Biblical Songs

do re mi
  • Babylon's fallin' (Revelation18:1-24)
    (Bradford 1978: 5)
  • Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4
De Ole Ark a-Moverin' Along


Fenner & Rathbun 1901: 77-78
also in Bradford 1978: 6
Genesis 6:11-8:19
Here a diatonic coda on the last stanza is omitted.

Lord's Prayer


Marsh 1903: 222

do re mi so
  • Why don't you let God's people go?
    (McIlhenny 1933: 250 Bradford 1978: 36)
do re mi so la
  • Old Ark, The (variant of Ole Ark a-moverin' along)
    (Genesis 6:11-8:19) (Creighton 1966: 164-165)
I'm So Glad Trouble Don't Last Alway



Dett Religious Folk Songs 1927: 235
John 3:1-21

do re mi so la do

Hear Me Praying


New Jubilee Melodies c 1923: 105
Matthew 16:18, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23, John 21:16-17

do re mi so la do re
  • Dese bones gwine rise again (Genesis 1:27-3:24)
    (Lomax 1960: 476)
  • These bones gonna rise again (variant of above)
    (Lynn: 309)

re mi so la do re mi
  • God's Ark a-movin'! (Genesis 6:11-8:19) (Ritchie 1964b: 72-73)

so do re mi so la
  • Ezekiel saw the wheel (Ezekiel 1:15-20) (Lynn 1963: 314; Brocklehurst 1968: 28)
  • One more river to cross (Genesis 6:11-8:19)
    (Lynn: 326, Bradford 1978: 103; Brocklehurst 1968: 34)

so do mi so do

Who is on the Lord's side


Allen, Ward, & Garrison 1867: 56
Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-2:11

so do re mi so la

  • Noah's Ark (Rodeheaver 1918: 20)

so la do re mi
  • Ezekial saw a wheel (variant of above)
    (Ezekiel 1:15-20)(Thurman & Hazlewood 1957: 22-23)
  • Ezekiel saw the wheel (another variant of above)
    (Ezekiel 1:15-20) (Kolb & Kolb 1948: 208)
  • Lord is my shepherd, The (Psalm 23) (Work, F. J. 1902: 223)
  • Sinner man (Genesis 28:11-19) (Sharp 1932, vol. 2: 291)
  • Who built the Ark? (Genesis 6:11-8:19)
    (National Jubilee Melodies c 1923: 107)
  • Michael slew the dragon (Revelation 12: 1-9)
    (Cohen, L. Y. 1928: 139-140, Bradford 1978: 45)
In the River of Jordan


Marsh: 153
Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22

la do re mi
  • Who built the ark? (Genesis 6:11-8:19)
    (Bolton 1929: #22, National Jubilee Melodies c 1923: 107,
    Chamberlain & Harrington 1900: 123, Randolph 1982 vol. 2: #294,
    Bradford 1978: 20)
  • Noah's ark (setting for Orff ensemble)
    (Genesis 6:11-8:19) (Rees 1959: 14-15)
Wheel in a Wheel


National Jubilee Melodies c 1923: 46-47
Ezekiel 1:15-20
also in Bradford 1978: 18

so la do mi so
  • Little David (I Samuel 16:23, Joshua 1:1, Jonah 1)
    (Barton 1899b: 26, Rodeheaver 1918: 35; Bradford 1978: 113)
so la do re mi so
  • Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel (Daniel 6:16-23)
    (Brocklehurst 1968: 27)
  • My Lord delivered Daniel (Daniel 6:16-23)
    (Fenner & Rathbun 1901: 21)
  • Old Moses smote de waters (Exodus 14:16-30)
    (Randolph vol. 2: 373-374)
  • Story of Noah, The (variant of Who built the Ark?)
    (Genesis 6:11-8:19) (Niles Smith: 16-17)
  • When Moses smote the water (Exodus 14:16-30) (Pike #215) There were Ten Virgins




    Fenner 1874: 90-91
    Matthew 1:1-13

    I am de Truth an' de Light


    McIlhenny 1933: 120-122)
    John 11:1-44

    so la do re mi so la
    • Ezekiel's wheel (Ezekiel 1:15-20) (Grissom 1969: 32-33)
    A Wheel in a Wheel


    Dett RFS: 184
    also in Fenner 1874: 110, Fenner & Rathbun 1901: 110
    Ezekiel 1:15-20

    la do re mi so la

    Fisherman Peter


    Diton 1930: #20
    also in Bradford 1978: 62
    Matthew 4:18-20, Mark 1:16-18, Luke 5:10, Genesis 32, Hosea 12, John 20: 24-29

    so la do re mi so la do
    • Little David (I Samuel 16:23, I Samuel 17:40-50, Joshua 1:1)
      (Fenner & Rathbun 1901: 139, National Jubilee Melodies c 1923: 100; Brocklehurst 1968: 32)
    I Wish I Had Died in Egypt Land


    National Jubilee Melodies c 1923: 115
    Exodus 14:11-12

    Sing Aho That I Had the Wings of a Dove


    A note at the bottom of the page reads:

    When the preacher has worked his auditors up to a high degree of excitement, he will often break off and extemporize some song, with his text as its basis, in which the audience joins, and then at the end of it will go on "exhorting" agin. this song, which is one of the most beautiful of our collection, was compsed in this way in Robertson County, Tennessee. It seemed at first crude and unavailable but as it was sung over and over again gradually reached its present musical form.


    New Jubilee Melodies c 1923: 27

    Psalm 55:6, Matthew 27:56, March 15:40-41, Luke 23:49, John 19:25
    (It might be interesting to compare this song with the Mendelssohn setting of Psalm 55.)

    Ezekial Said Here Was a Wheel in a Wheel


    Diton 1930: #26
    Ezekial 1:15-20

    la do mi so la do

    Daniel Saw the Stone


    Work, J. W. 1940: 121
    Daniel 2:31-39

    la do re mi so la do

    • When Adam was created (Genesis 1:27-2:21-22)
      (Sharp & Karpeles 1968)
    Daniel's in de Lion's Den


    McIlhenny 1933: 77-78
    Daniel 6:16-23

    mi la do re mi so la

    May the Lord, Mighty God

    Chinese folk song available here.
    Involves two contrapuntal voices.
    Psalm 29:11

    John's on de Island on His Knees


    Sinner dead-er starvin' on his knees, etc.
    REFRAIN

    You can't starve a Christian on his knees, etc.
    REFRAIN

    You can't harm a Christian on his knees, etc.
    REFRAIN

    You can't starve a Christian on his knees, etc.
    REFRAIN

    He's cryin' Lord have mercy on his knees, etc.
    REFRAIN

    John saw de number on his knees, etc.
    REFRAIN

    McIlhenny 1933: 154-156

    Revelation 1:9

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