Spirituals from Alabama by Clemmie S. Terrell
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 43, No. 169 (Jul. - Sep., 1930), pp. 322-324
NOTES AND QUERIES
SPIRITUALS FROM ALABAMA
CLEMMIE S. TERRELL Tuskegee Institute, Ala.
NOAH
They called Old Noah a foolish man
Because he built his house on sandy land.
CHORUS: Oh, Noah, open your window,
Oh, Noah, open your window,
Oh, Noah, open your window
And let the dove come in.
The first thing they tell me that Noah did,
He went in the woods and sawed his timber down.
The second thing they tell me that Noah did,
He hewed his timber round and round.
The third thing they tell me that Noah did,
He haul his timber to the building ground.
The fourth thing they tell me that Noah did,
He laid his foundation on the ground.
That ain't all, let me tell you some more.
It rained forty days and forty nights.
The water came to the steps of the doors
The water came to the roof of the houses.
Noah called a little dove,
Told him go bring me a grain of sand.
The dove flew back mourn,
"Lord, I can't find no land."
That ain't all, let me tell you some more.
God sent Jonah to the needed land.
Jonah ran away.
The captain of the ship got troubled in mind.
He searched his from bottom to top,
He searched his from side to side,
Found old Jonah and cast him over board
A big fish came along and swallowed him whole.
That ain't all, let me tell you some more.
Jacob's ladder was long and tall,
Reach all around to the heavenly walls.
Two bright angels came stepping down,
Dress' so neat and so complete,
Not a single stitch nor a sign of a seam.
This was made on the gospel machine.
IF YOU JUST HOLD OUT
If you just hold out,
If you just hold out,
If you just hold out,
It's a starry crown,
It's a starry crown for you.
If you just hold out,
If you just hold out,
If you just hold out,
It's a gold waist band,
It's a gold waist band for you.
If you just hold out,
If you just hold out,
If you just hold out,
It's a long white robe,
It's a long white robe for you.
If you just hold out,
If you just hold out,
If you just hold out,
It's a star in your crown,
It's a star in your crown for you.
SUNDAY
Don't you hammer on Sunday,
That's a shame.
Don't you gamble on Sunday,
That's a shame.
God gave you Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
And all day Saturday, Thursday, Friday,
That's a shame.
Don't you sew on Sunday,
That's a shame.
Don't you dance on Sunday,
That's a shame.
THE BEAUTIFUL PEARLY GATES
We are pilgrims to the beautiful pearly gates.
Over those ransom pearly gates
Some pearly gates,
Some pearly gates.
I want to go to Heaven,
I want to go right,
I want to go there all dressed in white.
If you get there before I do
Just tell my Lord that I am coming, too.
Old Jordan river is chilly and cold,
It chills the body, but not the soul.
Sometimes I'm up,
Sometimes I'm down,
Sometimes I'm almost level with the ground.
One day as I was walking along,
The elements open and the love came.
BEULAH LAND
I am dwelling on the mountain
That seem so bright to me.
I am feasting at the fountain
That never shall run dry.
O, yes, I am dwelling at the mountain
That everyone goes to see.
I am dwelling in Beulah land.
I am on my golden way
For this grand O Beulah day.