I looked in the East, I looked in the West,
For Fortune a chance to me accordin',
But Fortune is a blind god flyin' in the clouds,
Forgettin' me on this side of Jordan.
Pull off your old coat, and roll up your sleeves,
Life is a hard road to travel I believes.

Thunder in the clouds, and lightening in the trees,
Shelter to my head no leaf affordin',
Battered by the hailstones, beaten by the breeze;
Th's my lot on this side o' Jordan.
Pull off your old coat, etc.

Silver spoons to some mouths, golden spoons to others,
Providence unequally awardin',
Dash it! - tho' they tells us all of us be brothers;
Don't see it clearly, this side of Jordan.
Pull off your old coat, etc.

Like a ragged owlet, with its wings expanded,
Nailed against a garden door or hoardin',
That am I, by good folk, as a rascal branded;
Never hurted none o' this side Jordan.
Pull off your old coat, etc.

Aloft a pretty cherub, patchin' up o' blunders,
My troubles and distresses is recordin',
Will there come a whirlabout? better times I wonders,
E'en to me, on t'other side o' Jordan?
Pull off your old coat, etc.




abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Baring-Gould, S, and Fleetwood Sheppard, H, A Garland of Country Song, London,1895

Notes:
Baring-Gould's notes are as follows:

This song has been taken down by us to two distinct tunes. We give that which is, in our opinion, the best, obtained from an old labourer, since dead, in Holcombe Burnell, N. Devon. In the original there is much variance in the words, a good deal of "gag" being inserted relative to various political events. One version has verses about the Crimean War. Some of the stock verses are coarse. We have re-cast the words, preserving its essential, rollicking, defiant humour.

Two editions are at the Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads collection:

Jordan ("I look'd in the east, I look'd in the west ...")
Subject: India - Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-1858; Slavery
Harding B 15(153b)
Imprint: Printed and Published at Taylors Song Mart, 93, Brick Lane, Bethnal Green (Date: between 1859 and 1899)

Jordan ("I look'd in the east, I look'd to the west ...")
Subject: India - Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-1858; Slavery; Liverpool (England)
Firth c.20(82)
Harding B 11(1941)
Harding B 11(1941A)
Imprint: Printed and Published at Such's Song Mart, 123, Union Street, Borough, London. Printer's Series: (56). (Date: between 1849 and 1862)

This seems to be based on or derived from "Jordan Is a Hard Road to Travel," a minstrel song by Dan Emmett. The Levy collection has an edition (possibly the first edition):

Title: Jordan is a hard road to travel.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Composed by Old Dan Emmet[t].
Publication: Boston: Oliver Ditson, 115 Washington St., 1853.
Form of Composition: strophic with chorus
Instrumentation: piano and voice
First Line: I just arrived in town For to pass de time away
First Line of Chorus: So take off your coat boys, And roll up your sleeves

The second verse and chorus are:

I look to the East, I look to the West
And I see ole Kossuth a comin
With four bay horses hitch'd up in front,
To tote his money to de oder side ob Jordan

So take off your coat boys,
And roll up your sleeves,
For Jordan is a hard road to trabel.
So take off your coat boys,
And roll up your sleeves,
For Jordan is a hard road to trabel I believe.

Roud: 2103 (Search Roud index at VWML)
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