Contemporary: Run Come See Jerusalem
Run Come See, Jerusalem
Blind Blake Higgs (Blake Alphonso Higgs) c.
1940s
Two verses and choruses
(8-bit, mono): .mp3 (217 KB)
Two verses and choruses (high quality): .mp3
(136 KB)
"Run come see, Jerusalem" is performed by
the Jolly Rogers

Notes:
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.
discussion in the DT forum about the song
Blind Blake Higgs
sheet
music
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.