"Down by the Riverside" (also known as "Ain't Gonna Study War No More" and "Gonna lay down my burden") is a spiritual. Its roots date back to before the American Civil War.
The refrain of "ain't gonna study war no more" is a reference to a quotation found in the book of Isaiah, chapter 2, verse 4 (KJV): "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more".
Before the song crystallized to its final form, embrional versions appeared in publications in the 19th century.
Alternative titles: “Ain' go'n' to study war no mo'”, “Ain't gonna grieve my Lord no more”, “Ain't Gwine to Study War No More”, “Down by de Ribberside”, “Going to Pull My War-Clothes” and “Study war no more”.
A precursor of this spiritual, called "Down by the
River", was published with notes in vol 25 of the New England Magazine in 1898.
Another precursor was mentioned on page 66 of Howard W. Odum's "Religious Folk-Songs of the Southern Negroes" (1909)
And floating lyrics can be found on pp 252-53 of Marshall W. Taylor, *A Collection of Revival Hymns and Plantation Melodies* (1882). Unfortunately, this is one of the few items in the book without a tune.
The song was also published on page 480 in Carl Sandburg's "The American Songbag" (1927)
SEE: The American Songbag
John J. Nolan's "Down by the Riverside" (1902) is often mentioned as the first publication of the song, but apart from the title, is a complete different song
SEE NEXT LINK: Down by the river side [Historic American Sheet Music]
Probably the first publication of "Down By the Riverside" in its final formm was in “Plantation Melodies: A Collection of Modern, Popular and Old-time Negro-Songs of the Southland”, Chicago, the Rodeheaver Company, 1918.
First recording I could find:
(o) Fisk University Jubilee Singers (1921) (as "I Ain't Goin' To Study War No More")
Recorded on December 29, 1920
Released on Columbia A3596 in 1922.
Or here:
(c) Homer Rodeheaver and Wiseman Sextet (1923) (as "Down By The River Side")
Recorded early 1923 in New York.
Released on Rainbow 1044
Some copies of Rainbow 1044 read Homer Rodeheaver and the Wood Bros.
(c) Morehouse College Quartette (1923) (as "Down by the Riverside")
Recorded June 1923 in Atlanta, GA.
Released on Okeh 4887
Listen here:
(c) Vaughan Quartet (1924) (as "Ain't Gwine To Study War No More")
Recorded November 5, 1924 in Richmond
Released on Vaughan 1075
(c) C. Mae Frierson Moore (as "Going to Study War No More")
Recorded September 1925
Released on Paramount 12323
Listen here:
(c) Missouri Pacific Diamond Jubilee Quartette (1927) (as "Study War No More")
Recorded April 28, 1927
Released on Okeh 8472
Listen here:
(c) Lester McFarland & Robert Gardner (1927) (as "Down by the Riverside")
Recorded October 16, 1926
Released on Brunswick 108
Listen here:
(c) Sam Morgan's Jazz Band (1927) (as "Down by the Riverside")
Recorded October 22, 1927 in New Orleans
Released on Columbia 14267
Listen here:
Or here:
(c) Norfolk Jubilee Quartet (1927) (as "Down by the Riverside")
Otto Tutson: lead voice / J. "Buddy" Archer: tenor voice
Delrose Hollins: baritone voice / Len Williams: bass voice
Recorded February 1927 in New York.
Released on Paramount 12445
And on Herwin 93003 (as by the Nazareth Jubilee Quartet)
Listen here:
Or here:
(c) Dixie Jubilee Singers (1928) (as "I Ain't Gonna Study War No More")
Recorded August 9, 1928.
Listen here:
Or here:
(c) Leadbelly (1940) (as "Ain't Goin' Study War No More")
Recorded in Washington, D.C. August 23, 1940 for the Library of Congress.
Matrix 4471-B-6
Released in 1994 on "Go Down Old Hannah"
Listen here:
(c) Jimmie Lunceford 1940 (as "I Ain't Gonna Study War No More")
Recorded on June 19, 1940 in New York
Released on Columbia 35567
Listen here:
(c) The Four Blues (1945) (as "Study War No Mo")
Released in December 1945 on DeLuxe 1005.
Label image of DeLuxe 1005 released in
December 1945. This same record was also released showing "Golden Echo Quartet"
in place of "The Four Blues" on the label. Both sides credit "Arranged by Joe
Leib"... who was Joe Leibowitz, Musical Director for DeLuxe.
Listen here: Four%20Blues%20-%20DeLuxe%201005-A%20-%201945.wma
(c) Selah Jubilee Quartet (1946) (as "Down by the Riverside")
Released on Arista label
Re-released on Remington / Continental labels
Listen here:
(c) Oak Ridge Quartet (1947) (as "Ain't Gwine to Study War No More")
Wally Fowler, Johnny New, Lonnie Freeman, Curly Kinsey
Recorded June 17, 1946 at Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA -
Released in November 1947 on Capitol 40057
Listen here:
(c) Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1948) (as "Down By the Riverside")
Recorded December 2, 1948 in New York City
Released on Decca 48106
Listen here:
(c) Big Bill Broonzy (1952) (as "Down By the Riverside")
Recorded live at the Salle Pleyel, Paris, February 5, 1952
Released on various artists album "Jazz Varietes" (Swing-label # M 33.307)
Another version was recorded in March 19, 1952 in Paris for the Vogue-label
Released on 10 inch album "Blues Singer Vol No 2" (Vogue LD 072)
Listen here:
In 1953 Dazz Jordan (songwriting pseudonym of Four Lads member John Bernard Toorish) adapted the lyrics a bit and cleverly copyrighted the song.
(c) Four Lads (1953) (as "Down By The River Side")
Released May 1953 on Columbia 40005
Listen here:
(c) Bing Crosby and Gary Crosby (1953) (as "Down By The River Side")
with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra
Recorded November 4, 1953
in Los Angeles
Released Decca 28955
Listen here
(c) Eddy Christiani (1953) (as "Daar Bij de Waterkant")
(Dutch version of "Down by the Riverside" with Dutch lyrics by Jack Bess)
Released on Columbia DH 543
Listen here:
(c) George Lewis (1954) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Released on the album "Jazz At The Vespers" (Riverside Records RLP 12-230)
(c) Mahalia Jackson (1956) (as "Down By The River Side")
with Falls-Jones Ensemble: Mildred Falls, piano; Ralph Jones, organ;
Milton Hinton, bass; Osie Johnson, drums;
Recorded March 27, 1956 in New York City
Released in 1956 on LP "Bless This House" (Columbia CL 899)
In the next YT Mahalia sings "Down By The Riverside" in a tribute to American music on the Nat King Cole Show in 1957.
(c) Pete Seeger (1956) (as "Study War No More")
Listen here:
(c) Million Dollar Quartet (1956) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Elvis Presley sung along on this traditional gospel number with Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis during the Million Dollar Quartet jam session at the Sun Studios in December 1956.
It would be almost 10 years, however, before Elvis recorded a more secular version of the number for the soundtrack of the film "Frankie and Johnny," where it was coupled with "When The Saints Go Marchin' In."
(c) Louis Armstrong (1958) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Recorded February 4, 1958 in New York
Listen here:
(c) Guy Carawan (1959) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Guy learned his version from the 1954 LP by George Lewis and Band "Jazz At The Vespers".
Carawan's version was released on the album: "This Little Light Of Mine".
Listen here:
(c) Billy Riley (1959) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Listen here:
(c) Nat King Cole (1959) (as "Ain't Gonna Study War No More")
Recorded in September 29, 1958.
Released in 1959 on Capitol as ST-1249
Listen here:
(c) Golden Gate Quartet (1959) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Recorded in France.
Listen here:
(c) Roy Hamilton (1960) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Listen here:
(c) Les Compagnons De La Chanson (1960) (as "Qu'il fait bon vivre")
Hit in France and USA
Listen here:
(c) Caterina Valente (1960) (as "Qu'il fait bon vivre")
Listen here:
(c) Will Tura en Broertje Jan (1960) (as "Vrienden Voor 't Leven")
(Flemish version of "Down By The Riverside", following the French version by Les Compagnons De La Chanson)
Listen here:
(c) Willy Hagara (8/1960) (as "Freunde Fürs Leben")
(Top 10 Hit Germany)
(German version of "Down By The Riverside", following the Flemish lyrics of the Will Tura version here above)
Listen here:
(c) Laurie London (1961) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Listen here:
(c) Blue Diamonds (1961) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Listen here:
(c) Wynona Carr (1962) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Listen here:
(c) Weavers (1963) (as "Study War No More")
Listen here:
(c) Trini Lopez (1963)
(medley: Gotta Travel On / Down By The Riverside / Marianne / When The Saints Go Marching In / Volare)
Listen here:
(c) Eddy and the Crazy Jets Show (1963) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Released on Delta DS 1075
(c) Pete Seeger, Sonny Terry, and Brownie McGhee perform "Down by the Riverside" on Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest in 1967.
(c) Seekers (1968) (as "Study War No More")
Listen here:
(c) Ace Cannon (1969) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Listen here:
(c) Van Morrison (1971) (as "Down By The Riverside")
(Bonustrack on the CD reissue of Tupelo Honey)
Listen here:
In 1971 Led Zeppelin performed "Down By The Riverside" live in Osaka, Japan.
Listen here:
(c) Charlie Rich (1976) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Listen here:
(c) Havenzangers (1979) (as "Daar Bij De Waterkant")
Crediting T. Peters / Lurech / Lirach ???
In 1991 they corrected the credits T. Peters / R. Peters / Jack Bess
Listen here:
(c) Peter, Paul & Mary (1998) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Listen here:
(c) Brendan Croker (2003) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Brendan Croker used a set list of 40 protest songs put together in a book, and he made
the audience call out numbers between 1-40 and it was pot luck as to what you heard!!!
"Down By The Riverside" was song # 18 of that list.
(o) The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (2004) (as "Down By The Riverside")
Listen here:
(c) The Blind Boys of Alabama (2008) (as "Down By The Riverside")
An extremely loose interpretation of "Down By The Riverside" after 1 minute in the next YT:
More recordings:
Willie Dixon's "Study War No More" (1988) is a different song
Elkins-Payne Jubilee Singers, "Down By the Riverside" (Paramount 12071) recorded in November 1923 is also a different song.
Listen here:
Memphis Minnie (Lizzie Douglas) "Down By the Riverside" (Conqueror 9936 ), recorded on May 21, 1941 is also a different song.
Listen here:
