Down in the River to Pray
The origin of this well-known song is not clear. It has been described as a Spiritual, a Gospel hymn, and an Appalachian folk song. Musically it seems to have elements of all of those genres. Perhaps its popularity comes from its ability to combine those elements.
It gained considerable popularity from its inclusion in the Coen Brothers’ 2000 movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? as sung by Alison Krauss. The movie was filled with traditional music, and the soundtrack quickly became a sensational hit. Down in the River to Pray inspired an arrangement by Philip Lawson that was sung by the King’s Singers. (That arrangement became one of the mainstays of the OK Chorale, a vocal group that Carol and I fostered in our cowboy town of Bowie, Texas.) The rendition featured here by Apollo’s Fire is consistent with those treatments.
The argument for the song’s Spiritual roots come mostly from the text. Slaves attempting to escape to the North would traverse rivers in order to element the scent that dogs could track. And the reference to “starry crown” suggests their navigation by the Pole Star. That image comes through much more clearly in the song “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” referring to the Big Dipper constellation.
Apollo’s Fire has some interesting performances online that you might want to explore. Their repertoire spans quite a few styles, including early music and various folk styles such as this.
