African Nova Scotian Teaching and Learning

Sound Recordings

Archives are a great place to develop and use your skills of investigation. Archives work to preserve materials in their original context. 'Authentic', 'one-of-a-kind', and 'original' are all words used to describe archival materials. This makes them reliable and valid sources of information, or evidence of the past.

The audio recordings of African Nova Scotian performers, storytellers and tradition bearers were created by folklorist Helen Creighton. Creighton’s work in collecting the songs, stories, and traditions of many Maritime communities over six decades made her one of Canada’s most celebrated folklorists.

Item	Reference
Dearest Mary performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Oh, dearest Mary take pity on poor me — 1943	Audio Reel: 5036 Recording number: 80
Go Down Moses performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Let my people go — 1943	Audio Reel: 5036 Recording number: 81
We'll Sell The Pig and We'll Sell The Cow performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: The horn blow, the cotting do grow — 1943	Audio Reel: 5036 Recording number: 82
Welcome Table performed by Nina Barclay Finn at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: I'm going to feast at the welcome table — 1943	Audio Reel: 5036 Recording number: 83
Daniel In The Lion's Den performed by Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Daniel in the lion's den — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 84
Where Shall I Be When The First Trumpet Sounds? performed by Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: I may be on my knees when the first trumpet sounds — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 85
I Woke Up This Morning (or Stayed On Jesus) performed by Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: I'm singing and shouting with my mind stayed on Jesus — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 86
Welcome Table performed by Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: I'm gonna feast on milk and honey — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 87
They Shall Be Mine performed by Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: They shall be mine when I make up my jewels — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 88
I've Got A Home performed by Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Now the blind man cried to Jesus — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 89
What Band That Sunday Morning? performed by Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: There's one there's two there's three little angels — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 90
Bluebird Bluebird Through My Window performed by Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Take a pretty girl and tap her on the shoulder — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 91
Rain Rain performed by Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Rain rain the wind blows high — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 92
Lazy Bessie performed by Olive Russell and Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Lazy Bessie will you get up — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 93
King's Keys performed by Children of the Coloured Home at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: We'll send Mary to find them — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 94
In That Morning performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: In that morning, what a beautiful morning that shall be — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 95
Come Go To Bed performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Come go to bed — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 96
Blessings of Mary performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Oh, the very first blessing Sister Mary had — 1943	Audio Reel: 5037 Recording number: 97
Cherry Tree Carol performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Then Joseph took Mary up on his right knee — 1943	Audio Reel: 5040 Recording number: 125
When the Saints Come Marching In performed by John Tynes at Chezzetcook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia — 6 August 1943	Audio Reel: 5058 Recording number: 284
Welcome Table performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: I'm going to feast at the welcome table — 25 August 1943	Audio Reel: 5069 Recording number: 413
Bye and Bye performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia — 25 August 1943	Audio Reel: 5069 Recording number: 416
No More Auction Block For Me performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: No more auction block for me, no more, no more — 25 August 1943	Audio Reel: 5070 Recording number: 417
Oh Dearest Mary performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Oh dearest Mary do not break my heart — 25 August 1943	Audio Reel: 5070 Recording number: 418
African Nova Scotian History performed by William Riley at Cherry Brook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia — 25 August 1943	Audio Reel: 5070 Recording number: 419

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While exploring the recordings, you should remain aware that the resource preserves, titles, catagories and language supplied by Helen Creighton, as the creator of the records, as is common in archival practice. The recordings Creighton made are very much 'of their time' and have not been edited. Contemporary users may find some of the language outdated or problematic.

Nova Scotia Archives

African Nova Scotian Teaching and Learning

Sound Recordings