Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Oh Death(3)
Oh Death (3)
Oh Death (3)
Just look, just look, just look, see what the Lord done, done
Just look, just look, just look, what the Lord done, done
Just look, well, Lordy, just look, just look what the Lord done done
Lord, I know, Lord, I know my time ain't long
It was soon one morning, oh, Lordy, when death come in the room (x3)
Lord, I know etc
Oh, hush, oh, hush, oh, hush, oh, hush, somebody's calling me (x3)
Lord, I know etc
It was soon one morning, oh, Lordy, when death come in the room (x3)
Lord, I know etc
Oh, death, oh, death, oh, death, oh, death done stole my mother and gone (x3)
Lord, I know etc
Oh, move my pillow, then turn my bed around (x3)
Lord, I know etc
Oh, hush, oh, hush, oh, hush, oh, hush somebody is calling me (x3)
Lord, I know etc
Source: original recording by Patton and Lee (Charley Patton and Bertha Lee) New
York City 1 February 1934. Issued as Vocalion Vo 02904.
The above transcription is as printed in John Fahey 'Charley Patton' Studio Vist
a 1970.
Charley Patton's 'Oh Death', done with Bertha Lee, is nothing like Dock Boggs' v
ersion. Patton's recording may be found on the late John Fahey's magnificent com
pilation 'American Primitive Vol 1: Raw Pre-War Gospel' Revenant 206. It is also
on Charley Patton 'King of the Delta Blues' Yazoo CD 2001. Bertha Lee takes the
lead with Patton supplying vocal interjections. Stephen Calt and Don Kent put i
t well in their notes to the Yazoo: 'The call and response format, with the bott
leneck as a third voice and the simple but foreboding text, creates an eerie if
not disturbing atmosphere.
PS