O The Winter

In Amidons’ book ‘Fifty-five Anthems for the Small Church Choir‘. Sung here by the Starry Mountain Singers, Mary Alice Amidon soloist. Peter and Mary Alice Amidon loved the rendition of this Bahamas spiritual sung as part of the 2006 Washington DC Revels the Amidons were headlining in, but they could never quite figure out the harmonies, so they took it home and sang it with the Amidon/Bode quintet (Sam, Stefan, Mary Alice & Peter Amidon with Stefan’s wife Zara Bode) and later with the Starry Mountain Singers.  Peter more or less transcribed those improvised harmonies for this rendition. Here is the Amidon family (Peter, Mary Alice, Sam, Stefan, and Stefan’s wife Zara Bode) performing “O the Winter” at their 2012 Last Night performance.)

LYRICS

O The Winter
traditional from the Bahamas

Oh the winter, Oh the winter,
Oh the winter soon be over children,
The winter, Oh the winter,
Oh the winter soon be over children.
The winter, Oh the winter,
Oh the winter soon be over children
Oh, yes, my Lord

You set your feet on holy ground
And ask the Lord for to turn you round.

Paul and Silas bound in jail,
One did weep and the other did pray.

You lift your eyes up to the sky
And ask the Lord for the wings to fly.