“Tossed and Driven (The Poor Pilgrim)”

Description

"I am a poor pilgrim of sorrow, I am left in this wide world to roam... I've started to make Heaven my home." "Sometimes I'm so tossed and driven. Sometimes I know not where to roam." The singer has left his family; after death he hopes to see them again

Notes

This song instantly made me think of "Man of Constant Sorrow," and also of "Wayfaring Stranger," but I cannot tell if there is any connection. And "pilgrim" songs all sound alike somehow. - RBW

George Pullen Jackson sees a resemblance between this song and the one we've indexed as "Green Mossy Banks of the Lea". Maybe. - PJS

Cross references

Recordings

  • I. D. Beck & congregation, "Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow" (on LomaxCD1704)

References

  1. Randolph 610, "Tossed and Driven" (2 text plus a fragment, 1 tune)
  2. BrownIII 643, "Tossed and Driven" (1 text, a seemingly-simplified form with the same chorus but the verses consist of advice from relatives: "(Father/Mother/Sister/Brother) told me when he was dying... Dear daughter, live for Jesus; This world is not my home")
  3. Roud #5425
  4. BI, R610

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1926 (Randolph)
Keywords: religious death travel
Found in: US(Ap,So)