joseph spence “run come see jerusalem
from:Music of the Bahamas Vol 2: Anthems, Work Songs and Ballads
There is no one like Joseph Spence. His guitar and vocal style is utterly unique- full of strange phrasings, guttural noises, odd syncopations and off-kilterness. This tale of a shipwreck in Spence’s native Bahamas is reported to come from Spence’s own efforts to help retrieve victims of the Pretoria. The song has also been credited to his fellow countryman Blind Blake, who’s lyrics follow.
-Bill Boehm-
“RUN, COME, SEE JERUSALEM (Singout! version)
By Blind Blake
It was nineteen-hundred and twenty-nine. (Run come see, run come see.)
Me see, I remember that day pretty well.
It was in nineteen-hundred and twenty-nine. (Run come see Jerusalem.)
That day, they were talking about a storm in the islands.
My God, what a beautiful morning!
They were talking about a storm in the islands.
That day, there were three ships a-leaving out the harbor,
The Ethel and the Myrtle and the Pretoria.
There were three ships a-leaving out the harbor.
These ships were bound for a neighboring island,
With mothers and children on board.
These ships were bound for a neighboring island.
The Pretoria was out on the ocean,
Rocking from side to side.
The Pretoria was out on the ocean.
Right then, it was a big sea built up in the northwest.
They were out on the perilous ocean.
Then it was a big sea built up in the northwest.
My God, when the first wave hit the Pretoria,
The mothers come a-holding onto the children.
My God, when the first wave hit the Pretoria.
My God, there were thirty-three souls on the water,
Swimming and praying to the good Lord God.
There were thirty-three souls on the water.
My God, now George Brown he was the captain.
He shouted, “My children, come pray.”
My God, now George Brown he was the captain.
He said, “Come now, witness your judgment.”
He shouted, “My children, come pray.”
He said, “Come now, witness your judgment.” ”