Don't You Hear Jerusalem Mourn?

DESCRIPTION: Describes the foibles of various denominations of preachers; a Baptist has a bottle in his pocket, etc. Chorus: "Don't you hear Jerusalem Mourn?...Thank God for the heaven bells a-ringin' and my soul starts singin'"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1925 (recording, Bill Chitwood & Bud Landress)
LONG DESCRIPTION: Describes the foibles of various denominations of preachers; a Baptist has a bottle in his pocket, a Hardshell "never chews his own tobacco nor drinks his own booze," a Presbyterian is stiff-necked, a Holy Roller "gets them all a-rolling then he kicks the lights out." Chorus: "Don't you hear Jerusalem Mourn?...Thank God for the heaven bells a-ringin' and my soul starts singin'"
KEYWORDS: sex drink humorous nonballad clergy
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Richardson/Spaeth-AmericanMountainSongs, pp. 64-65, "Don't Ya Heah Jerusalem Moan?" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, JERUSLEM*

Roud #4945
RECORDINGS:
Warren Caplinger's Cumberland Mountain Entertainers, "Jerusalem Mourn" (Vocalion 5240, 1928)
Bill Chitwood & Bud Landress, "Jerusalem Mourn" (Brunswick 2809, 1925)
Gid Tanner & his Skillet Lickers, "Can't You Hear Jerusalem Moan" (Columbia 15104-D, 1926)
Cas Wallin, "Jerusalem Mourn" (on OldTrad1, FarMtns3)

ALTERNATE TITLES:
Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan?
NOTES [20 words]: This seems to be a distant parody of a spiritual, "Jerusalem Mourning", recorded in 1910. I suspect a minstrel origin. - PJS
Last updated in version 5.0
File: RcDYHJM

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

The Ballad Index Copyright 2024 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.