Wade in the Water

Poststructural Pub
1

I went to a Catholic mass tonight and we sang a song called “Wade in the Water.” If I remember, it was in the key of G. Does anybody here know this song? I want to find other recordings of it. It was absolutely beautiful.

2

Google “hymn wade water” and you should get a couple of choices. Words are on at least one and music is on the one that says Christian midi hymns (www.breadsite.com).

3

:slight_smile: I just finished practicing that one because it is on my list for tomorrow.

They did this song because tomorrow is Epiphany 1(the Baptism of Christ) I would guess. Our (Episcopal) music/lessons usually follow the same as there’s.

I’ve decided that since I am playing Wade In the Water tomorrow, I’d do all similar tunes for the service. So tomorrow my folks are getting to sing- On Jordan’s Stormy Banks, Wade in the Water, and Down By the Riverside. I’m doing Deep River for offfertory and Give Me Jesus for communion. On occasion I like doing a whole service of spiritual tunes.

The first time I ever heard Wade in the Water was on Sanford and Sons. I’ve loved it ever since.

Here ya go-
Judy Henske

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKjkUPzui7A

a choir version- I love this one-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNmYXUXPyVk&feature=related

choir and dance-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n-DH7cOG24&feature=related

yertube’s got bunches of them

4

My favorite version is by Eva Cassidy. I don’t know if it’s on YouTube. You can get it from iTunes but I think I’m remembering that you are not an iTunes-er.

5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Logw58qUw-U

6

THANK YOU!! :slight_smile:

7

HMMM… we did the same thing at Mass tonight. Must be catching

8

LOL!

9

Catholics are celebrating the Baptism of Jesus this weekend. We didn’t use that song at our Mass. We stick with songs in the misslette and hymnal. If that song was in the hymnal, we’d a done it.

Did you say the Lord’s prayer right or did you forget to put on the brakes?

10

I didn’t say it.

11

Today (Monday) I found a CD with Judy Henske’s version of the song on it and bought it, on eBay. I keep listening to this song. It’s so beautiful. It almost makes me want to get baptized!

12

Is the hymn the same as the Negro Spiritual about the parting of the Red Sea
(and secretly about how to avoid dogs and trackers by using rivers and creeks
to cover your tracks)?

13

I don’t know…I don’t think so.

14

I cannot open the Youtube links right now, but the Spiritual’s lyrics are below.

negrospirituals.com

Wade in the water
Wade in the water, children,
Wade in the water
God’s a-going to trouble the water

See that host all dressed in white
God’s a-going to trouble the water
The leader looks like the Israelite
God’s a-going to trouble the water

See that band all dressed in red
God’s a-going to trouble the water
Looks like the band that Moses led
God’s a-going to trouble the water

Look over yonder, what do you see?
God’s a-going to trouble the water
The Holy Ghost a-coming on me
God’s a-going to trouble the water

If you don’t believe I’ve been redeemed
God’s a-going to trouble the water
Just follow me down to the Jordan’s stream
God’s a-going to trouble the water

As far as being coded, It doesen’t seem as useful as ‘The Drinking Gourd’ .

15

Yes it is…if it’s the same song on those videos.

Redwolf

16

Perhaps, but I’ve always wondered about anyone fooled by The Drinking
Gourd. Not very heavily encoded, that one.

  • The river bed makes a mighty fine road,
    Dead trees to show you the way
    And it’s left foot, peg foot, traveling on
    Follow the drinking gourd

The river ends between two hills
Follow the drinking gourd
There’s another river on the other side
Follow the drinking gourd

Nah, it’s cool Mr. Slaveowner, that’s just a spiritual.
Seriously? Sounds like a treasure map.

17

:laughing: I’ve always wondered about that, too. Were the slaveholders, uh, not all that bright, or just not paying attention?

Tom

18

They may not have been able to understand each others style of speech.

19

I’m not a slaveowner so I can’t speak for them but I can often miss what the words of songs are. Rock lyrics are really difficult to understand and I never had any clue what Blondie was singing about in the 80’s. One of my friends and I joke that if a song has a pretty melody and harmony, it could be a song about clubbing baby seals and we’d never know it.

20

You and Id make a good point.