Little Moses


This spiritual was made popular by the Carter Family. A.P. Carter had learned it from his aunt Myrtle Bays who had learned it from her mother. It goes back a long way!

Lyrics:
Away by the river so clear
The ladies were winding their way
And Pharaoh’s daughter stepped down in the water
To bathe in the cool of the day
Before it was dark she opened the ark
And found the sweet infant was there
Before it was dark she opened the ark
And found the sweet infant was there

And away by the waters so blue
The infant was lonely and sad
She took him in pity and thought him so pretty
And it made little Moses so glad
She called him her own, her beautiful son
And she sent for a nurse that was near
She called him her own, her beautiful son
And she sent for a nurse that was near

Away by the river so clear
They carried the beautiful child
To his own tender mother, his sister and brothers
Little Moses looked happy and smiled
His mother so good done all that she could
To rear him and teach him with care
His mother so good done all that she could
To rear him and teach him with care

And away by the sea that was red
Little Moses the servant of God
While in him confided, the sea was divided
As upwards he lifted his rod
The He-brews safely crossed while all Pharaoh’s host was drownded in the waters and lost
The He-brews safely crossed while all Pharaoh’s host was drownded in the waters and lost

And away on a mountain so high
The last one he ever did see
While he was victorious, his hope was most glorious
Some day all of Jordan be free
When his labor did cease, he departed in peace
And rested in the Heavens above
When his labor did cease, he departed in peace
And rested in the Heavens above

Away by the river so clear
The ladies were winding their way
And Pharaoh’s daughter stepped down in the water
To bathe in the cool of the day

Chords:
[G] And away by the [D] river so [G] clear
[G] They carried the [D] beautiful [G] child
[D] To his own tender mother, his sister and brother [G] Little Moses looked [D] happy and [G] smiled

[G] His mother [C] so [G] good, done all that [C] she [G] could
To rear him and [D] teach him with [G] care
[G] His mother [C] so [G] good, done all that she could
To rear him and [D] teach him with [G] care