My Lovin' Father (When the World's On Fire)

DESCRIPTION: "My lovin' father, When the world's on fire, Don't you want God's bosom For to be your pillow? Hide me, oh thou, in the rock of ages, Rock of ages, cleft for me." (Similarly with mother and perhaps other relatives)
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 928 (Rodeheaver-SociabilitySongs)
KEYWORDS: religious nonballad
FOUND IN: US(SE,So)
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Randolph 637, "My Lovin' Father" (1 short text, 1 tune)
Owens-TexasFolkSongs-2ed, p. 174, "Oh My Lovin' Brothuh" (1 text, 1 tune)
Arnold-FolkSongsofAlabama, p. 137, "When the World's On Fire" (1 text, 1 tune)
Rodeheaver-SociabilitySongs, p. 61, "Fire Song" (1 text, 1 tune)
ST R637 (Full)
Roud #4225 and 5119
RECORDINGS:
The Carter Family, "When the World's On Fire" (Victor V-40293, 1930; Bluebird B-1836. 1932; Montgomery Ward M-4229/Bluebird B-5006/Sunrise S-3127, 1933; Bluebird 33-0537, 1945)
Freddie Palmer, Brenton Jordan and The McIntosh County Shouters, "Oh, My Loving Mother" (on McIntoshShouters-SpiritualsShouts)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "This Land Is Your Land" (tune)
SAME TUNE:
Charlie Monroe's Boys "(New) When the World's On Fire" (Montgomery Ward M-7574, 1938)
NOTES [25 words]: The version of this recorded by the Carter Family, or one of its relatives, is probably the tune-source for Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land." - RBW
Last updated in version 6.7
File: R637

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