No. 210 Old Ship of Zion (B) Or Happy Sailor, Hh 355
Heptatonic ionian, mode 3 A + b (I II III IV V VI VII)
Come along, come along and let us go home;
O glory hallelujah!
Our home is over Jordan, hallelujah!
Our home is over Jordan,
Hallelujah!
What ship is this that will take us all home?
O glory hallelujah!
’Tis the old ship of Zion etc.
Do you think she’ll be able to take us all home?
I think she’ll be able etc.
We have some friends who’re gone before;
By and by we’ll go and see them.
If you get there before I do,
You may tell them that I’m coming.
What will the Christian do when his lamp burns out?
Go shouting home to heaven.
It is found also in OSH 388. Negro adoptions under the same tide are Dett, p. 81, and Slave Songs, p. 125. For additional stanzas of the text see ‘Old Ship of Zion (A)’. The Sacred Harp (1844) version of the text begins:
Come tell me of your ship and what is her name?
Oh, tell me happy sailor.
Come tell me of your captain and what is his fame?
Oh, tell me happy sailor.
She’s the old ship of Zion, hallelu, hallelu,
And her captain, Judah’s Lion, hallelujah.
An interesting dressing-up of this straightforward folk-text came from Boston in Dadmun’s Melodeon in 1860, p. 102, where we read:
What vessel are you sailing in?
Pray tell me its name;
Our vessel is the ark of God,
And Christ our Captain’s name.
How old the American versions of the ‘Ship of Zion’ songs are I have not been able to learn. Newman I. White points to versions in the 1820’s (American Negro Folk-Songs, p. 94).
An early use of the same allegory in religious song is seen in the German folksong collection of Erk and Böhme, Deutschyer Liederhort, vol. iii., p. 628f. I find no melodic similarities between the German and the American songs; but the texts show remarkable parallels. To make this clear I shall cite a few of the German stanzas, comparing with them passages taken from various “ship” songs as sung by whites and blacks in America.
From a German manuscript of 1470-1480
Uf einem stillen wage
kumpt uns das schiffelin,
es bringt uns riche gabe
die heren künigin.
Das schiflin das gat stille
und bringt uns richen last,
der segel ist diu minne,
der heilig geist der mast.
American “ship” songs
O she runs so level and steady.
O see that ship come sailing.
Dat ship is heavy loaded.
King Jesus is the captain.
O she runs so level and steady.
Dat ship is heavy loaded.
Behold the sails expanded,
Around the towering mast.
A song from the year 1608
Uns kompt ein Schiff gefahren,
Es bringt ein schöne Last,
Darauf viel Engelscharen
Und hat ein großen Mast.
O see that ship come sailing.
Dat ship is heavy loaded.
She’s loaded with bright angels.