American folk song

1. As I went down in the river to pray,
   Studyin’ about that good ol’ way,
   And who shall wear the starry crown.
   O Lord, show me the way.
2. Oh sisters, let’s go down,
   let’s go down, don’t you wanna go down
   Oh sisters, let’s go down
   Down in the river to pray.
3. Oh brothers…
4. Oh fathers…
5. Oh mothers…
6. Oh sinners…

Listen

Notes

Alternate text “to the river” and “wear the robe and crown”. After the success of “O Brother Where Art Thou”, churches and camps seemed to re-adopt this one.