Topic: Libba Cotten lyrics

[big joe weems]

Hi,
I haven't seen the lyrics to Libba Cotten's "When I Get Home" transcribed anywhere.
I have some questions, especially in the first stanza--but this is my attempt.
Much appreciated if anyone is able to provide feedback.
Thanks,
Joe




When I Get Home
by Elizabeth Cotten

I shall have a crown to wear when I get home.
I shall lay my burdens down when I get home.
Father, oh, the glory.  I shall sing Your story.  The
Lord rule above me when I get home.  When

I get home, when I get home.  My
song will be over, when I get home.  When
I get home, when I get home.  My
song will be over, when I get home.

[jtbrown]

This is not a Cotten original, but a hymn that she probably learned in church. The published lyrics for the first verse and chorus are as follows:

I shall wear a golden crown,
When I get home.
I shall lay my burdens down,
When I get home.
Clad in robes of glory,
I shall sing the story
Of the Lord who bought me,
When I get home.

Chorus:

When I get home, when I get home,
All sorrow will be over, when I get home.
When I get home, when I get home,
All sorrow will be over, When I get home.

For the most part, Cotten follows the above pretty closely, with a few minor changes (e.g., she sings "I shall have a crown to wear" instead of "I shall wear a golden crown," "a story" instead of "the story," and "my sorrow" instead of "all sorrow.") She also sings "brought" instead of "bought," which is a significant improvement, in my view.

However, she seems to have changed the "clad in robes of glory" line a bit more substantially. The booklet that came with my CD has "spar the robes of glory." That's what it sounds like to me, too, though I'm somewhat doubtful as I know no meaning of "spar" that fits the context. I also think there's a chance she may be singing "rolls" rather than "robes." (If so, she was presumably thinking of a list of the saved.)

If you're playing and singing the song yourself and want to add the second and third verse, you can find them by Googling "Austin Miles," "When I Get Home," and "hymn."

I hope that's some help, and if others are reading this I'd be interested to learn what they think Cotten is singing in place of "clad in robes of glory."

Todd Brown

[big joe weems]

Excellent info, thank you!