Incidentally, Jackson has the treble and alto tune from Hauser, as well as the chorus and first two verses. Hauser's 1848 preface to the 1874 edition of The Hesperian Harp still describes that 1874 edition as to the number of pages my point is that the 1859 early date I have from Jackson should probably be 1848. 50)" (George Pullin Jackson, Another Sheaf of White Spirituals (Gainesville: University of Florida Press, 1952)). 137, "Babylon Is Fallen": "The Shakers enjoyed the song as early as 1813 (see their Millenial Praises, Hancock, Mass., p. Maultsby's point is not about rhyming but that there are no refrain lines, no repeated lines, and no choruses.
For example, in John Wesley's Hymn Book of the United Methodist Free Churches (London: William Reed, 1861 ("Digitized by Google")): of Hymns 1 through 28 the 26 by Charles Wesley are all rhymed the remaining 2, by Isaac Watts and Samuel Wesley Sr also rhyme after that, as far as I can tell, the book is filled with rhyming hymns. I take that not to be referring to rhyme, but to non-repetitive lines. Maultsby writes that hymn structure has four different lines of text (a, b, c, d). The use of refrain lines as found in the above textual structures allowed for continuous participation of all congregational members in the singing of spirituals." On the other hand, textual structures common to spiritual texts include the alternation of different lines of text with recurring lines of text (a b c b and a b a c), three repeated lines of text followed by a different line of text (a a a b), and the alternation of a recurring line of text with another recurring line of text (a b a b). The difference between the Hauser and Dett versions illustrates the structural difference Maultsby defines between white and Black Protestant hymns: "Although exceptions may be found, the most common textual structure found in hymns consists of four different lines of text: a, b, c, and d. 413-414, citing the work of Richard Allen, early in the nineteenth century). 3 (Sep 1975 (available online by JSTOR)), pp. Maultsby, "Music of Northern Independent Black Churches during the Ante-Bellum Period" in Ethnomusicology, Vol. While these changes may be the "folk process" in action, changes like these were sometimes introduced by Black hymn writers and hymnal printers (see, for example, Portia K. Dett's verse is a couplet with "Babylon's fallin', to rise no more" after each couplet line. To go in peace an' sin no more" and "If you get dere before I do, Tell all my friends I'm comin' too." The form of Dett's verse is also changed and follows a familiar Black call and response format. Dett replaces Hauser's verses with two floaters: "Oh, Jesus tell you once before. NOTES : The Biblical prophecies of Babylon's fall are fulfilled in Daniel 5:30-31. 291, "Babylon Is Fallen" (1 text, 1 tune) Collins, 1874 ("Digitized by Internet Archive")), p. 248-249 in the 1874 edition)ĪDDITIONAL: William Hauser, The Hesperian Harp (Philadelphia: S.C. 2, "Babylon's Fallin'" (1 text, 1 tune pp. KEYWORDS: floatingverses nonballad religious Bible Jesusĭett/Fenner/Rathbun/Cleveland-ReligiousFolkSongsOfTheNegro-HamptonInstitute, p. Saints, throngs, elders shout "hallelujah," "the loud and long amen"ĮARLIEST DATE: 1859 (_The Hesperian Harp_, according to Jackson see notes) 1813 (see notes) Babylon Is Fallen (I) Babylon Is Fallen (I)ĭESCRIPTION: Chorus: "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, is fallen! Babylon is fallen, to rise no more!" Verses: "Hail the day so long expected." Babylonians cry, trade and traffic die, all in one day.