Jacob's Ladder (I)

DESCRIPTION: "I am (we are) climbing Jacob's ladder... And I won't be troubled any more. As soon as my feet strikes Zion's walls, I won't be troubled any more." "Goin' to see my father/mother/sister/brother in the kingdom...." Alternate end: "Soldiers of the cross."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1901 (Dett/Fenner/Rathbun/Cleveland-ReligiousFolkSongsOfTheNegro-HamptonInstitute)
KEYWORDS: religious nonballad
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE) West Indies(Bahamas)
REFERENCES (16 citations):
Dett/Fenner/Rathbun/Cleveland-ReligiousFolkSongsOfTheNegro-HamptonInstitute, p. 118, "We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder (Jacob's Ladder)" (1 text, 1 tune; p. 118 in the 1901 edition)
Brown/Belden/Hudson-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore3 536, "Jacob's Ladder" (3 texts, but only the "B" text could be this, and even it might be something else)
Brown/Schinhan-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore5 536, "Jacob's Ladder" 3 tunes plus text excerpts)
Combs/Wilgus-FolkSongsOfTheSouthernUnitedStates 320, p. 190, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text)
Lomax-FolkSongsOfNorthAmerica 235, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text, 1 tune, plus a union/liberal parody)
Fuson-BalladsOfTheKentuckyHighlands, p. 204, "Hide Thou Me" (1 text, probably a mix, with the form of "Rock of Ages (II -- Hide Me Over Rock of Ages" but verses from "Jacob's Ladder"); p. 213, "I Am On My Way" (1 text)
Sharp-EnglishFolkSongsFromSouthernAppalachians 212, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text, 1 tune)
Gentry/Smith-ASingerAmongSingers, #56, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber/Silber-FolksingersWordbook, p. 358, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text)
JournalOfAmericanFolklore, Elsie Clews Parsons, "Spirituals and Other Folklore from the Bahamas," Vol. 41, No. 162 (Oct-Dec 1928), Anthems: Cat Island #24 p. 463, ("Oh gwine ter climb up Jacob ladder") (1 text)
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, pp. 51, 175, 400, 402, 515, "Jacob's Ladder" (notes only)
ChansonsDeNotreChalet, p. 72, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text, 1 tune)
BoyScoutSongbook1997, p. 97, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text, 1 tune)
GirlScout-PocketSongbook, p. 29, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text, 1 tune)
48MuchLovedFolkSongs, p. 19, "Jacob's Ladder" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, JACOBLDR*
Roud #2286
RECORDINGS:
Armstrong & Highley, "Climbing Jacob's Ladder" (Paramount 3291, 1932)
Chumbler Family, "Jacob's Ladder" (Columbia 15481-D, 1929)
Maddox Bros. & Rose, "We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder" (4-Star 1473, n.d. but post-WWII)
Frank & James McCravy, "Jacob's Ladder" (Victor 21188, 1928) (OKeh 45128, 1927) (Brunswick 192, 1928)
Pete Seeger, "Jacob's Ladder" (on HootenannyCarnegie) (on PeteSeeger47) (on PeteSeeger26)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Don't You Weep After Me" (floating lyrics)
cf. "Jacob's Ladder (V)" (lyrics, theme)
cf. "As Jacob with Travel Was Weary One Day" (subject, tune)
NOTES [26 words]: In Gen. 28:12, Jacob dreams of a "ladder" (ramp/stairway) from earth with its top "reaching to heaven, and the angels of God climbing up and down it." - RBW
Last updated in version 6.7
File: CW190A

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