Down by the Riverside

"Down by the Riverside" (also known as "Ain't Gonna Study War No More" and "Gonna lay down my burden") is an African-American spiritual. Its roots date back to before the American Civil War, though it was first published in 1918 in Plantation Melodies: A Collection of Modern, Popular and Old-time Negro-Songs of the Southland, Chicago, the Rodeheaver Company.Other early prints of Ain't gonna study war no more / Down by the riverside is: Dann, Hollis. Ed.: Fifty-eight spirituals for choral use – Boston, C. C. Birchard & Co., c1924. No notes. Utica Jubilee Singers Spirituals : As Sung at the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute of Mississippi / Taken down by J. Rosamond Johnson. With introduction by C. W. Hyne. Boston : Olivar Ditson Company, nd. Negro Spiritual. Apparently no recordings of Down by the riverside, even though the song was on the group's repertoire. Boatner, Edward: Spirituals Triumphant, Old and New (Round Note Edition) : National Baptist Convention, Nashville Tennessee Date Published: (1927). No notes. Fisher, William Arms: 1926, Seventy Negro Spirituals, edited for low voice. Oliver Ditson Company, NY, sheet music format, pp. 60–62. Noted as Negro Spiritual. Deas, E. C. 1928: Songs and spirituals of Negro composition: The song has alternatively been known as "Ain' go'n' to study war no mo'", "Ain't Gwine to Study War No More", "Down by de Ribberside", "Going to Pull My War-Clothes" and "Study war no more". The song was first recorded by the Fisk University jubilee quartet in 1920 (published by Columbia in 1922), and there are at least 14 black gospel recordings before World War II.Blues and Gospel Records 1890–1943, 4th ed., OUP, 1997

Because of its pacifistic imagery, "Down by the Riverside" has also been used as an anti-war protest song, especially during the Vietnam War. The song is also included in collections of socialist and labor songs.

Lyrics The song has many lyrical variations, though usually, each stanza follows a standard form, with one sentence that differs from one stanza to the next. The song often begins:

With the chorus:

Other lines that can appear in stanzas, in place of "Gonna lay down my burden", include: Gonna shake hands with every man Gonna lay down my heavy load Gonna lay down my sword and shield Gonna stick my sword in the golden sand Gonna try on my long white robe Gonna try on my starry crown Gonna put on my golden shoes Gonna talk with the Prince of Peace Gonna shake hands around the world Gonna cross the river Jordan Gonna climb up on that mountain Gonna climb the road to heaven Gonna walk down that road of peace Gonna take all of my brethren

Themes

Much of this spiritual contains Biblical imagery.The Tabernacle Choir Blog. "A Brief History of "Down by the Riverside." The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, 2023,(https://www.thetabernaclechoir.org/articles/down-by-the-riverside-history.html), Accessed 27 Feb. 2023. In general, the song is focused on the concept of leaving the feelings of anger and pessimism behind, as to have a new spiritual dress, in the setting of a riverside, prior to going across it.Playing for Change Foundation. "Vocal Lesson For Choir: Down By The Riverside / A Better Place." Playing for Change Foundation, Santa Monica, California, The United States of America, (https://playingforchange.org/vocal-lesson-for-choir-down-b-the-riverside-a-better-place/), Accessed 27 Feb. 2023.

The song suggests baptism in water, using the metaphor of crossing the River Jordan to enter the Promised Land in the Old Testament. The refrain of "ain't gonna study war no more" is a reference to a quotation from the Book of Isaiah, chapter 2, verse 4 (KJV): "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." One of the lines also references Jesus Christ, specifically, "Gonna talk with the Prince of Peace," as the "Prince of Peace" is a common title for Jesus. In "Gonna climb the road to heaven," the road is a metaphor for the difficult journey of life, as a road and travel can be dangerous and full of trial. This sentiment is similar to the line, "Gonna climb up on that mountain," which again is symbolic of the arduous journey of life.

Recordings Artists who have recorded the song include:

Al Hirt released a version on his 1961 album, He's the King and His Band.Al Hirt, He's the King and His Band Retrieved April 6, 2013. and a live version on his 1965 album, Live at Carnegie HallAl Hirt, Live at Carnegie Hall Retrieved April 11, 2013. American R&B and boogie-woogie pianist and singer Little Willie Littlefield recorded a version for his 1997 album The Red One. Arty Hall & His Radio Rubes, 1937 Benjamin Luxton & David Willison, 1924 Sister Rosetta Tharpe, 1944 Big Bill Broonzy, 1952 Bill Haley & His Comets performed a live twist version on the 1962 album Twistin' Knights at the Roundtable. Bing Crosby and Gary Crosby (recorded November 4, 1953 – reached No. 28 in the UK charts). The Blind Boys of Alabama (on Amazing Grace and Down in New Orleans) Bunk Johnson, 1942 Chimène Badi, 2011 (Gospel & Soul album) Chris Barber's Jazz Band, 1954 Dorothy Love Coates Clara Ward Cliff Holland C. Mae Frierson Moore, 1925 Les Compagnons de la chanson (under the title Qu'il fait bon vivre) The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Dixie Jubilee Singers, 1928 The Reverend Horatio Duncan & Amos Sweets, 2007 The Dustbowl Revival, 2014Second Story Garage. "The Dustbowl Revival perform 'Down by the Riverside'". Posted: 11:41 PM; Wednesday, December 17, 2014. Elvis Presley (on Frankie and Johnny and Million Dollar Quartet) Etta James The Four Knights The Four Lads, 1953 Frederic Rzewski (a classical piano version) The Golden Echo Boys [Of God's Bible School], 1930 Golden Gate Quartet Grandpa Elliott and other artists (Playing for Change project), 2014 Jackie Venson on "Love Transcends," 2021 Jimmy Durante Jimmie Lunceford & his Orchestra, 1940 Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery, 1966 The Kingpins Louis Armstrong (on Hello Louis! and Louis and the Good Book) Lead Belly Lester McFarland & Robert Gardner, 1927 Muslim Magomayev, Soviet Union, 1972 Mahalia Jackson Million Dollar Quartet, Broadway musical and original cast recordingZielinski, Peter James. "Photo Coverage: Million Dollar Quartet Opens on Broadway". Posted: 12:04 PM; Monday, April 12, 2010. Michael Penn (on Mr. Hollywood Jr., 1947) Dr. Michael White, on his album Dancing in the Sky, 2004 Missouri Pacific Diamond Jubilee Quartette, 1927 Moon Mullican and the Plainsmen, early 1960s. Morehouse College Quartet, 1923 Mustard & Gravy 'Dixie's Tastiest Combination', 1938 Nat King Cole Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartets, 1927 Oscar Celestine, 1928 Paul Anka (on his 1958 album Paul Anka) Pete Seeger Peter, Paul and Mary (on Around the Campfire) Raffi (on Bananaphone) The Ramblin' Riversiders The Real Ale and Thunder Band At Vespers, recorded at St. Laurence's Parish Church, Downton by BBC Radio Solent, 18 November 1984. Roy Hamilton Sam Morgan's Jazz Band, 1927 The Seekers The Weavers Sister Rosetta Tharpe (included in the U.S. National Recording Registry) Snooks Eaglin, 1960 Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee Sweet Honey in the Rock (on We All...Everyone Of Us) Taj Mahal, 2013 (on Divided & United, ATO Records) Trini Lopez as part of a medley with "Gotta Travel On", "Marianne", "When the Saints Go Marching In", and "Volare". Van Morrison (on the CD reissue of Tupelo Honey) Vaughan Quartet, 1924 Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis on their 2008 live album, Two Men with the Blues The Reverend Horatio Duncan & Amos Sweets, 2007

Soundtrack appearances The Reverend Horatio Duncan & Amos Sweets version was featured as a DLC in the Ubisoft games Just Dance 2 and Just Dance 3, and on the main track list of Just Dance: Summer Party.

It was used as background music in two episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants known as "Survival of the Idiots" and "Selling Out".

It was played in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Next Phase".

It appears in Trombone Champ.

It was played in Ted Lasso episode "Man City" as Isaac MacAdoo gives a haircut to Sam Obisanya with the team in the AFC Richmond locker room.

It was used during the credits of the final episode of Turning Point: The Vietnam War by Luminant Media and distributed by Netflix, though it does not seem to be in the official soundtrack.

It was also used in an episode of Law & Order season 22.

Parodies and alternative lyrics The song was the basis of an Allan Sherman parody called "Don't Buy the Liverwurst". The tune of "Down by the Riverside" was also used in a McDonald's's 1960s jingle, "McDonald's Is My Kind of Place". In episode 72 of the animated television series Animaniacs, this song was parodied as "U.N. Me" about the United Nations Headquarters and was later released on their 2nd album, Yakko's World.

In the UK, "Down by the Riverside" was parodied for use by a radio commercial on some local radio stations (namely Mix 107) about eco-friendly travel choices (i.e. leaving the car for one day a week).

JibJab also used the melody in a song about the year 2012 in review (called "2012: The End Is Here!").

An episode of Liv & Maddie had Liv singing a song about her musical group with senior citizens, "The Golden Chords, " at a retirement home, to the tune of this song.

See also List of anti-war songs

References