Breedloves's Folk Songs

RUN COME SEE JERUSALEM

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  • RUN COME SEE JERUSALEM
    “Run Come See Jerusalem” was written by Blake Higgs (he recorded it in 1951), a
    Bahamian calypso singer who was well known for entertaining tourists in Nassau, this
    song has been covered by many American folk singers including The Weavers. It’s about
    a devastating hurricane in the Bahamas in1929 that caught people unaware and destroyed
    many ships. Alan Lomax documented another song also about the same store, called “A
    Great Storm Pass Over”, written by a Bahamian sponge fisherman called Tappy Joe; it
    was recorded in 1935.
    It was in nineteen hundred and twenty nine,
    Run come see, run come see,
    I remember that day very well
    It was in nineteen hundred and twenty nine
    Run come see, Jerusalem.
    That day they were talkin’ ’bout a storm on the islands
    Run come see, run come see,
    My God, it was a beautiful mornin’
    Run come see, Jerusalem.
    That day there were three ships leavin’ out the harbor
    Run come see, run come see,
    It was the Ethel, the Myrtle and the Pretoria,
    Run come see, Jerusalem.
    These ships were bound for a neighboring island
    Run come see, run come see,
    With mothers and children on board
    Run come see, Jerusalem.
    Now when the Pretoria was out on the ocean,
    Run come see, run come see,
    Rocking from side to side
    Yes, the Pretoria was out on the ocean,
    Run come see, Jerusalem.
    My God, when the first wave hit the Pretoria
    Run come see, run come see,
    The mothers grabbin hold unto the children
    When the first wave hit the Pretoria
    Run come see, Jerusalem.
    My God, there were thirty-three souls in the water
    Run come see, run come see,
    They were swimming and praying to the good Lord
    There were thirty-three souls in the water
    Run come see, Jerusalem.
    My God, now George Brown he was the captain
    Run come see, run come see,
    He shouted my children now come pray
  • He said, “Come now, witness your judgment”
    Run come see, Jerusalem.
    It was in nineteen hundred and twenty nine,
    Run come see, run come see,
    I remember that day very well
    It was in nineteen hundred and twenty nine
    Run come see, Jerusalem

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