Tag Archives: Old Time Songs

Down to the River to Pray

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PDF of Down to the River to Pray
Download MuseScore file of Down to the River to Pray
(Scroll to the bottom for my alternative lyrics.)

Down to the River to Pray

This is a beautiful hymn has been sung a lot in the Minneapolis resistance (January 2026). Though it originates in the Christian tradition, the theme of praying at a river to establish solidarity with God and one another is found in almost all religious traditions. 

Here are some alternative lyrics that I wrote:

PDF of Down to the River—alternative lyrics

As I went down to the river to pray,
Studying what ICE had done today,
And who would go and who would stay,
Good Lord, show me the way!

CHORUS:
O Brothers, let’s go down!
Come on down, don’t you want to go down?
O brothers, let’s go down,
Down to the river to pray.

I took my kids down to school this day,
Wondering if we’d all be okay,
Would the kids be safe if they took me away?
Good Lord, show me the way!

CHORUS:
O sisters, let’s go down! …

I went down to the river to pray,
Studying how we had got this way,
Where some would swim but some would drown,
Good Lord, show me the way!

CHORUS
O sinners, let’s go down!…

As I went down to the river to pray,
Studying about that good old way,
And who would wear the starry crown,
Good Lord, show me the way!

CHORUS
O children, let’s go down! …

We’re Gonna Roll

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Download PDF of We’re Gonna Roll
Download MuseScore file of We’re Gonna Roll

This is a fun song to sing in a large group and it’s a good “zipper song”; in other words, you can make up verses on the fly, so it’s really adaptable.

Here are more verses:

If the goons get in the way, we’re gonna roll right over them…
If the scabs get in the way, we’re gonna roll right over them…
If the Gov gets in the way, we’re gonna roll it over him…
If they lie to us again, were gonna roll it over them…
If they try to lock us out, were gonna roll it over them…
If they throw us all in jail, were gonna roll it over them…
If they try to shut us up, were gonna roll it over them…

The Almanac Singers singing Roll the Union On

I Ain’t Got No Home

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by Woody Guthrie

Download PDF of I Ain’t Got No Home
Download MuseScore file of I Ain’t Got No Home

This isn’t a song that can be played by a band or sung by a chorus. It’s just a guitar and singer sort of thing. Not sure why I am including it except that I can’t very well leave it out, you know? There’s nothing more to say about this. It makes me cry every time. I’m hoping that I’m not abridging any copyrights…

I put this in D minor, and fairly high; that’s because it’s the way Woody Guthrie sings it. Women folk singers (American) tend to like to use the lower part of their voices and this key probably works for them, too, if they sing it an octave lower than what is written here. If I write it out that way, it looks stupid because I have to use so many ledger lines. Maybe I’ll transpose it to E-flat minor — but not today.

Here is Rosanne Cash, singing I Ain’t Got No home — A very different, but equally moving performance.

America the Beautiful

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Download PDF of America the Beautiful

Download PDF of band arrangement of America the Beautiful

Download MuseScore file (compressed) of America the Beautiful

America the Beautiful is the first score that we have offered in a MuseScore file. We are doing this so that band leaders can arrange parts according to what instruments they have in their bands. MuseScore is a really good music transcription application that can be downloaded free from MuseScore.org. There is also a professional level version that also allows you to download from a really big library of music that other members have composed or transcribed. As with all the music transcription software available, there is pretty stiff learning curve when you start; but, if you are going to be dealing with a lot of music for band, it is well worth the time to learn it.

Here is a wonderful arrangement by Carmen Dragon. I couldn’t resist including it. If your band is can do it, definitely play this rather than mine! (Well, maybe for marching.)

El pueblo unido (The People United)

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Download PDF of El pueblo unido
Download PDF of El pueblo unido, arranged for band
Download MuseScore file of El pueblo unido

There are several chants that I feel should be retired. As the Peace Poets say on their website, “Hey, hey, Ho, ho,” has got to go! Also tiresome is, “The people united will never be defeated,” or that’s what I thought until I heard the original version in Spanish. Here, the chant is presented in counterpoint to the really thrilling melody of, El pueblo unido jamas será vencido. Listen to the video below and you will hear what I mean.

I am a sucker for a great melody. It’s all very well to chant and yell, but sometimes letting your real voice out and really singing with your brothers and sisters is a liberation of the soul—the foundation of solidarity.

EL PUEBLO UNIDO

De pie, cantar que vamos’a triunfar.
Avanzan ya banderas a’unidad.
Y tú vendrás marchando junto’a mí
y’a sí verás tu canto’y tu bandera florecer.
La luz de’un rojo’amanecer
anuncia ya la vida que vendrá.

¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido! ¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!

THE PEOPLE UNITED

Stand up and sing for we are going to win.
Advance the flags, the flags of unity.
And you have come to march, to march with me, and thus you’ll see
your songs and banners come to brilliant flower. The light, the light of a red dawn
anouncing now the life that is to come.

The people united will never be defeated! The people united will never be defeated!

I don’t know where or when this video was recorded.

Here is a recording by Inti Illimani. I don’t find it as exciting as the one above, but I had some trouble fitting the words to the melody when I was transcribing this song and here the words are clearer.

Wade in the Water

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Download PDF of Wade in the Water

Download Arrangement for Band in E-flat (listen to audio below).

This is just one of my favorite hymns. Not exactly a protest song, but I think it would be great at a vigil or a memorial celebration. I’m not sure what the words mean, exactly, but somehow it comforts me when I feel trouble is coming. “Good trouble,” I hope!

In the PDF I’ve included a version with very simple chords plus another version that has been arranged for a choir. If you have singers who are good at improvising harmony, I’d go with that; but the arranged version is also excellent.

The rhythm on this is kind of hard to read (most American gospel, pop, and jazz music is); but, if you listen to a couple of recordings, you’ll find that it’s pretty easy to do it. Don’t forget to sing the eighth notes with a swing rhythm.

Hard Times, Come Again No More

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Download a PDF of the original Hard Times Come Again No More.
Download MuseScore lead sheet of Hard Times Come Again No More

Hard Times was one of Stephen Foster’s earliest songs, written in 1853. Though the language of the lyrics is filled with nineteenth century sentimentality, still it expresses the pain of poverty and the divide between the rich and the poor in a way that is just as real today as it was 170 years ago. The YouTube recording, below, by Emmy Lou Harris, et al, is truly amazing.

This recording by Emmylou Harris, with Kate & Anna McGarrigle & Mary Black & Rufus Wainwright is my favorite recording of Hard Times…