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X:1     %Music
B:Patterson, D W, 1979, The Shaker Spiritual, Princeton University Press, New Jersey
Z:Daniel W Patterson
F:http://www.folkinfo.org/songs
N:Collected by Daniel Patterson (Shaker Spirituals), from Shaker MS L-14 at the Lebanon, NY Shaker Community, A Collection of Verses, Anthems, and Tunes etc. of Almost Any Description, written by Giles B. Avery (ca. 1835-1836).  According to Patterson, "three Lebanon manuscripts of the mid-1830s bar this prayer song correctly but give no time signature; the scribes had never heard of 5/4 measures. (A later copy written at Canterbury shifts measure by measure from 2/4 to 3/4 time.) The tune itself derives from the large family that serves such shape-note hymns as 'Primrose' and 'Consolation,' and the [traditional UK] ballad 'The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington.' "  Learned from the singing of the Tudor Choir of Seattle (cond. Doug Fullington), arr. Siegfried, on Loft Recordings CD GENTLE WORDS.
N:This version adapted, edited, and arranged (C) 2005 for The Good News-Goodtime Band by Susan O. Hinton.
T:Help Me O Lord
M:5/4     %Meter
L:1/8     %
K:C
E4 |A2 B2 c4 (BA) |G2 (AG) E4 E2 |A2 B2 c4 (BA) |(GA) B2 A4 :|
w:Help me O Lord thy_ way to_ keep in truth and in sin-_cer-_i-ty
|:G2 |A2 (cd) e4 d2 |f2 e2 d4 B2 | A2 (cd) e4 (dc) |B2 (BA) A4  :|
w: For what I_ sow that must I reap Through time &_ in e--ter-ni--ty