581. I Am Bound for the Promised Land

1 Am r>()uxi) FOR THE Promised Land

Jackson in DESO 11V16 states that the text is by Samuel Sten-
nett (17 '7-9^) and remarks that the tmie he prints, "practically
identical with the old Scottish 'The Boatie Rows,' " was a favorite
of the blackface minstrels and appears in 'Kingdom Coming iq.v ).
The followim? text lacks 11. -:.-^2, 25-32 of the text reprinted by
Jackson hut has a chorus not in the Stennett te.xt. Jackson WMb

 

630 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

208 gives the first stanza and a chorus practically identical with the
following. This version, he savs, is found in The Sacred Harp
(1844).

From the John Biirch Blaylock Collection.

1 On Jordan's stormy bank I stand,
And cast a wistftil eye ;

To Canaan's fair and happy land
Where my possessions lie.

Chorus:

1 am hound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land.
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.

2 All o'er those wide extended plains
Shines one eternal day ;

There God. the Sun, forever reigns,
And scatters night away.

3 No chilling winds, nor poisonoits breath,
Can reach that healthful shore ;
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death.
Are felt and feared no more.

4 When shall I reach that hai)py place.
And be forever blest?

When shall I see my Father's face.
And in His bosom rest?
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581
I Am Bound for the Promised Land

'I'm Bound for the Promised Land.' Sung by Bascom Lamar Lunsford,
Turkey Creek, Buncombe county, about 1921. Lunsford sings this like a
v;eary and very old man, who is hardly able to speak the words. The texts
of the two stanzas are entirely different from the printed version in III 630.
Although in different meter, there is nevertheless a certain rhythmical similarity
with a version of this song given in FSRA 152, No. 86. More important, how-
ever, is the contrasting text and musical mood. Our version begins with a
question, the other with a strong and assured statement. The former is more
modal, the latter in a major tonality ! Cf. also WNS 218, No. 104 with reference
to our second stanza.

F-510

Am I a sol - dier- of the Cross- fol - low - er of the Lamb?
And- shall I — fear to —

own His- cause Or — blush to — speak His- name.

I am bound for the prom - ised — land,-

I  am bound for the prom - ised land. Oh, — who will- come and-

go-with me?- I am bound for the prom-ised land.

For melodic relationship cf. ***OFS iv, 62; WNS 208, the last five
measures of chorus and stanza are melodically almost identical ; FSUSA 350 ;
SOCG 59 and 76; **SHIS 37, measures 5-8 and 13-16 in our version are
closely related to measures 5-8 there.

Scale: Hexatonic (6). Tonal Center: d(m). Structure: aaibca^a^b^c
(2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2) = aba^b^ (4,4,4,4). The tonal center is the lowest tone.

2nd stanza :
When I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies,
I bid farewell to ev'ry fear
And wipe my weeping eyes.