My Way Seems So Hard

DESCRIPTION: Tag line: "My ways do seem so hard." Verses: "My way my way my way"(2x). "Two white horses side by side One of these horses I'm bound to ride." "I got a mother in the Promised land Never expect to see her till I shake her hand."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1960 (LomaxCD1708)
KEYWORDS: floatingverses nonballad religious shanty worksong
FOUND IN: US(SE)
Roud #11897
RECORDINGS:
Bright Light Quartet, "Promised Land" (on LomaxCD1708)
Menhaden Fishermen, "My Way Seems So Hard" (on USMenhaden01)
NOTES [147 words]: The LomaxCD1708 song is part of the "Menhaden Chanteys" track.
A couple of verses have close parallels in Newman I. White, American Negro Folk Songs (Hatboro: Folklore Associates Inc, 1965 (reprint of Harvard University Press, 1928). Specifically, "Two white horses side by side Me and my Jesus going to take a little ride" (#ii.28 p. 88), and "I'se got a mudder in the promised land I'se won't stop workin' till I'se shakes huh han'" (#ii.63, pp. 114-115).
Another verse on USMenhaden01 is "If you see my mother won't you tell her for me I'm on my way to Galilee."
Verses are lined out by the chanteyman. For example, "two white HORSES SIDE BY SIDE (chatter) "one of them HORSES I'M BOUND TO RIDE" (chatter) "o lordy MY WAYS DO SEEM SO HARD" (chatter). See the notes to "Help Me to Raise Them" for an explanation of my formatting and other information about menhaden chanteys. - BS
Last updated in version 4.2
File: RcBLQPL

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