"Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)?" is an American spiritual likely composed by African-American slaves in the 19th century.
First published as "Was You There?" in M.G. Slayton's "Jubilee Songs as Sung by Slayton’s Tennesseeans" (Chicago: Thayer & Jackson, (1882).
Slayton’s version of the spiritual contained three stanzas: 1 crucified, 2 nailed, and 3 laid.
Slayton’s version does not have the familiar longer sustained “Oh” (at the beginning of phrase three), and only two "trembles".
In later publications there were 4 stanzas, the longer sustained "Oh" and three "trembles".
For example in William Eleazar Barton's "Old Plantation Hymns" (1899)
The first recording I could find:
(o) Fisk University Jubilee Singers (1920) (as "Were You There?")
Carl Barbour, tenor; Alfred T. Clarke, baritone; Theodore H. Moore, bass; James A. Myers, tenor; Mrs. James A. Myers, alto; unacc
Recorded December 28, 1920 in NYC
Released on Columbia A3919
Listen here: cusb_col_a3919_01_79606_01.wav
Or here:
(c) C. and M.A. Gospel Quintette (1923) (as "How They Crucified My Lord")
Recorded June 22, 1923 in New York City
Released on a Columbia Personal Record # 91414
(c) Edna Thomas (1924) (as "Were You There?")
Recorded early 1924 in London
Released on Columbia 3398
Listen here:
(c) Paul Robeson (1925) (as "Were you there? (When They Crucified My Lord)")
Piano accomp. Lawrence Brown.
Recorded July 27, 1925 in Camden NJ
Released on Victor 19742
Listen here:
(c) Pace Jubilee Singers (1927) (as "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord")
Vocal sextet; Katherine Simpson, solo vocal; acc. unknown.
Recorded March 5, 1927 in Chicago
Released on Black Patti 8012
Also released on Gennett 6092 (as by Dixie Jubilee Singers)
Listen here:
Or here:
(c) Dame Clara Butt (1927) (as "Were You There?")
Recorded April 8, 1927
Released on Columbia X340
Listen here:
(c) Rev D.C. Rice and Congregation (1930) (as "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?")
Recorded January 1930 in Chicago
Released on Vocalion 1520
Listen here: were-you-there-when-they-crucified-my-lord.mp3
(c) Famous Garland Jubilee Singers (1931) (as "Were You There?")
(= Bryant's Jubilee Quartet/Quintette)
Recorded March 19, 1931 in New York City.
Released on Banner 32174, Oriole 8061, Perfect 176 and Romeo 5061
Listen here:
(c) Uncle Dave Macon & Sam McGee (1931) (as "Was You There When They Took My Lord Away?")
Recorded December 17, 1930 in Jackson, MS
Released on Okeh 45522
Listen here:
(c) Roland Hayes (1940) (as "Were You There")
Recorded around October 1939
Released in February 1940 on Columbia 69812-D
Listen here:
(c) Wade Mainer (1939) (as "Were You There")
Recorded August 21, 1939 in Atlanta, GA
Released on Bluebird B-8273
Listen here:
(c) Belmont Silvertone Jubilee Singers (1939) (as "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?")
Recorded November 9, 1939
Released on Decca 7718
Listen here:
(c) Wings Over Jordan (1946) (as "Were You There?")
Released in 1946 on the King /Queen label (# 4141)
Listen here:
(c) Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys (1949)
(as "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord")
Roy Acuff [vcl], Brother Oswald Kirby [banjo/dobro/vcl], prob. Joseph Zinkan [bass], Tommy Magness [fiddle], Jimmy Riddle [harmonica]
Recorded January, 15 1949 in Nashville, TN
Released on Columbia 20550
Listen here:
(c) Sister Rosetta Tharpe with Rosette Gospel Singers (and the James Roots Quartet) (1950)
(as "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?")
Recorded December 12, 1949 in New York
Released on Decca 48136
Listen here:
During his final session as lead singer of the Soul Stirrers, Sam Cooke recorded his most stirring performance of a gospel song.
About 2 weeks after this session, Cooke send a six-song demo tape of pop songs to producer Bumps Blackwell, severing his ties to gospel.
(c) Soul Stirrers (1957) (as "Were You There?")
Recorded April 10, 1957 in Chicago.
Released on Specialty 907
Listen here:
(c) Harry Belafonte (1960) (as "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord")
Listen here:
(c) Johnny Cash and The Carter Family (1962)
(as "Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)")
Listen here:
(c) Diamanda Galás (1992) (as "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?")
Listen here:
(c) Aaron Neville (2000) (as "Were You There?")
Released on the album Devotion.
Listen here:
(c) Willie Nelson (2003) (as "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?")
Performed at a 2003 tribute for Johnny Cash.
Listen here:
The song was also one of Mahatma Gandhi's favorites.
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