"Down By the Riverside"

Down By the Riverside from Playing For Change on Vimeo.

Here is some history for this song -- and some of the variations in the words. The "Playing for Change" version we showed in class chooses three verses from the traditional list of first lines in the Wikipedia article.

Mahalia Jackson, a gospel singer I remember from my own teenage years in Chicago, recorded this version, which is still popular:



Here are the lyrics of the version by Grandpa Elliott and the "Playing for Change" organization:

1) I'm gonna lay down my burden
Down by the riverside,
Down by that river,
Down by the riverside.
Gonna lay down my burden
Down by that riverside,
Study war no more.

[chorus] I ain't gonna study war no more, study war no more, study war no more
I ain't gonna study war no more, study war no more, study war no more.

2) [I'm gonna] Lay down my sword and shield ...

3) I'm gonna put on my long white robe ...