If you want to get to heaven
Over on the other shore
Stay out of the way of the blood-stained bandit
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
One for Paul
One for Silas
One for to make my heart rejoice
Can't you hear my lambs a-callin’?
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
If you want to get to heaven
Over on the other shore
Stay out of the way of the long-tongue liar
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
One for Paul
One for Silas
One for to make my heart rejoice
Can't you hear my lambs a-callin’?
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
If you want to get to heaven
Over on the other shore
Stay out of the way of the gun shot devil
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
One for Paul
One for Silas
One for to make my heart rejoice
Can't you hear my lambs a-callin’?
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
Over on the other shore
Stay out of the way of the blood-stained bandit
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
One for Paul
One for Silas
One for to make my heart rejoice
Can't you hear my lambs a-callin’?
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
If you want to get to heaven
Over on the other shore
Stay out of the way of the long-tongue liar
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
One for Paul
One for Silas
One for to make my heart rejoice
Can't you hear my lambs a-callin’?
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
If you want to get to heaven
Over on the other shore
Stay out of the way of the gun shot devil
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
One for Paul
One for Silas
One for to make my heart rejoice
Can't you hear my lambs a-callin’?
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
Contributed by Dead End - 2012/7/11 - 14:34
Language: English
Il testo cantato da Blind Jimmie Strothers, da Bluegrass Messengers
BLOOD-STRAINED BANDERS
If you want to go to heaven
Just over on the other shore,
Keep out the way of the blood-strained banders
O good Shepherd, feedin' my sheep.
Some for Paul, some for Silas
Some for to make-a my heart rejoice;
Don't you hear lambs a-cryin'?
O good Shepherd, feedin' my sheep.
If you want to go to heaven
Just over on the other shore,
Keep out the way of the gunshot devils
O good Shepherd, feedin' my sheep.
Some for Paul, some for Silas
Some for to make-a my heart rejoice;
Don't you hear lambs a-cryin'?
O good Shepherd, feedin' my sheep.
If you want to go to heaven
Just over on the other shore,
Keep out the way of the long-tongued liars
O good Shepherd, feedin' my sheep.
If you want to go to heaven
Just over on the other shore,
Keep out the way of the blood-strained banders
O good Shepherd, feedin' my sheep.
Some for Paul, some for Silas
Some for to make-a my heart rejoice;
Don't you hear lambs a-cryin'?
O good Shepherd, feedin' my sheep.
If you want to go to heaven
Just over on the other shore,
Keep out the way of the gunshot devils
O good Shepherd, feedin' my sheep.
Some for Paul, some for Silas
Some for to make-a my heart rejoice;
Don't you hear lambs a-cryin'?
O good Shepherd, feedin' my sheep.
If you want to go to heaven
Just over on the other shore,
Keep out the way of the long-tongued liars
O good Shepherd, feedin' my sheep.
Contributed by Dead End - 2012/7/11 - 14:35
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
Dall’album “Volunteers”
Arrangiamento di Jorma Kaukonen
“Alla larga dai banditi sanguinari, alla larga dalle false linguacce, alla larga dal demone delle armi da fuoco!”
La ragione delle due date differenti è che questa famosa e bellissima canzone dei Jefferson Airplane non è che una riproposizione in chiave psichedelica di "The Blood Strained Banders" – nota anche come "Keep Away from the Bloodstained Banders" (“Alla larga dai banditi macchiati di sangue!”) - una canzone che fu registrata nel 1936 dal mitico Alan Lomax (etnomusicologo, antropologo e produttore discografico cui si deve il salvataggio e la trasmissione ai posteri di gran parte della cultura musicale – afroamericana, in particolare – degli Stati del sud degli USA) in una “prison-farm” di Lynn, Virginia, dalla voce di Blind Jimmie Strothers, un afroamericano cieco lì detenuto per aver fatto a pezzi la moglie a colpi d’ascia (menati – evidentemente – “alla cieca”…). Strothers aveva perso la vista dopo essere stato investito da un’esplosione in miniera e da allora aveva imparato a suonare il banjo a quattro corde e a cantare (e ad usare bene pure l’accetta!)
La canzone interpretata da Strothers fu inclusa nell’Archivio di Cultura Popolare della Biblioteca del Congresso statunitense ed è stata pubblicata più volte a partire dal 1942, da ultimo nella raccolta “Afro-American Spirituals, Work Songs & Ballads” del 1998.
La musica del brano originario, poi totalmente stravolta da Kaukonen, faceva riferimento ad un paio di celebri inni sacri ottocenteschi, “Let Thy Kingdom, Blessed Savior” e “Good Shepherd”.
Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953), madre di Pete, Mike e Peggy e quanti altri, poco prima di morire raccolse a sua volta il brano trascrivendolo con il titolo di "Don't You Hear The Lambs A-Crying?"
Nel 1963 il figlio Pete lo riprese e ne modificò il testo per renderlo più politicamente impegnato, intitolandolo "If You Want To Go To Freedom".
(fonti: Bluegrass Messengers ed en.wikipedia)