head and His Family
RECORDING INFO: Down on Me
Work, John W. / American Negro Songs and Spirituals, Dover, Bk (1998/1940), p115b
Odetta. My Eyes Have Seen, Vanguard VRS-9059, LP (1960), trk# B.02
Pinckney, Mary. Carawan, Guy & Candie / Sing for Freedom, Sing Out, sof (1990), p235 [1965]
Pinckney, Mary. Carawan, Guy & Candie (eds.) / Ain't You Got A Right to the Tree of Life, Univ. of Georgia, Sof (1989/1966), p137 [1963-65]
Von Schmidt, Eric. Folk Blues of Eric Von Schmidt, Prestige 7717, LP (1963), trk# B.06
OTHER NAMES: French Blues
RELATED TO: Keep Your Hand on the Plow, Hold On; French Blues
SOURCES: Folk Index; Mudcat; Songsters and Saints: Vocal traditions on Race Records, Volume 2 By Paul Oliver
NOTES: "Down on Me" is a traditional spiritual. This version is from the Ruby Pickins Tartt Collection. Perhaps the best known version was recorded by Janis Joplin. There is a 1930 recording of 'Down on Me', (vocal, guitar and tambourine) by obscure gospel group, Eddie Head and His Family, on the wonderful compilation CD: 'American Primitive Vol 1: Raw Pre-war Gospel' Revenant 206, the late John Fahey's label.
Another field recording (sung by Mary Pickney and Janie Hunter) is on Been in the Storm So Long: A Collection of Spirituals, Folk Tales and Children's Games from Johns Island, SC (Smithsonian Folkways 40031); the transcription of words & music is in Sing for Freedom (p. 235). Other sound recordings are by the Golden Harps (on V.A., Soul of Chicago)and Edna G. Cooke. Variants are also in Work, American Negro Songs (p. 115); Solomon, Honey in the Rock (Mercer University Press, p. 112); and Peters, Lyrics of the Afro-American Spiritual (p. 10).
Down on Me is also sung by Dock Reed at Livingston, Alabama, 1940 on Various Artists, Negro Religious Songs and Services (Rounder CD 1514). The "down on me" stanza was also used in "French Blues," performed by Frank Evans, recorded by John A. Lomax at Parchman Penitentiary, 1936 (on Various Artists, Deep River of Song: Mississippi Saints & Sinners, Rounder CD 11661-1824-2).
DOWN ON ME- Honey In The Rock, The Ruby Pickins Tartt Collection, 1991, Olivia and Jack Solomon, p. 112.
Chorus: Down on me, Lord, down on me
Looks lac ev'rybody in this whole roun' worl'
Is down on me
Never seed the like since I been born
People keeps er runnin'
En de train done gone.
Chorus: Down on me, Lord, down on me
Looks lac ev'rybody in this whole roun' worl'
Is down on me
When I go to heaven,
You know I'm gonna shout
It's no one there to turn me out
Ef I could I surely would,
stand on de rock,
Where Moses stood.
When I get to heaven gonna talk and tell
How I shourned,
Dem Gates in Hell.
Mary and Martha,
Luke and John,
All God's phrophets is dead en gone.
When I get to heaven,
Gonna set right down,
Ax my Lord for a starry crown.
Chorus: Down on me, Lord, down on me
Looks lac ev'rybody in this whole roun' worl'
Is down on me
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