“Where Is Old Elijah? (The Hebrew Children, The Promised Land)”

Description

"Where oh where is old Elijah? (x3) 'Way over in the Promised Land. He went up in a fiery chariot (x3) 'Way over in the promised land. By and by we will go and see him...." Unrelated verses on Biblical themes, e.g. "Where are the Hebrew children"

Supplemental text

Where Is Old Elijah? (The Hebrew Children, The Promised Land)
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

Safe At Home in the Promised Land


From Harvey H. Fuson, Ballads of the Kentucky Highlands, p. 205.
"From singing of Mrs. Louisa Moses."

Where now is good old Moses,
Where now is good old Moses,
Where now is good old Moses,
Safe at home in the Promised Land.

(5 additional stanzas)

          *** B ***

From H. M. Belden, Ballads and Songs Collected by the
Missouri Folk-Lore Society, 1955 edition, pp. 458-459.
Supplied by G. C. Broadhead.

Where, oh  where are the good old patriarchs?
Where, oh  where are the good old patriarchs?
Where, oh  where are the good old patriarchs?
Safely over in the promised land.
By and by we will go and meet them,
By and by we will go and meet them,
By and by we will go and meet them,
Way yonder in the promised land.

(5 additional stanzas)

          *** C ***

Where O Where is Old Elijah?

From Carl Sandburg, The American Songbag, pp. 92-93. "[F]rom
Lloyd Lewis, Free Quaker, and former and early resident of
Pendleton, Indiana."

Where O where is old Elijah?
Where O where is old Elijah?
Where O where is old Elijah?
'Way over in the promised land.
  He went up in a fiery chariot,
  He went up in a fiery chariot,
  He went up in a fiery chariot,
  'Way over in the promised land.

Refrain:
By and by we will go and see him,
By and by we will go and see him,
By and by we will go and see him,
'Way over in the promised land.

Where O where are the Hebrew children?
Where O where are the Hebrew children?
Where O where are the Hebrew children?
'Way over in the promised land.
  They went up in the fiery furnace,
  They went up in the fiery furnace,
  They went up in the fiery furnace,
  'Way over in the promised land.

(2 additional stanzas)

Notes

Elijah's transportation to heaven in a fiery chariot is described in 2 Kings 2:11.

Absalom's rebellion against his father David occupies 2 Samuel 15-18 (Absalom's death occurs in 18:9-18); the extended story of David's sin and its consequences, including the rebellion, occupies 2 Samuel 11-19.

According to the Sacred Harp, the tune is by Peter Cartwright (1785-1872), and is known as "Hebrew Children." No author is listed for the words, however, and the versions show strong variations. Fred W. Allsopp, in _Folklore of Romantic Arkansas_, Volume II, p. 160, says that it has been sung by "professional minstels." - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "The Paw-Paw Patch" (tune & meter)

References

1. BrownIII 646, "Way Over in the Promised Land" (1 text)
2. Belden, pp. 457-459, "The Promised Land" (2 texts, 1 tune, the second text purporting to be a translation into an Indian language though neither Belden nor I can say which one)
3. Fuson, pp. 205-206, "Safe at Home in the Promised Land" (1 text)
4. Sandburg, pp. 92-93, "Where O Where Is Old Elijah?" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. ADDITIONAL: Fred W. Allsopp, Folklore of Romantic Arkansas, Volume II (1931), p. 160, "(Where, Oh, where is Elijah?" (1 short text)
6. ST San092 (Partial)
7. Roud #4213
8. BI, San092