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MARY, COME JOIN OUR RELIGION Lead: Peter

A Bahamian chantey from Andros Island, used for sponge fishing and hauling boats.

LYRICS:

Oh then Mary, come and join the religion
Chorus: Oh, Mary, oh
Oh then Mary, come and join the religion
Chorus: Oh Mary, young gal

Mary was a poor boy, she go from the door
Way from the door 'til she reach back home

Oh then Mary, come and join the religion
Oh then Mary, come join the religion

When I was a young man in my prime
The Devil himself couldn't beat my time

Oh then Mary, come and join the religion
Oh then Mary, come join the religion

Oh then Mary, come and join the religion
Oh then Mary, come join the religion

Mary, won't you come down to take our religion?
Mary, won't you help us to get food and water?

Oh then Mary, come and join the religion
Oh then Mary, come join the religion

NOTES:

Learned from the version collected and recorded by Alan Lomax in 1935 from the source singer David Pryor, with group. Lomax was just 20 when he made this journey to the Bahamas to collect songs. In 1938, a mysterious blight wiped out the sponges and ended sponge fishing. The testament to the singing of these fishermen, through these field recordings, is one of great beauty and of unusual, complex harmonies. Anyone interested in sea, Bahamian, and world music would do well to have this CD in their collection, from Rounder's "Deep River Of Song" series, "Bahamas 1935: Chanteys and Anthems From Andros and Cat Island," www.rounder.com.