Soon One Mornin' Death Come Creepin'

Words & Music:

Traditional American

 

This song was collected from Vera Hall & Dock Reed, AL, 1917 and published in Our Singing Country by Alan Lomax.  It is posted on the wonderful Mudcat Cafe Digital Trad page and the Traditionalmusic.co.uk page.  The most famous rendition of it in recent years is the stark, haunting slide version by Mississippi Fred McDowell.  It is a simple, one-chord song and is best played as a no3 chord (A5 or E5) so it is neither major nor minor.

 

Soon one mornin' death come creepin' in my room.

Soon one mornin' death come creepin' in my room.

Soon one mornin' death come creepin' in my room.

O my Lord, O my Lord, what shall l do to be saved?

 

Death done been here, tuck my mother an' gone.

Death done been here, tuck my mother an' gone.

Death done been here, tuck my mother an' gone.

O my Lord, O my Lord, what shall l do to be saved?

 

Death done been here, left me a motherless child.

Death done been here, left me a motherless child.

Death done been here, left me a motherless child.

O my Lord, O my Lord, what shall l do to be saved?

 

Don't move my pillow until my Jesus comes.

Don't move my pillow until my Jesus comes.

Don't move my pillow until my Jesus comes.

O my Lord, O my Lord, what shall l do to be saved?

 

When Jesus comes, you can turn my bed around.

When Jesus comes, you can turn my bed around.

When Jesus comes, you can turn my bed around.

O my Lord, O my Lord, what shall l do to be saved?

 

I'm so glad I got my religion in time.

I'm so glad I got my religion in time.

I'm so glad I got my religion in time.

O my Lord, O my Lord, what shall l do to be saved?