Ask the Watchman How Long

DESCRIPTION: Alternate lines are a chorus, "How long Watchman, how long?" The hymn leader sings "Ask the Watchman, how long." "Ask my brother...." "Well ask...." "Brother Jenkins...." "Before the roll call...." "Just a few more risings...."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1899 (Barton-OldPlantationHymns)
KEYWORDS: death nonballad religious
FOUND IN: US(SE)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Barton-OldPlantationHymns, pp. 36-37, "How Long Watchman" (1 text, 1 tune)
Carawan/Carawan-AintYouGotARight, pp. 84-85, "Ask the Watchman How Long" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #16415
RECORDINGS:
Janie Hunter, "Ask the Watchman How Long" (USSeaIsland01)
Rosa and Joseph Murray, "Watchnight/Watchman" (on USSeaIsland03)
NOTES [120 words]: Carawan has this as a New Years Eve song. Janie Hunter says, "We don't know how long will we meet together. Neither do we know how long we sing together. This time next year we all ask Watchman. 'How long?'" The theme, but none of the text, is shared with "Oh, Lord How Long."
The current description is based on the Carawan/Carawan-AintYouGotARight text.
On the USSeaIsland03 recording, the singer asks how long till midnight: two minutes, one minute, then "I got twelve o'clock."
The USSeaIsland01 track is call-response. The Herskovits Trinidadian Spiritual Baptist account of "Jesus Lover of My Soul" fits this track as well. Although this is not a Sankey hymn, the performance style matches "Sankey into Shout." - BS
Last updated in version 6.7
File: CarCa084

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography