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Ask the Watchman How Long/How Long Watchman
See Also: How Long Watchman
Traditional Old-Time Spiritual;
ARTIST: Janie Hunter and the Moving Star Hall Congregation from Carawan, Guy & Candie (eds.) "Ain't You Got A Right to the Tree of Life," Univ. of Georgia, Sof (1989/1966), p 84
Sheet Music: http://books.google.com/books?id=ArEVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA710&dq=%22How+Long+watchman%22&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&cd=9
Sheet music Carawan: http://books.google.com/books?id=_JB9WDAfK_wC&pg=PA84&dq=Ask+the+Watchman+How+Long&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&cd=1
CATEGORY: Traditional And Public Domain Gospel;
DATE: 1800s;
RECORDING INFO: Ask the Watchman How Long
Rt - How Long Watchman
Hunter, Janie; and the Moving Star Hall Congregation. Carawan, Guy & Candie (eds.) / Ain't You Got A Right to the Tree of Life, Univ. of Georgia, Sof (1989/1966), p 84
[1963- Askogen Danbana Schottische
How Long Watchman - Dalglish, Malcolm/Traditional
Rt - Midnight Cry; Ask the Watchman How Long
Dalglish, Malcolm. Hymnody of Earth, Musical Heritage MHS 912926Z, LP (1991), trk# B.07
OTHER NAMES: "You Got The Right"
SOURCES: Folk Index;
NOTES: "Ask the Watchman How Long" usually titled "How Long Watchman," is an early African-American spiritual. "Ask the Watchman How Long" by the Moving Star Hall Singers Been is on the CD "Storm So Long: A Collection of Spirituals, Folk Tales and Children's Games from Johns Island, SC." Collectors Guy and Candie Carawan's documented the folklife of Johns Island, South Carolina and discovered many old songs that were preserved on the island.
In 1898 William Barton published a version titled "How Long Watch-A-Man?" [See link above]. This spiritual is related to the "How Long" blues versions and other "How Long" songs [see "How Long Watchman" for more info].
ASK THE WATCHMAN HOW LONG?- The Moving Star Hall Singers
[Leader] Ask the watchman how long?
[Group] How long brother how long?
[Leader] Oh, we don't know how long?
[Group] Oh, how long brother how long?
[Leader] Well all my neighbors, how long?
[Group] How long brother how long?
[Leader] Oh, we don't know how long?
[Group] Oh, how long brother how long?
[Leader] Brother Jenkins, how long?
[Group] How long brother how long?
[Leader] Oh, we don't know how long?
[Group] Oh, how long brother how long?
[Leader] Oh soon it will be over, how long? etc.
Oh, how long, how long,
How long Watchman, how long?
How long, how long,
How long Watchman, how long?
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