"Since I Laid My Burden Down" - Elders McIntorsh and Edwards (Assisted by Sisters Johnson and Taylor) Sanctified Singers

Set Two: Social Music; Disc Two; Track Eight: "Since I Laid My Burden Down" performed by The Elders McIntorsh and Edwards (Assisted by Sisters Johnson and Taylor) Sanctified Singers. "Vocal quartet with guitars, tambourine." Recorded in Chicago on December 4, 1928. Original issue Okeh 8698 (W402160).

Elder Lonnie McIntorsh was likely born in Mississippi around 1890 and was last known to be living in the "bootheel" of Missouri in the early '70s, according to Jeff Place's 1997 notes. In addition to the sides cut with the Sanctified Singers, McIntorsh also recorded four sides under his own name, including an account of the 1927 Mississippi Flood (also immortalized by Charlie Patton in his two-part recording "High Water Everywhere"). No biographical information is available on Edwards. If anyone has any information on Elder Edwards, including his first name and birth/death dates, please contact me at wheredeadvoicesgather1@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

For information on Sisters Bessie Johnson and Melinda Taylor, see the previous entry on "He Got Better Things For You."

"Since I Laid My Burden Down" is an extremely popular song, having been covered several times by artists ranging from Mississippi John Hurt and Furry Lewis to Odetta and the Byrds. It has been recorded as folk, country and rock and roll. Its origins are obscure, but it probably originated in the United States during the late 19th century.


Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.
Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.

All my troubles will be over,
When I lay my burden down.
All my troubles will be over,
When I lay my burden down.

Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.
Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.

All my sickness will be over,
When I lay my burden down.
All my sickness will be over,
When I lay my burden down.

Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.
Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.

All my troubles will be over,
When I lay my burden down.
All my troubles will be over,
When I lay my burden down.

Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.
Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.

Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.
Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.

All my sickness will be over,
When I lay my burden down.
All my sickness will be over,
When I lay my burden down.

Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.
Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I lay my burden down.

The act of laying one's burdens down is commonly referred to in Christianity. In John Bunyan's allegory, A Pilgrim's Progress, the title character carries a "burden" with him, which is suddenly removed from his shoulders upon arrival at "the place of deliverance" (allegorically the cross at Calvary and the open sepulcher of Christ). The "burden" represents those things which are associated with the material world, as well as ones worries, cares, aliments, and (most importantly) ones sins. The image of the "burden" is present in other gospel songs, such as "Take Your Burden To The Lord and Leave It There" by Washington Phillips.

The word "hallelujah" is a Hebrew word meaning "praise Yahweh." It is an expression of thanks or adoration.

The elders McIntorsh and Edwards, as well as Bessie Johnson and Melinda Taylor, were members of the Church of God in Christ, a Pentecostal sect formed in 1897 by a group of disfellowshiped Baptists, led by Charles Price Jones and Charles Harrison Mason. The first congregation established by the sect was founded in Jackson, Mississippi. The Church of God in Christ is primarily associated with the American Southeast, although its members did spread to the north during the Great Migration. Today, the church has congregations in sixty countries and a membership of over five million.

"Since I Laid My Burden Down" is an extremely simple song. It has one verse which is repeated throughout the song with a few lyric variations. The recording is powerful, however, partly because of this repetition and partly because of the increasing fervor of the singers. The song begins slowly, with only the guitar and one or two voices. Others quickly join in, however, and the tempo increases. Bessie Johnson's "holy roar" makes itself heard early in the song, and is present throughout. There are ecstatic shouts and screams. One of the male voices (possibly McIntorsh) frequently calls out "glory!" at the top of several lines. The performance is occasionally rough, and there are a few places where one can hear some mistakes (someone will start singing one verse while the rest of the group has started another), but this only adds to the ecstatic atmosphere. Indeed, who can be concerned with where one is in the song when one is transported by holy fervor?

"Since I Laid My Burden Down" is the last of eight selections in a row that feature group singing, both accompanied and unaccompanied.

This recording of "Since I Laid My Burden Down" also appears on the excellent Dust-to-Digital set, Goodbye Babylon. When I checked the booklet to that set in the hope of finding some more information about the song or the artists, I was somewhat disappointed to see that the notes to this selection where copied, almost verbatim, from Jeff Place's notes to the 1997 reissue of the Anthology, with no credit given to Place. I note this without pleasure, as I am a big fan of the Dust-to-Digital record label and expect better from them.

The Shameless Plug Department: The fourth episode of the "Where Dead Voices Gather" podcast is still the most recent. Now that I am finished with "Mockingbird," I am currently in the process of putting together a new episode made up of jazz recordings from the 78 era which should be up any day now. In the meantime, you can listen to this all-blues episode where you'll hear New Year's greetings from Lightin' Hopkins and Mary Harris, as well as Delta Blues by Son House, Willie Brown and Charlie Patton. You'll also hear recordings by more obscure figures like Geeshie Wiley, Blind Joe Reynolds, William Harris, and more. Also available on iTunes! Subscribe today so you don't miss a single episode. It's free and it doesn't hurt. Who can ask for more?

You can also become a fan of "Where Dead Voices Gather" on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Where Dead Voices Gather: Using today's technology to promote yesterday's music!

Here is none other than Furry Lewis himself performing an exciting version of "Since I Laid My Burden Down" on slide guitar.



Here's a video of the Mass Choir singing an electrifying version of "Since I Laid My Burden Down" in Texas.



Download and listen to Elders McIntorsh and Edwards (Assisted by Sisters Johnson and Taylor) Sanctified Singers - "Since I Laid My Burden Down"

"He Got Better Things For You" - Memphis Sanctified Singers

Set Two: Social Music; Disc Two; Track Seven: "He Got Better Things For You" performed by Memphis Sanctified Singers. "Vocal duet with guitar." Recorded in Memphis on October 1, 1929. Original issue Victor 38559B.

The Memphis Sanctified Singers consisted of Bessie Johnson, Sally Sumier, and Melinda Taylor. They also recorded as Bessie Johnson and Her Sanctified Singers. They were a Pentecostal vocal group. Bessie Johnson was originally from Columbus, Mississippi, although her birth and death dates are not known. My searches have yielded no biographical information on either Sumier or Taylor, although it is likely that the three women were close contemporaries. The Memphis Sanctified Singers recorded six sides under their own name between 1927 and 1929. They also appeared on recordings by Elders McIntorsh and Edwards.

Although the label identifies this recording as a "vocal duet," is clear that there are three voices. Johnson sings the powerful lead, occasionally lapsing into the fiery "holy roar." Sumier and Taylor sing backup, with Taylor supplying the lower vocal parts. The three women are accompanied by guitarist, bandleader, and Victor talent scout Will Shade. Shade was a member of the Memphis Jug Band, who appears on the third volume of this set.

"He Got Better Things For You" is a fairly simple song consisting of three verses and a chorus which is repeated after each verse.

Kind friend I want to tell you
Because I love your soul.
No doubt you been converted
But half ain't never been told.
Some people they'll try to fool you,
Say there's nothing else to do.
But Jesus Christ my savior
He got better things for you.

He got better things for you,
No one on earth can do.
He got the Holy Ghost and the Fire,
Sure can make you true.
He got better things for you,
No one on earth can do.
Oh place my mind on Jesus,
He got better things for you.

Cornelius he was humble,
He prayed to God alway.
But that was not sufficient,
God let him in his grave.
God sent to him an angel,
And he told him what to do.
Today he's waiting in glory,
With better things for you.

He got better things for you,
More than your friends can do.
He got the Holy Ghost and the Fire,
Sure can make you true.
He got better things for you,
No one on earth can do.
Oh place my mind on Jesus,
He got better things for you.

Saint Mary was a virgin.
She birthed the son of God.
But that was not sufficient,
She had to be well shod.
God sent her to Jerusalem,
And there he made her new.
Today she's waiting in glory
With better things for you.

He got better things for you,
More than your friends can do.
He got the Holy Ghost and the Fire,
Sure can make you true.
He got better things for you,
No one on earth can do.
Oh place my mind on Jesus,
He got better things for you.

Unlike "Judgment," which promises holy retribution for those who sin against God, "He Got Better Things For You" takes a softer approach. Here, there is a promise of reward in heaven rather than a threat of punishment in hell. The song begins with the assumption that the listener has been "converted," but warns that this is not "sufficient" and that there are other things that must be done in order to win God's favor. Unfortunately, the song doesn't really specify what must be done. The song does, however, offer two object lessons.

The first refers to the story of Cornelius, whom we are assured was "humble" and prayed to God "alway." The tale of Cornelius is related in the tenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Cornelius was a centurion (and therefore a Roman) who was instructed by an angel to send for Peter and to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, making him the first gentile to join the ranks of the earliest Christians.

The second story refers to the virgin Mary, the earthly mother of Christ. According to the song, having "birthed the son of God" is not "sufficient," however, and God sends Mary to Jerusalem and "made her new." Now, perhaps this just shows my ignorance of scripture, but I can't find anything in the Bible about Mary being
"made new" in Jerusalem (much less about her needing to be "well shod"). I have found an interesting tidbit about an alleged tomb of Mary in Jerusalem (she has two. The other is in Ephesus) which is venerated by members of the Eastern Orthodox Church (which holds that Mary was not assumed bodily into heaven, but that she died a natural death). What any of this has to do with the song is unclear, but it just goes to show that no two denominations agree on anything.

The contrast between the fire and brimstone of "Judgment" and the gentle promises of "He Got Better Things For You" make another of those contrasts that Smith seemed to be so fond of. It almost amounts to a Pentecostal "good cop/bad cop" routine.

Bessie Johnson and Melinda Taylor appear on the very next selection, "Since I Laid My Burden Down."

"He Got Better Things For You" is one of the few songs on the religious disc of the Anthology to get a fairly high profile cover version. Gospel star BeBe Winans recorded a version of the song on his 2002 album Cherch. The song was also performed as a part of The Harry Smith Project, where it was performed by Mary Margaret O'Hara (sister of actress and comedienne Catherine O'Hara).

The Shameless Plug Department: The fourth episode of the "Where Dead Voices Gather" podcast is still the most recent. Now that I am finished with "Mockingbird," I am currently in the process of putting together a new episode made up of jazz recordings from the 78 era which should be up within the week. In the meantime, you can listen to this all-blues episode where you'll hear New Year's greetings from Lightin' Hopkins and Mary Harris, as well as Delta Blues by Son House, Willie Brown and Charlie Patton. You'll also hear recordings by more obscure figures like Geeshie Wiley, Blind Joe Reynolds, William Harris, and more. Also available on iTunes! Subscribe today so you don't miss a single episode. It's free and it doesn't hurt. Who can ask for more?

You can also become a fan of "Where Dead Voices Gather" on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Where Dead Voices Gather: Using today's technology to promote yesterday's music!

Memphis remains home to some amazing gospel singing. Here's a rather shaky hand-held video of the University of Memphis Gospel Choir singing "Jesus."



Download and listen to Memphis Sanctified Singers - "He Got Better Things For You"