Take My Mother Home

Words and Music by :  Hall Johnson

Recording #1 by Harry Belafonte
Recording date: Aug 10,1955 (14:00-18:15)
Master number: F2PB 5800-4
Playing time: 5:54
Producer: Henri Rene
Millard Thomas: guitar; F. Hamilton: drums; The Norman Luboff Choir: (Elizabeth Mulliner: contractor; Bett Allan, Jaqueline Allan, Sue Allen, Ada Beth-Lee, Ralph Brewster, Allan Daves, Burton Dole, Robert Hamlin, Jimmie Joyce, Ray Kellogg, Gene Lanham, William Lee, Dorothy McCarthy, Thora Mathiason, Gil Mershon, Betty Noyes, Tony Parris, Thurl Ravenscroft, Virginia Rees, William Reeve, Elizabeth Rinker, Charles Schroeder, Maxwell Smith, Robert Stevens, Robert Walker, Eileen Wilson, Norma Zimmer).

45 : 47-6790, EPA-693, DJ-85, SPD-24
LP : LPM1150, SM3925, LSP10419, MP666001, 430.21332001, RCS3235, 6187331,
Tape: CP-10
CD: CD97032, GOLD-072 , MARC1054, BCD16262, GSS5336, 82876-69242-2, RGMCD006


Recording #2 by Harry Belafonte
Recording date: April 19-20, 1959
Playing time: 5:03
45: 6006-45
LP: LSO6006
Tape: FTO6000, O8S-5002
CD: CD12512, RGMCD071

Recording #3 by Harry Belafonte
Recording date: 1991
Playing time: 3:25
Video: HBO 50213
vhscarn.jpg (13880 bytes)

Lyrics:

I think I heard him say when he was struggling up the hill
I think I heard him say, take my mother home
Then I'll die easy, take my mother home
I'll die so easy, take my mother home

I think I heard him say, when they was raffling off his clothes
I think I heard him say, take my mother home
I think I heard him cry when they was nailing in the nails
I think I heard him cry, take my mother home

I'll die this death on Calvary, ain't gonna die no more
I'll die on Calvary, ain't gonna die no more
Ain't gonna die no more

I think I heard him say, when he was giving up the ghost
I think I heard him say, please, take my mother home
Please, take my mother home