Get Away Jordan

The first time I heard “Get Away Jordan” was on an obscure gospel album from West Virginia. I knew it was a White gospel group, but it sounded like a Black group. After some research, it became clear that it is indeed a traditional African American spiritual gospel song.

However, I discovered another interesting connection relating to the rural gospel group The Blair Gospel Trio.

It was a gospel group from rural West Virginia – specifically, Blair, WV – and it consisted of vocalists Hester Frey and Cecil Williams, as well as Oren Adkins, who sang lead and played the guitar. Their debut album, “Nearing the Shore,” came out in 1968 on the small Maranatha Gospel Records label out of Berkley, WV. They had a second album two years later on their own label.

After some more digging, I came across a cassette recording by Cecil & The Golden Heirs, who performed the exact same version of the song, with Cecil Williams deep bass vocals. Other members of the group were Brenda Sheppard, Eloise Mcneely and Mary Williams. They might have performed from the 70s into the 2000s. Cecil Williams died in 2016, 75 years old.

I’m not aware of any vinyl releases by Cecil & The Golden Heirs. They recorded their music, at least on cassette. So as a comparison, here is “Get Away Jordan” in an alternative version that I like quite a lot.

As a music fan, different versions of songs are always interesting, especially demo recordings vs often cleaner studio recordings, where the demo recordings are often more sparse, raw and direct. I think that’s the case here as well, even if the home-recording was made much later.

Powerful song in any way!

If anybody has further information on the Blair Gospel Trio or has their two albums (as mp3 transfers), I would appreciate that a lot.

And I won’t get away over Jordan without listening to Brother Claude Ely’s version.

Lyrics

Get away, get away Jordan
Get away, get away old chilly Jordan
Oh get away, get back Jordan
I wanna cross over to see my Lord

Verse 1
You know I promised the Lord if He’d set me free
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)
I’d go on and find out what the end might be
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)
One day as I was walking along
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)
I heard a voice but I saw no one
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)
The voice I heard sounded so sweet
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)
Came down from my head to the sole of my feet
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)

Verse 2
One of these mornings it won’t be long
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)
You gonna look for me child and I’ll be gone
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)
A few more risings and settings of the sun
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)
This old battle be fought and the victory won
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)
The friends that I used to love so dear
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)
They’ve gone on to glory and left me here
(I wanna cross over to see my Lord)

Bridge
When my feet get cold, my eyes are shut
Body chilled by the hand of death
Tongue glued to the roof of my mouth
Hands folded across my breast
Don’t worry ’bout the way I left
God Almighty told me He’d be right there
Lift me up on His wings of love
Carry my soul to the heavens above
They tell me Jordan’s deep and wide
But I promised Mother I’d see her on the other side