This Little Light Of Mine

This is an old spiritual. I first heard it performed by Bob Gibson on the 5-string banjo at the Latin School of Chicago in 1957. His arrangement was more Dixieland style with a fast 2/4 beat. Bob inspired the Limeliters who took a number of his arrangements and made them more sophisticated. It was an honor to record with them on their first RCA album “Tonight In Person” in 1960. I decided to do “This Little Light” with a 12-string Rickenbacker “jingle jangle” feel. This is the first Folk Den song that I’ve recorded using Pro Tools on my new Mac Book Pro 2 Core Duo, and the first one that features my new Martin D-45 on rhythm.
Lyrics:
[G] This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
[C] Oh, this little light of mine
I’m going to let it [G] shine
Hallelujah
This little light of mine
I’m going to let it [C] shine
[G] Let it shine, [D] let it shine, [G] let it shine

Ev’ry where I go
I’m going to let it shine
Oh, ev’ry where I go
I’m going to let it shine
Hallelujah
Ev’ry where I go
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

All in my house
I’m going to let it shine
Oh, all in my house
I’m going to let it shine
Hallelujah
All in my house
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

I’m not going to make it shine
I’m just going to let it shine
I’m not going to make it shine
I’m just going to let it shine
Hallelujah
I’m not going to make it shine
I’m just going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Out in the dark
I’m going to let it shine
Oh, out in the dark
I’m going to let it shine
Hallelujah
Out in the dark
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Joy To The World

This is one of my favorite Christmas Carols. I decided to record it as an instrumental on my Rickenbacker 370/12/RM. Originally named “Antioch,” Mason’s original score said “from George Frederick Handel.”

The tune is named after the city of Antioch, Syria, where believers were first called “Christians”;
(Acts 11:26).

Words: Isaac Watts, 1719
Music: Lowell Mason, 1848

Lyrics:
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Every Time I Feel The Spirit

The other day I heard Camilla playing an old African American spiritual. She was having such a great time singing it at her keyboard, that I thought I’d do it for the Folk Den.
Lyrics:
Every [Bb] time I feel the [F] Spirit moving in my [Dm] heart [C] I will [F] pray
Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray
Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray
Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray

[F] Up on that mountain the Lord spoke
Out of His mouth come [C] fire and [F] smoke
I look around me it look so shine
I asked the Lord if [C] it was [F] mine

Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray
Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray
Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray
Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray

X3

The Jordan River it runs so cold
It chills the body not the soul
There aint but one train on this track
It runs to Heaven don’t come back

Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray
Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray
Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray
Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray

X3 – Fade

Children Go Where I Send Thee

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A traditional spiritual with a meaning for each number. I have placed the meaning next to the verses in parentheses.
Lyrics:
[E] Children go [A] where I [E] send [A] thee
[E] How [A] shall I [E] send [A] thee?
[E] I’m gonna [A] send thee [E] one by one [A]
[E] One for the [A] Little Bitty [A] Baby
[E] Who was born, [A] born, [E] born in [B7] Bethlehem [E]

Two for Paul and Silas

Three for the Hebrew children

Four for the four who stood at the door (Mathew Mark Luke and John)

Five for the Gospel preachers (Mathew Mark Luke and John and all Gospel preachers)

Six for the jars where the wine was mixed (Miracle at the wedding feast at Cana)

Seven for the seven who came from Heaven (Seven-fold Spirit of God)

Eight for the eight who sealed their fate (The eight people who entered Noah’s Ark)

Nine for the ninety-nine in line (Those waiting while the Good Shepard sought His one lost sheep)

Ten for the ten commandments

Eleven for the eleven who went to Heaven (The eleven disciples minus Judas Iscariot)

Twelve for the twelve Apostles

Oh Mary Don't You Weep

Oh_Mary.jpg

A good old gospel song from the southern United States. This has been recorded by many folk singers and exists in numerous versions.

Oh Mary Don’t You Weep

Mf – If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus

Pb – Oh, Sisters Don’t You Weep

1. Sandburg, Carl / American Songbag, Harcourt Brace Jovan…, Sof (1928/1955), p476 (Pharaoh’s Army Got Drownded)
2. Leisy, James F. (ed.) / Songs for Pickin’ and Singin’, Gold Medal Books, sof (1962), p198
3. Carawan, Guy & Candie / Sing for Freedom, Sing Out, sof (1990), p 58
4. Lynn, Frank (ed.) / Songs for Swinging Housemothers, Fearon, Sof (1963/1961), p312
5. Best, Dick & Beth (eds.) / New Song Fest Deluxe, Charles Hansen, Sof (1971/1948), p148
6. Winds of the People, Sing Out, Sof (1982), p 35
7. Blood, Peter; and Annie Patterson (eds.) / Rise Up Singing, Sing Out, Sof (1989/1992), p 63
8. Sandburg, Helga (ed.) / Sweet Music, Dial, Bk (1963), p101 (Pharaoh’s Army)
9. Abe and Malka. Mandelblatt, Abe & Malka A. / 100 Guitar Accompanyments, Amsco, Sof (1974), p156
10. Davis, Bill. Sounds of the Smokies, Old Traditions BWD 51471, LP (197?), cut#A.04
11. Halifax Three. Halifax Three, Epic BN 26038, LP (1963), cut#B.06
12. Hurt, Mississippi John. Mississippi John Hurt, Vol. 3. Sacred and Secular, Heritage (England) HT320, LP (1988/reis/), cut# 9 (Mary Don’t You Weep)
13. Hurt, Mississippi John. Worried Blues, Piedmount PLP-13161, LP (196?/?), cut# 9
14. Hurt, Mississippi John. Garwood, Donald / Masters of Instrumental Blues Guitar, Oak, Fol (1967), p43
15. Kingston Trio. Close Up, Capitol T 1642, LP (1961), cut#A.04 (Don’t You Weep Mary)
16. Kingston Trio. Rediscover the Kingston Trio, Folk Era FE 2001, LP (1985), cut#A.04 (Oh, Mary)
17. Leadbelly. Leadbelly’s Last Sessions, Part 4, Folkways FA 2942, LP (196?/?), cut# 11 (Mary Don’t You Weep)
18. Leadbelly. Lomax, John & Alan Lomax (eds.) / Leadbelly. A Collection of World Famou, Folkways, sof (1959), p51 (Mary Doncha Weep)
19. Schilling, Jean. Old Traditions, Traditional JS-5117, LP (1967/1974), cut#A.03 (Mary Don’t You Weep)
20. Seeger, Pete. Seeger, Pete / American Favorite Ballads, Oak, Fol (1961), p78
21. Sheer, Anita. Anita Sheer, MGM E-4225, LP (196?), cut#B.06
22. Steamboat Entertainers. Galax International, Heritage (Galax) 067, LP (1988/?), cut# 19
23. Taussig, Harry. Taussig, Harry / Folk-Style Guitar, Oak, Sof (1973), p 97

Lyrics:
OH, MARY DON’T YOU WEEP

CHORUS:
[G] Oh, Mary, don’t you [D] weep, don’t mourn;
Oh, Mary, don’t you [G] weep, don’t mourn;
[C] Pharaoh’s army got [G] drowned,
Oh, [D] Mary, don’t you [G] weep.

X2

[G] Well if I could I surely [D] would,
Stand on the rock where [G] Moses stood.
[C] Pharaoh’s army got [G] drowned,
[G] Oh, [D] Mary, don’t you [G] weep.

CH X 2

One of these morns about twelve o’ clock
This old world is going to reel and rock
Pharaoh’s army got drowned,
Oh, Mary, don’t you weep.

CH X 3

Down by the Riverside

This is a great old spiritual that has new meaning every time there is a conflict in the world. We recorded this live at the Fairfield concert hall in Croydon England on June 30, 2004. The audience is singing very well.
Lyrics:
[G] Gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
[D] Down by the riverside
[G] Down by the riverside
Gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
Down [D] by the [G] riverside
refrain
I ain’t gonna [C] study war no more,
I ain’t gonna [G] study war no more,
Study war no [D] more.
I ain’t gonna [C] study war no more,
I ain’t gonna [G] study war no more,
Study [D] war no [G] more.
Gonna walk with the Prince of Peace
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
refrain
Gonna put on my long white robe;
Down By the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Gonna put on my long white robe; Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside

Ezekiel Saw A Wheel

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Image Credit: http://www.untiedmusic.com/ezekiel/

This is a spiritual I learned many years ago at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. It refers to a part of the Old Testament where Ezekiel sees a vision of concentric wheels floating in space. They have many properties attributed to flying saucers. It makes one wonder whether people who claim to see flying saucers are seeing into a spiritual dimension. There are many mysteries.

I have recorded this song in the new genre Pho-Kop to coincide with the April 1, 2004 release of my new CD 'Limited Edition' where Pho-Kop first appears in the song 'Shady Grove.'

Trad., Arr. R. McGuinn / McGuinn Music (BMI) 2004

Lyrics:
[G] Ezekiel saw a wheel, way up in the middle of the air

Ezekiel saw a wheel way in the [D] middle of the [G] air

Little wheel run by faith, big wheel run by the grace of God

Ezekiel saw a wheel way in the [D] middle of the [G] air

He's Got The Whole World In His Hands

In these troubled times it’s reassuring to know that, He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands.
Lyrics:
He’s got the [G] whole world in His hands

He’s got the [D7} whole world in His hands

He’s got the [G] whole world in His hands

He’s got the whole world [D7] in His [G] hands

He’s got the wind and the rain in His hands

He’s got the wind and the rain in His hands

He’s got the wind and the rain in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the Little Bitty Baby in His hands

He’s got the Little Bitty Baby in His hands

He’s got the Little Bitty Baby in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got you and me brother in His hands

He’s got you and me sister in His hands

He’s got you and me brother in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the earth and the sky in His hands

He’s got the earth and the sky in His hands

He’s got the earth and the sky in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the young and the old in His hands

He’s got the young and the old in His hands

He’s got the young and the old in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the rich and poor in His hands

He’s got the rich and poor in His hands

He’s got the rich and poor in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got everybody in His hands

He’s got everybody in His hands

He’s got everybody in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

He’s got the whole world in His hands

12 Gates To The City

This is an old southern spiritual, inspired by the Bible’s Revelation chapter 21.

Revelation 21 – King James Version ( Public Domain)

Lyrics:
[Em] Oh, what a beautiful city.
[B7] Oh, what a beautiful city
[Em] Oh, what a beautiful city
[Em] Twelve gates to the city, [B7] – [[Em] Hallelujah

Three gates in the east,
Three gates in the west,
Three gates in the north
Three gates in the south
[Em] Twelve gates to the city, [B7] – [[Em] Hallelujah

Who are those children dressed in red?
There’s twelve gates to the city, Hallelujah
Must be the children that Moses led
There’s twelve gates to the city, Hallelujah

My Jesus done just what He said
There’s twelve gates to the city, Hallelujah
He healed the sick and He raised the dead.
There’s twelve gates to the city, Hallelujah

When the Saints Go Marching In

Lyrics:
[G] I am just a lonesome [C] traveller,
[G] Through this big wide world of [D] sin;
[G] Want to join that grand [C] procession,
When the [G] saints go [D] marchin'[G] in.

Oh when the [G] saints go marchin’in,Oh when the [G] saints go marchin'[D] in,
[G] Lord I want to be in that [C] number
When the [G] saints go [D] marchin’ [G] in.

All my folks have gone before me,
All my friends and all my kin;
But I’ll meet with them up yonder,
When the saints go marchin’in.

|: Oh when the saints go marchin’in, 😐
Lord I want to be in that number,
When the saints go marchin’in.

Come and join me in my journey,
’cause it’s time that we begin;
And we’ll be there for that judgement,
When the saints go marchin’in.

|: Oh when the saints go marchin’in, 😐
We will be in line for that judgement,
When the saints go marchin’in.

|: And when the stars begin to shine 😐
Then Lord let me be in that number
And when the stars begin to shine

|: When Gabriel blows in his horn 😐
Then Lord let me be in that number
When Gabriel blows in his horn

|: And when the sun refuse to shine 😐
Then Lord let me be in that number
When the sun refuse to shine

|: And when the moon has turned to blood 😐
Then Lord let me be in that number
When the moon has turned to blood

|: And when they crown Him King of Kings 😐
Then Lord let me be in that number
When they crown Him King of Kings